Was It Platonic?
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jannag — 19 years ago(January 01, 2007 05:04 AM)
I was wondering about that. and I dont know. but as I know, gypsies start their real affairs in quite early age, so maybe Heathcliff too, but main decesion was on Cathy. I dont know, in the Victorian times, when this novel was written, it was strictly forbiden theme, so maybe thats why Emily didnt mentioned about that.
but i read some opinions, that because it was anconsumated relationship, thats why Heathlciff was so yearning for her body, after she died. -
SnapdragonSmile — 19 years ago(January 05, 2007 09:52 AM)
I don't know what they actually did and I don't think we're supposed to. I think he could and would be yearning for her body regardless of what happened when she was alive
But the feeling were definitely not platonic EVER. -
eden_echo — 19 years ago(February 27, 2007 02:32 PM)
When you read the novel, you can't really tell but when it comes to some of the film versions, you see sometimes that it's implied if they had an affair or not.
In this version, they fall into the grass, that looks like they did something in that moment because the scene cuts away to another.
"I promise you, before I die I'll surely come to your doorstep" -
JacquesDemy — 19 years ago(February 28, 2007 04:07 AM)
I noticed that scene too, I don't think William Wyler really wanted such an implication(Ok, maybe he did it subconsciously). The scene is for the theme of heather and is also a "showing-off" of deep focus.
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johannamarie — 18 years ago(April 07, 2007 06:23 PM)
thanx cosmicslop but that still dont answer my question.so can anyone else tell me what scene was that?
"Yo Soy Boricua Hasta La Muerte" -
villebaillie — 18 years ago(April 30, 2007 03:29 PM)
The scene where they are together for the last time near the middle of the book is quite sexual in itself. Cathy wouldn't have been ashamed of anything, neither would Heathcliff, "I am heathcliff" she says.
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Schlageter — 18 years ago(June 15, 2007 09:57 AM)
It depends on what you mean by "platonic". Heathcliff embraces Cathy in several scenes, I don't remeber whether he also kisses her but probably there isn't more between them than just some embraces and kisses. Perhaps not because they don't want to but because Cathy is too ambitious to ruin her chances to marry a rich man of a high social position by having had an affair with another man. The film is set in the 19th century - probably one of the most prudish centuries at all - and I cannot imagine Edgar Linton would have accepted Cathy as his wife if her relationship with Heathcliff would have been as close as some commentators suggested - for surely Edgar Linton would have found out about it. Probably only after having married her but then he possibly might have tried to get divorced from Cathy or at least he would have treated her less kindly than before. (Just read Theodor Fontane's "Effi Briest" and you will see what was then considered to be the proper behaviour for a husband who found out about an affair his wife had had, even if it had been years ago). But since Edgar Linton seems to love his wife throughout the wohle film I presume that the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff was rather platonic though they might have wished for something else.
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dshortt-1 — 15 years ago(September 30, 2010 07:59 PM)
You have some interesting points, Schlageter, but having just watched the movie I think it definitely implied a physical i.e. sexual relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine.
The final deathbed scene does show them hugging passionately and kissing on the lips, and earlier scenes showed them kissing as well. Their strong emotion for each other was given physical expression through-out the film; especially when compared with Linton and Catherine's embraces, which were cold and perfunctory.
You're quite right about the oppressive social customs of the 19th century; naturally the movie is going to reflect the climate of the times. Keep in mind also that as recently as 1939 (70 years ago!) when this movie was made, standared practice was to be fairly discrete and restrained regarding portrayal of sexuality in the movies. Thus, we have to be satisfied with innuendo in Wyler's film, as exposed to the explicit displays of sexuality we see today.
But I don't know about your analysis of Edgar Linton's character. There was one scene in the movie, after Linton's daughter and Heathcliff run off, where Catherine is abjectly begging Edgar to go after them and, "kill them both." As she falls around his knees he stands erect and without emotion. I took the scene to mean that he finally understood how strong Catherine's love for Heathcliff was, and that their love must have been expressed physically as well.
Yes, Linton is shown as "loving" and standing by his wife for the duration of the film. I don't know though if you can say that Edgar truely loved Catherine at all (surely she didn't really love him). The movie portrays their relationship as being rather shallow, despite their being married.
In the end my take on it (and I did read the novel many years ago though I don't recall what impression it gives), is that we are meant to understand that Heathcliff and Catherine did have some type physical/sexual relationship at one point, prior to Catherine being married to Edgar. Given that, and the power of their love, I don't think you would call it "platonic" at all.