19 changes Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights makes from the book – from missing characters to ending

In case you missed it, the latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights is stirring up some controversy.

Emily Brontë’s famous novel has been made into a movie many times. Now, Emerald Fennell, the director and writer known for films like Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, is sharing her own take on the story.

The movie tells the intense love story of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, who grow up together on the beautiful Yorkshire moors during Victorian England and form an undeniable bond.

Emerald Fennell, in an interview with Fandango, explained that a book as complex and challenging as Wuthering Heights simply can’t be directly adapted into a film. She stated she wasn’t attempting a faithful recreation, as it’s an impossible task. This reasoning is actually behind the film’s title being presented as “Wuthering Heights” with quotation marks. Since the film’s marketing began, and continuing now with mixed reviews, many devoted fans of the original novel have strongly protested these changes, and that criticism shows no signs of stopping.

To what extent did Emerald Fennell alter the original story of Wuthering Heights in her film adaptation?

Please be aware that this discussion contains spoilers for both Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights and Emily Brontë’s original novel.

21 changes Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights makes from the book

1. The narrative structure of the story

Okay, so this book doesn’t tell its story straight down the line. Instead, we get it through the eyes of a character named Mr. Lockwood, who’s renting from the brooding Heathcliff. He’s basically hearing the whole, complicated tale of Heathcliff and Cathy from the housekeeper, Nelly Dean. So, most of what we experience is filtered through Nelly’s perspective – she’s really the one doing the storytelling, and that shapes everything.

Most of the book focuses on the past, before the story jumps to the present day. We then follow a middle-aged Heathcliff and a new set of characters who aren’t featured in the earlier parts of the tale.

The movie doesn’t have a central character telling the story, and it unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order, focusing on just one section of the book.

Read more: Wuthering Heights review: Emerald Fennell’s radical revamp will almost certainly provoke pearl-clutching

2. Heathcliff’s background

The main character’s ethnicity has been a major topic of conversation and debate leading up to the movie’s release. It’s a subject that scholars have discussed for many years.

The novel includes several descriptions and phrases suggesting Heathcliff is not white. Characters frequently emphasize his different appearance, effectively making him an outsider. He’s described using racial slurs like “dark-skinned gsy” and compared to people of color – specifically, referred to as being like a “Lascar,” or a castaway from America or Spain.

Mr. Earnshaw claims he discovered Heathcliff at the Liverpool Docks, a place with a long history linked to the transatlantic slave trade.

The uncertainty surrounding Heathcliff’s background deepens the novel’s exploration of prejudice, particularly how his unknown family history, social class, and ethnicity all contribute to the discrimination he faces.

Fennell’s film doesn’t discriminate based on ethnicity, and features Australian actor Jacob Elordi in the role. She explained to the BBC that she cast him after working with him on Saltburn, noting he closely resembled her initial image of the character Heathcliff from the book’s cover.

As a long-time film fan, I’ve seen a lot of discussion about the casting choices for this new adaptation, and honestly, some people are upset. They’re saying casting Jacob Elordi feels like a step backwards, especially since director Andrea Arnold made such a brilliant decision in her 2012 version by casting James Howson – a multiracial actor – as Heathcliff. It’s sparked a debate about ‘whitewashing’ and representation, and it’s a valid point to raise.

Read more: Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights cast: Saltburn star Jacob Elordi and more

3. Cathy and Heathcliff’s ages in the story

While the movie focuses on a 35-year-old Cathy, played by Margot Robbie, before the main events unfold, the original story by Brontë shows Cathy growing up from childhood and adolescence, and she dies before reaching her thirties.

The intense and damaging connection between Cathy and Heathcliff is often seen in a new light when you remember how young they were throughout their entire relationship.

We don’t know who else auditioned for the roles, but Robbie is playing a character that was initially written to be much younger – over 15 years younger, in fact – than he is.

It’s certainly not the first time Cathy has been played by an older actress, or that the character has been aged up – in fact, it happens quite often.

4. Mr Earnshaw

Mr. Earnshaw finds Heathcliff at the Liverpool docks and brings him to live at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff enjoys a happy childhood there, growing up alongside Cathy and her brother Hindley, and is often treated better than they are.

I’ve always thought it was so interesting how Mr. Earnshaw treated Heathcliff – it was incredibly kind, and a lot of people believe he might actually be Heathcliff’s biological father, even if he wasn’t born in wedlock. It definitely caused a lot of tension, especially with Hindley, who couldn’t stand their closeness. Even Cathy seemed a little jealous of their bond, which is saying something!

As Mr. Earnshaw’s health declined, he became increasingly cruel and unpleasant, though the reason for this change isn’t clear. Some believe Heathcliff’s brooding nature influenced him, and that Mr. Earnshaw even encouraged Heathcliff’s pride, but that seems a bit unfair.

As Cathy matures throughout the story, she becomes increasingly headstrong and often argues with her father. Everyone, including all of his children, deeply mourns Mr. Earnshaw when he passes away.

The movie still shows the characters mourning Mr. Earnshaw, but his kindness, especially how he treated Heathcliff, isn’t as emphasized.

5. Cathy’s brother

I was really struck by how Fennell handled the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff in the film. It’s revealed right away that Cathy’s original brother, also named Heathcliff, has passed away. Then, when Mr. Earnshaw brings home this poor, lost boy, Cathy instinctively gives him the name of her deceased brother. It beautifully establishes him as a brother figure for her – a replacement, if you will – and makes it clear he’s not her half-brother, which is a fascinating choice.

In the novel, Mr Earnshaw also names Heathcliff after a sibling of Cathy’s who did not live.

In the story, Cathy has an older brother named Hindley Earnshaw who becomes Heathcliff’s enemy. After their father dies, Hindley becomes jealous of the attention Heathcliff received and begins to mistreat and take advantage of him.

Hindley takes control of Wuthering Heights and mistreats Heathcliff, forcing him to work as a servant. After Hindley’s wife, Frances, passes away, he falls into despair and becomes an alcoholic.

When Heathcliff returns after being away, he’s determined to get revenge and quickly contributes to Hindley’s ruin. He then continues the pattern of mistreatment by subjecting Hareton, Hindley and Frances’s son, to the same kind of cruel treatment and forced servitude that Hindley inflicted on him years before.

6. Catherine Earnshaw’s role

The movie’s Cathy has a harder life than the Cathy in the book, partly because she’s her father’s only legal heir. She also endures a difficult childhood marked by her father’s alcoholism and abuse, alongside Heathcliff, for most of her life.

Throughout the novel, Cathy feels jealous of the affection her father shows towards her brother Hindley and, even more so, towards Heathcliff. As she and her father both grow older, her feelings towards him become increasingly hostile.

The movie gives Cathy a refined, upper-class accent, emphasizing her higher social status compared to Heathcliff. However, many historians point out that this type of accent wouldn’t have been common in Victorian Yorkshire.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Cathy’s decline in the novel is how intensely she unravels, to the point where her behavior seems like a severe mental break. Some scholars have suggested she might be interpreted as having Borderline Personality Disorder, given her dramatic reactions to Heathcliff’s mistreatment. However, it’s important to remember that diagnosing fictional characters with mental illnesses is often complex and open to interpretation.

Although Cathy is deeply saddened by her separation from Heathcliff in the movie, her despair isn’t as intense or bleak as it is in Emily Brontë’s novel.

7. Heathcliff’s role

Heathcliff is a deeply flawed character in the novel, openly displaying harmful behavior. However, his actions are driven by a difficult past filled with trauma, feelings of being left behind, and a strong need for revenge.

In the movie, Heathcliff is portrayed as a deeply romantic figure for Cathy. While he isn’t perfect, his main flaws involve trying to make Cathy jealous, having an affair, and engaging in a difficult relationship with Isabella – though he’s honest about this, and she willingly participates.

Throughout the novel, Heathcliff relentlessly pursues revenge after Cathy chooses Edgar. He marries Isabella solely to inflict pain on Cathy and Edgar, and then mistreats Isabella during their marriage. He also drives Hindley to ruin through alcohol and financial mismanagement. Driven by a desire to punish everyone, Heathcliff strives to control both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, and extends his vengeful cycle to the next generation, deliberately causing suffering to his and Cathy’s children, as well as Hindley’s son, Hareton.

Okay, let’s talk Heathcliff. In Brontë’s novel, he’s a really complex character – honestly, more of a brooding anti-hero, or even a straight-up villain, than a typical romantic hero. But this new film? It definitely softens him. Fennell’s adaptation really pushes him towards being a conventional romantic lead, and frankly, I think it loses some of the fascinating darkness that makes the original Heathcliff so compelling.

This story doesn’t show the repeating pattern of abuse and inherited trauma that’s often seen in characters like Heathcliff.

8. Edgar Linton

The movie version of Edgar Linton is portrayed as a genuinely kind person, and he’s actually more level-headed and understanding than he is in the novel. This Edgar shows more sympathy for Heathcliff and comes across as less arrogant and bland.

In the movie, Edgar is depicted as the owner of Thrushcross Grange because his parents aren’t shown. The story differs from the book in that Isabella is portrayed as Edgar’s ward, rather than his sister.

The movie differs from the book in that it never implies Cathy loves Edgar. While both versions show Cathy marrying Edgar because of his wealth and social standing, the book establishes she also feels genuine romantic love for him, even though it’s ultimately overshadowed by her intense and consuming, though troubled, love for Heathcliff.

Cathy explains to Nelly that her love for Linton is like leaves on trees – it will fade with time, just as seasons change. But her connection to Heathcliff is different; it’s deep and unchanging, like the solid earth itself. It doesn’t always bring happiness, but it’s fundamental to who she is. She declares, ‘I am Heathcliff!’

I’ve always been captivated by the way their conflict played out after Cathy’s death. It was heartbreaking to watch Heathcliff consumed by his need for revenge against Edgar, while Edgar just desperately wanted to protect his daughter and see her happy. But in the end, it was Heathcliff who truly won, gaining control of both Thrushcross Grange and young Cathy’s future. It felt so unfair, yet tragically inevitable.

Ultimately, Edgar is buried on one side of Catherine and Heathcliff on the other, completing their complicated relationship even after they’ve all died.

9. Isabella Linton

Isabella is different in this version of the story. Instead of being Edgar’s sister, as she is in the original novel, she’s now his ward.

The movie version of Isabella is gentler and, at first, not as passionate as Cathy in the book. However, she’s given a much more unique personality, with some distinct interests and hobbies.

Similar to the book, Isabella becomes obsessed with Heathcliff, which upsets Cathy and Edgar. However, the film adds a key difference: Isabella realizes Heathcliff is only using her to provoke Cathy’s jealousy, and she willingly enters into a deeply unhealthy marriage and sexual relationship characterized by humiliation and dominance/submission dynamics.

In the novel, Isabella is deceived by Heathcliff and endures a cruel marriage with him. She comes to regret marrying him and eventually escapes while pregnant. She later has a son, whom she names Linton Heathcliff.

Eventually, Isabella dies, and Linton goes to live with Heathcliff. Very happy indeed.

10. Nelly Dean

Ellen Dean, often called Nelly, is a central and controversial character in the novel. She tells most of the story, and some readers question how trustworthy she is as a storyteller, since she clearly has strong opinions about all the people involved.

Nelly is a household worker who grew up alongside Cathy’s brother, Hindley, and views him as a sibling. Throughout the story, she serves several generations of the family and often acts as a mother figure to many of the characters.

She sometimes gets involved in the love triangles by trying to connect people, but not as much as Nelly does in the film. Nelly is far more manipulative, much like the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet – a connection the author intentionally highlights. Nelly actively creates confusion and causes a lot of emotional pain, driven by her own jealousy.

In the film, Nelly has a more developed backstory than in the novel. She’s portrayed as Cathy’s companion and the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, details not found in the original book. The film also shows her being subjected to unkind comments from fellow servants, an element not present in the novel.

The novel does establish that Nelly is more educated than the other household staff, though the reason for this difference isn’t ever really addressed.

Emerald Fennell described the relationship between her characters, Nellie and Cathy, as sisterly but complex, drawing a parallel to the dynamic between Heathcliff and Cathy. She explained that their bond includes elements of both jealousy and possessiveness.

Fennell strongly portrays Nelly as a challenging and unlikeable character, and fully commits to that interpretation.

11. Joseph

In the movie, Ewan Mitchell plays Joseph, a worker at Wuthering Heights who has a romantic relationship with another servant named Zillah.

The character of Joseph in the book is portrayed as a holier-than-thou and deeply religious man, though he’s notably unkind and holds a strong dislike for Heathcliff. This intense animosity isn’t present in Fennell’s movie adaptation.

Joseph’s story adds to the theme of lost love, as we learn he and Zillah have broken up after a period of time has passed.

12. Cathy’s pregnancy

The movie shows Cathy experiencing a miscarriage and ultimately dying from an infection. But in the book, Cathy actually gives birth to a daughter, Catherine, before she passes away.

Since the movie doesn’t tell the story of Catherine when she was younger, it makes sense that her baby is shown as having not survived.

Young Catherine finds herself pressured into a miserable marriage with Linton, the son of Heathcliff and Isabella. However, her true feelings develop for Hareton, Hindley Earnshaw’s mistreated son and also her cousin. Like the relationship between the elder Cathy and Heathcliff, this is another love story born from pain and loss, though it lacks the same intense, unhealthy dependence.

13. Zillah

Zillah is the housekeeper at Wuthering Heights during the latter part of the novel.

I always felt bad for how Isabella treated Linton when she was at Wuthering Heights, but honestly, she really started to get on my nerves with young Catherine. She was just so stuck-up! And it was clear she was doing whatever Heathcliff told her to do, which was pretty sad considering how awful he was being to everyone.

In the movie, Zillah appears as a household worker much earlier on, and she shares a sexually complex and often painful relationship with Joseph.

Later in the movie, we learn that Zillah quit working at the house, got married, and had a child. When she encounters Joseph, she deliberately avoids acknowledging him.

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14. Cathy’s death scene

Cathy dies peacefully in her bedroom, with her husband, Edgar, at her side. Sadly, by the time Heathcliff reaches her, she is already gone.

Near the end of the story, Cathy and Heathcliff share one last intense and secret meeting, helped by Nelly. During this encounter, weakened by heartbreak and illness, Cathy passionately blames Heathcliff for her deteriorating condition, believing he’s responsible for her failing health and mental state.

Edgar unexpectedly sees a heated argument between Cathy and Heathcliff in her bedroom, deeply upsetting her before she gives birth to their daughter and tragically dies just a few hours later. After Cathy’s death, Heathcliff desperately pleads with her to haunt him, and is consumed by grief, even wishing he could exhume her body just to look at her one last time.

15. The removal of the entire second half of the book – and original ending

Like most movie versions of the book, Emerald Fennell’s film concludes with Cathy’s death and doesn’t follow what happens to the next generation – Catherine Linton, Linton Heathcliff, and Hareton Earnshaw.

However, this movie differs from most adaptations in another way: it doesn’t show Heathcliff dying at the end either.

The story doesn’t explore how past trauma affects future generations, and it avoids depicting a disturbing or unsettling reunion between Cathy and Heathcliff after they die.

Fennell explained to ScreenRant that the source material is a very complex, sprawling story covering multiple generations.

She explained that because the book is so rich with detail, adapting it properly would require a very long format – either a miniseries or a ten-episode series to fully capture everything. Alternatively, she chose to create her own interpretation of the story, focusing on the emotions it evoked and exploring what she wished had happened differently.

16. Other absent characters

As we’ve discussed, the movie leaves out several characters from the original story. Here’s a complete list of those characters…

Hindley Earnshaw – the older brother of Cathy Earnshaw, the heir and eventual owner of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff’s tormentor.
Mr and Mrs Linton – the wealthy and high-status owners of Thrushcross Grange; the parents of Edgar and Isabella, who pass away and leave Edgar as the master of their large home.
Frances Earnshaw – the giddy wife of Hindley and mother of their son Hareton; Frances’s death causes her husband’s downward spiral.
Hareton Earnshaw – the son of Hindley and Frances Earnshaw, who is ultimately raised by Heathcliff but forced into a role of service by him in a parallel to his own treatment by Hindley.
The younger Catherine “Cathy” Linton – the only child of Edgar and Catherine Linton (the elder), said to resemble her father, but carry the spirited will of her mother.
Linton Heathcliff – the insipid and sickly son of Heathcliff and his wife, Isabella Linton, who is said to resemble his mother only and appears more like Edgar and Isabella in disposition than Heathcliff.
Mr Lockwood – one of the narrators of the story, who is also relayed much of the tale by Nelly Dean, a shallow and judgmental figure who is a new tenant of Heathcliff’s at Thrushcross Grange in the present day.

17. Aesthetics

The film fully embraces a lavish, over-the-top style, and everything from the costumes to the sets and music feels deliberately out of time with the original story’s historical setting in Wuthering Heights.

This is simply a matter of the author’s style, and it’s important to remember that Wuthering Heights is a work of fiction, not a true story.

Read more: Wuthering Heights 2026 soundtrack: Full list of songs from Charli xcx

18. Sex

This is clearly the work of Emerald Fennell, who frequently explores themes of sexuality, as seen in her previous films, Promising Young Woman and Saltburn.

This movie version of the story doesn’t shy away from the passionate side of the relationships. It portrays Cathy and Heathcliff’s romance with explicit intimacy, and also introduces sexual relationships between other characters like Joseph and Zillah. We also see the lack of intimacy in Edgar and Cathy’s marriage, and a dominant/submissive dynamic between Heathcliff and Isabella.

The novel also seems to suggest a connection between social class and sexual satisfaction, portraying the passionate relationships of the working-class characters Heathcliff and Joseph as more fulfilling than the more proper, but less intense, relationship between the wealthy Edgar and his partner.

At the start of the movie, there are scenes of people engaging in casual sex in a public town square.

Considering the book was written during the Victorian era, it doesn’t contain any depictions of explicit sexual content.

Whether the connection between Heathcliff and Cathy is truly erotic is open to interpretation. While many believe their bond is primarily spiritual and emotional, they do share moments of physical touch.

In a powerful moment in Cathy’s bedroom, Heathcliff kneels and holds her, showing both his deep devotion and a passionate connection—as intensely romantic as the novel allows.

Read more: From Wuthering Heights to Bridgerton, how did period dramas get so sexed-up?

19. The removal of supernatural elements

Wuthering Heights is a powerful example of romantic gothic literature, and its dark, emotional atmosphere is heightened by hints of the supernatural and the spiritual.

In the novel, young Catherine’s ghost appears at the window of her bedroom in Wuthering Heights, searching for Heathcliff.

Later, we discover that this was precisely what Heathcliff asked of her. As Catherine lay dying, he desperately pleaded with her: “Catherine Earnshaw, don’t find peace while I live. If you believe I caused your death, then haunt me! Stay with me forever—take any shape, even drive me to insanity—just don’t leave me alone in this despair, where I can’t reach you!”

Even after Catherine’s death, Heathcliff remains fixated on her, repeatedly visiting her grave. He ultimately dies longing to be with her again, and is buried next to her, fulfilling his final wish.

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A servant reported seeing the ghosts of Cathy and Heathcliff wandering the moors, but Mr. Lockwood didn’t believe it. He preferred to think they were all resting peacefully in their graves.

The movie doesn’t explore dark, gothic themes. While the main love story is eternal, it’s not about supernatural beings like vampires or ghosts.

However, Heathcliff does lie beside Cathy’s corpse in the film’s final scene.

If you want Wuthering Heights ghosts, we’ll always have the Kate Bush song.

Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” is out now in cinemas.

Authors

Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor

Lewis leads the news and trends coverage at TopMob, focusing on delivering content that meets what our audience wants and enjoys. He’s a huge fan of TV and movies, especially anything with Nicole Kidman, but also loves science fiction, independent films, and the newest shows on HBO. With a background in Psychology and a Masters degree in Film Studies, Lewis previously worked in advertising before spending three years at The Mirror, where he handled community management, SEO, and reported on showbiz, film, and television.

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2026-02-13 19:12