A dismal travesty of the book, the new Harper Collins cover is very similar to the red-and-black covers of the ‘Twilight’ series books, complete with an alarming stamp that reads, ‘Bella and Edward’s favorite book’. As my roommate very rightly put it, it looks like a ‘harlot’ version of a novel which by any standards is a classic in its own right. Well, the word she actually used was a little bit stronger than ‘harlot’.
The motive behind the cover of the book is to pitch to the ‘Twilight’-obsessed pre-teens and adolescents who clearly have never heard of the Bronte sisters or even Austen for that matter. The publishers are trying to sell the classic under the garb of a gooey (yuck!) teen goth-romance between star-crossed lovers. The tale is anything but that. In fact, more than a love story,’Wuthering Heights’ is a character study and a keen observation of the class-distinctions that influenced early 19th century society. Heathcliff is perhaps the most complex characters in literary history. For those who have not read the novel, it is a tale of a boy adopted into a family wherein Catherine, the younger daughter of the house, and he form an unmatched attachment- a bond stronger than even ties if blood. However, due to the above-mentioned class distinctions and Catherine’s fancy for power and position in society,they are not meant to be. Understood that the turning point of the novel, revolves around the romantic angle. However, Heathcliff’s return and his quest for revenge on the descendants of the families he held responsible for his degradation, are a fascinating story. The publishers have perhaps forgotten that a lot more goes on after the death of Catherine.
Clearly, Twilight fans who are looking for a soppy, heroic protagonist (ala Edward Cullen) are going to find the character unsavory(There is no comparison). His acts of torture and revenge are almost inhuman. And unlike his counterparts in Jane Eyre (Rochester) and Rebecca, Heathcliff never seeks to find solace or redemption for his acts. Instead, he is hung over the cruelty that is inflicted on him and that he dishes out himself. And he has no regrets whatsoever. His character is steadily savage from the beginning to the end. Questions regarding his origins and his coming to power remain unanswered till the end.
The marketing pitch for the book, I quote
“One of the greatest love stories ever told, beautifully repackaged for a modern teen audience Love the Twilight books? Then you’ll adore Wuthering Heights, one of the greatest love stories ever told. ”
Honestly, people who need to be deceived into reading a novel that is a classic in its own right, by depicting it as a love-story, are really not ready to read it. Other than the cover-art, the publishers have conveniently omitted important inclusions such as Charlotte Bronte’s preface to the novel and other critical writings. Back in its day, Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ had created quite a stir in the literary world. Sold under her pseudonym, Ellis Belle, the novel attracted criticism regarding its conflicted characters, complex plot and the frequent usage of curses( used originally to emulate the accent and dialect of the locals). It was ahead of its time in many ways- a trait that very few novels can boast of.
The new cover illustration has probably been influenced by allusions to ‘Wuthering Heights’ in Eclipse, the third book of the Twilight’ series.
Edward quotes Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights: “I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”
Well, other than these rare allusions, there is very little that the pop-culture fantasy novel shares with the classic.
I’d like to remind publishers that classics pick their own readership. They do not need to make pathetic appeals or crossovers from genres (in this case, from classic to romance). 
I spin yarns 