The Irish Wuthering Heights Conspiracy

It's not very usual that an article about a Brontë-related research is published in the non-English press. We have found an exception in this article published in El Correo Digital.

The problem is when the journalist decides to give the, in her opinion, dull research a twist and transforms an interesting scholar approach into a radical and revolutionary theory that, literally, brings down everything published before about Wuthering Heights.

Picture source: The author in the room where Emily Brontë wrote her novel (E.C.)

We are talking about Óscar Arnedillo's theory about Wuthering Heights and Ireland that has been published in the most recent Brontë Studies issue:

That Wind from the West
pp. 240-247(8) Author: Arnedillo, Óscar
Abstract
Wuthering Heights is about the knowledge and study of passions and emotions, yet there is more Irish background in Emily's work than generally accepted. In this article parallels are made between the writings of Emily Jane Brontë and some aspects of Irish history. The possibility that Emily made use of different events in Irish history in the composition of her novel are explored, many of which were related to her by uncle James while he was visiting the Parsonage during the time of Irish famine.

The article even suggests that there's a conspiracy against this theory,

«En torno a la obra Brontë existe un gran negocio, y está claro que en Gran Bretaña no interesa que se sepa que hay otra perspectiva que pueda desviar la atención y los beneficios a otros escenarios»
Translation via Babelfish -->Around the Brontës' works a great business exists, and it's clear that in Great Britain it does not interest that another perspective that can turn aside the attention and the benefits to other scenes, could be known

Is it the journalist or Mr. Arnedillo who is talking? We have read his paper in Brontë Studies and although we think that a few of his assertions are a little bit forced, we didn't have the feeling of any conspiracy against them.

There are other puzzling things in the article:

En un manuscrito original menciona la isla de Aran, de Irlanda, y después se cambió por Arrán de Escocia. En otro documento que he visto yo mismo, su hermana habla de volver a Irlanda con su tío James porque lo considera su casa. El nombre de la novela es gaélico irlandés. Incluso he comprobado que en 1845, cuando ella escribe, recibieron la visita de su tío que les contó la hambruna que estaban pasando, bien por sus propios problemas o bien por la imposición inglesa. Todo eso subyace en la novela. Hay que tener en cuenta que Emily pertenecía a una familia conservadora y que no tenía la libertad que tiene ahora una joven, y menos para abordar un tema tabú. Por eso creo que dejó pistas para que el lector las conecte. Pero, como digo, es tal negocio que no interesa que salga a la luz. Vende más mantener el misterio. Se han construido cientos de biografías basadas en falsedades, sin entrar en el fondo. Mi reto es llegar a desmontar -siempre con pruebas- ciento cincuenta años de crítica literaria que no se ajustan a lo que ella cuenta.

Babelfish Translation: In an original manuscript the island of Aran is mentioned, in Ireland, and later it was changed by Arrán of Scotland. In another document that I have seen myself, her sister speaks about returning to Ireland with her uncle James because she considers it her home. The name of the novel is gaelic Irish. I have even verified that in 1845, when she writes, they received the visit of their uncle who told them about the famine that they were suffering, either by its own problems or by the English imposition. All that sublies in the novel. (...)

Well, Aran for Arrán - it has never changed, it depends on how the manuscript of Tales of Islanders is read. The most recent edition, by Christine Alexander no less, reads Arrán. We frankly don't know which letter from Anne the author is referring to is. And, well, the visit of James Brunty in 1845 has been reported previously (for instance by Chitham, whom Mr. Arnedillo thanks in his Brontë Studies article).

Probably we will have to wait until his book is published, Emily Jane Brontë: Libertad en Palabras to know all the details.

More information:

Óscar Arnedillo's Article in El Mundo about Emily Brontë (1999)

Previous book of Óscar Arnedillo: Emily Jane Brontë --todavía el misterio (2002)

Categories: Emily Brontë, In the News, Scholar, Wuthering Heights