The Corporeal Representation of Heathcliff as a Sexualised and Tortured Hero in Coky Giedroyc's Wuthering Heights

Abstract

Wuthering Heights is a classic novel with lots of film versions so far. The focus of this thesis is an adaptation by Coky Giedroyc from 2009. I analysed the representation of Heathcliff as the main character from two major aspects: the way his gender roles appear and the way he is represented as a tortured hero. In the first chapter, I examine his relationship with two women, then in the second one, I analyse his character as a tortured outsider. Throughout my thesis, I touch upon notions such as Romantic love, cinematic male gaze, the desire to possess women, power-based relationships or the conflict between nature and culture.