Young in love and thinking one knows everything, is a common fault of many girls. A case of this occurred not only to Isabella in Emily Brontë's 1847 Wuthering Heights, filmed in 1939 by William Wyler, but also to me and many of my friends. I believe that there is truth in the saying "blinded by love." But I ask you the question, is it really love that these people feel; or is it comfort, rebellious nature, feelings of adulthood coming upon you or popularity?
Growing up I was attracted to the wrong types of "guys." The thing was I just could not see that, even though I had it pointed out to me time after time. I specifically remember my father sitting me down and speaking to me on the topic. I was there in front of him, not wanting or caring about what he had to say to me. I remember him explaining to me that I am way ahead of myself and that this person in not right for me. While he was speaking, I sat there peering down at the carpet, just waiting for the time when he would be through talking. At last, I could run to the phone and call my boyfriend to arrange our next meeting, while I was ragging about what my dad had said. My father had pointed out that I was getting a cocky attitude about this. That is a usual thing for a teenager; but it seems as though, when one is in so-called "love," one gets this extra power, this huge force behind one, telling one that one knows everything and one is indestructible. This is completely a ridiculous thought. But I had no idea of that until I came to my senses and got out of the relationship.
I know I made it sound as if I were strong and agreed with my dad and broke it off, but that is not what happened at all. Before things went too far and I ran off and married the man as Isabella (Geraldine Fitzgerald on screen) did with Heathcliff (Laurence Oliver in the film), I got lucky, and our interests took us different ways when it came to college. I think when girls are stuck in a place and think that this is a way out, then they are convinced that they should latch on as hard as they can. When this thought is implanted in their mind, there is virtually no hope for them. It is as though the "love" for this person gives them strength against everyone else but the person they are attracted too.
I think that this is the place that Isabella was in. She was living with her brother (David Niven in the movie) and his wife (acted by Merle Oberon), which left her without a lot of thrill. As a sheltered girl, Isabella knew no other. No man had ever taken a liking to her before like this. When she was under his spell, nothing could tear her away from him. Catherine, her brother's wife, whom she thought of as a sister, could not make her understand that he did not want to be with her; he just wanted revenge against Catherine. Isabella went as far as disowning her own brother for this man whom she barely knew, just because he was a sweet talker, and she did not have enough control of her self and her feelings to realize what was happening.
As I have grown up, I know realize that when one gets too deep into things, one may need to take a step back or take advice from the outside to realize how things really are. Life would have been a lot less hectic for Isabella if she would not have been so stubborn and listened to Catherine and Edgar. She was lucky in the book when she was able to get away with their son and move to London, but one really had to feel sorry for her in the American film because she was stuck there her whole life with a man that had never loved her. What was sad is that even then she thought she would be able to change him for the best. What is it with girls and dating wrong men? I think that, if one is in that state of mind, one should ask advice and take it because I have found that daddy always knows best in these situations.