Beyond Barbie & BDSM: The Brontë's Brutal Reality

The recent Wuthering Heights film adaptation, noted for its controversial and explicit scenes, has drawn parallels to the harsh realities faced by its author, Emily Brontë, and her sisters. The Brontë siblings endured significant hardships, including opium addiction and early deaths, with three of the four siblings passing away within a year of each other, all around their 30th birthdays.

Biographers highlight the sisters' challenging temperaments, mentioning instances of animal abuse and difficult personalities. Emily Brontë, in particular, was known for her reclusive nature and a famously harsh response to her dog soiling a bedspread. Charlotte Brontë also expressed critical views of her sisters' works, sometimes appearing to dismiss their literary efforts.

The family's history was steeped in tragedy. Branwell Brontë died likely from tuberculosis at 31 in September 1848. Emily followed in December 1848 at 30, and Anne passed from the same disease in May 1849 at 29. Charlotte died six years later at 38, following a difficult pregnancy.

Despite their personal struggles, the Brontë sisters remain iconic figures in British literature. The new Wuthering Heights film, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, has achieved significant box office success since its release, grossing $34.8 million in its opening weekend in North America and generating a strong global debut.