Wuthering Heights slammed over 'BDSM' portrayal of Isabella

After landing in cinemas just three days ago, a handful of literature fanatics have already condemned the latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights - more specifically, the portrayal of Isabella Linton.

Directed by Emerald Fennell, who promised a 'scandalous and intoxicating' re-telling of Emily Brontë's 1847 gothic-tragedy, the film stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as forbidden lovers Cathy and Heathcliff.

For those unfamiliar with the premise of the 19th-century novel, it hones in on two generations of landowning families living on the Yorkshire moors. Catherine is the young daughter of Mr Earnshaw, who adopts an orphan boy named Heathcliff and welcomes him to live at their decaying farmhouse, Wuthering Heights.

Over time, the two form an obsessive love, until their wealthy neighbour Edgar Linton - who boasts financial status and security - proposes to Cathy, and she accepts, despite being besotted with her adoptive brother, but knowing he would 'degrade' her.

Hearing this, a devastated Heathcliff leaves, returning years later, much wealthier and determined to take revenge on Cathy, whom he still loves.

Whilst not one of the central twosome, one character beloved by fans of Brontë's literature masterpiece is Isabella Linton, the younger sister of Edgar, who resides with him and Cathy at Thrushcross Grange.

What is Isabella like in the book?

When troubled heartthrob Heathcliff comes back on the scene, a naive Isabella falls deeply for him, ignoring Cathy's warnings about his brutish temper and believing she could be the one to 'fix' him.

Heathcliff marries Isabella in an attempt to hurt Cathy, telling her from the offset of his intentions, and that he despises her. He isolates her from her family, traps her inside the walls of Wuthering Heights, and openly mocks her before his staff. He is violent towards her, and despite Victorian conventions, Brontë heavily alludes to him emotionally, physically and sexually abusing her.

Actress Alison Oliver plays Isabella in the film adaptation (Warner Bros.)

Eventually, after Heathcliff hangs her beloved pet dog, Isabella escapes whilst pregnant with Heathcliff's child. This is also around the time that - spoiler alert - Cathy dies giving birth to Edgar's daughter.

What is Isabella like in the film?

Whilst Emerald Fennell's adaptation of the film does portray Isabella - played by actress Alison Oliver - as somewhat subservient to her increasingly unhinged husband, a number of fans of the original book have accused producers of fetishising their marriage.

At one point in the film, Heathcliff has her chained up by the neck, barking like a dog - her eyes excited, and tongue flailing from her mouth.

With this in mind, viewers have slammed Fennell for portraying what Brontë undoubtedly intended to be an example of a cruel, coercive marriage, as something of a kink.

By the end of the film, viewers learn nothing of Isabella's future. She is neither pregnant, nor fleeing. In fact, after Heathcliff rides quickly to Thrushcross Grange to visit a dying Cathy, we see nothing of Isabella.

Critics have slammed producers for fetishising Heathcliff's treatment of Isabella (Warner Bros.)

What have critics said?

Taking to X, one critic of the on-screen adaptation hit out of this: "Chained by her neck and barking, when in the book she was 18 beaten abused and heathcliff also HUNG her pet dog and joked about making her bark like one, emerald fennell you disgust me."

Another questioned: "The turned the character suffering domestic abuse into comic relief?"

A third also took aim at those praising Fennell's version, adding: "Going through the comments section, yeah, none of you read the book and it shows."

"Well turning a survivor single mother who was tortured and raped by her own husband into a bdsm slut in a movie, how revolutionary brontë would be thrilled," another penned.

A fifth wrote: "They turned the abused wife into a BDSM sub what the f**k is going on."

Tyla contacted Warner Bros. for comment.