Paula Byrne has written about
Pride and Prejudice's Mary Bennett for
The New York Times.
Mary’s inner life will be revealed to be as rich and beautiful as her exterior is plain and awkward; a kind of prototype for Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre” published a few decades after Austen’s novel.
The Varsity discusses why 'Hollywood keeps missing the mark on classic literary adaptations'.
On the other hand, Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation — starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine and Heathcliff, respectively — is stirring controversy long before its release. Fans of Emily Brontë’s novel are particularly concerned that Robbie and Elordi — both known for their highly aestheticized, social media driven personas — may fail to embody the raw, brooding energy of Brontë’s protagonists, sacrificing them for the reward of surface level appeal instead.
More troubling is the casting of Elordi — a white man — as Heathcliff, a character described as dark-skinned. It risks overlooking the racial complexities present in the character’s ambiguous background.
Heathcliff’s story in Wuthering Heights carries a subtext of racial otherness, his marginalization as a dark-skinned outsider. It is a theme often glossed over or ignored in previous adaptations, and with Fennell’s forthcoming film there remains the likelihood of once again reducing him to a tortured lover rather than a deeply marginalized, vengeful figure shaped by racial and social exclusion. [...]
The enduring popularity of classic literature suggests that audiences are drawn to stories that offer more than just surface appeal. Viewers don’t necessarily need modern slang or trendy references to appreciate Austen’s insight into social mobility, Brontë’s critique of toxic love, or Wilde’s reflections on vanity. By assuming otherwise, these adaptations risk reducing rich, timeless stories to easily digestible content that lacks the depth and complexity of the originals.
The trend of ‘updating’ classics may attract new viewers, but at what cost? If adaptations continue to prioritize pandering over preserving, they risk eroding the legacies of these timeless works, ultimately leaving shallow imitations. Hollywood would do well to remember that timeless stories resonate because of their depth and complexity — not despite it. (Kamilla Bekbossynova)
Is Wuthering Heights a 'critique of toxic love'?
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