The Most Popular Quote From Wuthering Heights

Long before the Duke of Hastings said "I burn for you" on Netflix's "Bridgerton," Emily Brontë's Catherine Earnshaw shared a confession perhaps even more heart wrenching. In a particularly memorable scene, Catherine tells her housekeeper, Nelly Dean, that she has feelings for Heathcliff. 

"He shall never know I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, but because he's more myself than I am," Catherine says in "Wuthering Heights." "Whatever our souls are made out of, his and mine are the same." This line is by far the most popular from the novel, with some Brontë fans even going so far as to get the latter half ("Whatever our souls are made of...") tattooed on their bodies, per BuzzFeed.

In 2017, Medium noted the many problems associated with this particular quote, arguing that its toxic qualities surpass its romanic ones. Catherine and Heathcliff, according to the site, aren't soulmates. Rather, their connection is one based in obsession, codependence, and violence. Bustle, too, argues that "Wuthering Heights" is far from a love story, suggesting that the many romanticized film adaptations, including one starring the likes of Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, have contributed to the misconception.

So, next time you're thinking about getting a "Wuthering Heights" tattoo, consider the possible implications.