Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights reflects contemporary online culture rather than betraying Brontë's vision
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/nadia-khomami. "Every generation gets the Wuthering Heights it deserves. And Emerald Fennell’s is for the always-online | Nadia Khomami | The Guardian." February 16, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that critics are wrong to attack Emerald Fennell's sexy, controversial version of Wuthering Heights. Instead, this adaptation perfectly reflects how our internet-obsessed, always-online generation consumes content - through viral moments, social media buzz, and instant gratification rather than subtle storytelling.
Conclusion
Emerald Fennell's controversial adaptation of Wuthering Heights is not a betrayal of the original but rather an appropriate reflection of contemporary always-online culture, and each generation deserves adaptations that speak to their cultural moment
Premises
- Contemporary culture operates on an attention economy where only the simplest and most shocking narratives cut through the infinite scroll of content
- Modern book culture has become enmeshed with social media platforms like BookTok that reduce complex works to digestible tropes
- Fennell's filmmaking approach prioritizes provocation over subtlety, which aligns with how content succeeds in viral culture
- The casting of internet-famous actors (Margot Robbie as Barbie, Jacob Elordi as internet boyfriend) follows the logic of virality rather than literary fidelity
- There is nothing inherently wrong with each generation refracting period drama through their own cultural lens, as evidenced by successful adaptations like Bridgerton and Clueless
- The film's commercial success (packed cinemas, $80m budget recouped opening weekend) and renewed interest in the original book (469% sales increase) demonstrate its cultural value
Assumptions
- Cultural adaptations should be judged by their relevance to contemporary audiences rather than strict fidelity to source material
- Commercial success and audience engagement are valid measures of an adaptation's worth
- Each generation has the right to interpret classic literature through their own cultural framework
- Viral, attention-grabbing content is an inevitable and acceptable feature of modern media landscape