The Golden Collar (1968) by Elizabeth Cadell

 

💚 My first ever Elizabeth Cadell brought me to Portugal with delight. It follows David Eliot, an architect who grew up in England, but has inclination to live in Brazil. But before he got chance to secure his career in Brazil, he was offered a job in Sir Bertram's establishment. Sir Bertram is a wealthy and powerful man; the kind who always get what he has set to get, either with money, or cunning. David first got entangled in the bargain by Marly Tranter, Sir Bertram's daughter, a beautiful but overbearing girl who inherits her father's personality. In the end, with a perfect engagement and a promising career, David was stuck in a place where, he slowly realized, he might never fits in; and to get there, he had to sacrifice everything he loved, especially his freedom. Hence, the golden collar - including the chain - had been set upon David.  

💚 Sir Bertram sent David and Marly to Portugal to secure a deal over a property, set in a strip of beautiful and secluded beach in the Algarve region. It was to be the couple's wedding present; so in this case, David would have added interest in accomplishing his mission. The property belongs to a highly respectable widow amongst her people, whom they called Senhora Silva. To foreigners, Senhora Silva seems to be an eccentric woman, who refuses wealthy foreigners who offer her big money to buy her property, while she herself is living in a dilapidated big house. The truth is, Senhora Silva is weary over the foreigner's harassment upon her peaceful existence. She dislikes these noisy boisterous tourists who arrive in their beautiful country to buy land and build holiday villas, where they would only live in few months of the year. In the process, they would change and ruin the country. Hence, her decision to close her door, meaning, refusing of selling. But Sir Bertram and Marly interpret Senhora Silva's closing door to merely a business haggle - it's impossible for any person to close their eyes over so much money (and Sir Bertram has that much). 💚 While trying to carrying out the task, David slowly comes to his senses about his engagement with Marly, as well as his position in the Bertrams. All this thanks to some of his new acquaintances who saw it before David is certain about his position. These new friends of him are including an American wealthy businessman who doesn't look one, an eccentric and bossy elderly woman, a Portuguese lawyer of Sir Bertram, and the elusive Senhora Silva herself - whom David eventually meet, causing astonishment to everyone. But most importantly, there's Teresa, Senhora Silva's niece. Teresa is the opposite of Marly in every way, and here we can see how David and Marly are very unsuitable from the beginning - how men can be thus deeply disillusioned, I will never understand. The rest is needless to say here, but although the plot is predictable, the process and the rough beauty of this Portugal coastal village are the main attraction of this book. Not mentioning, the lovely characters of David, Teresa, the demurred Senhora Silva, and even the dear Mr. Easter (the wealthy businessman). 💚 On the whole, this book feels light, but with a bit of depth in it also. For Senhora Silva and Teresa, money and wealth does not mean anything. They created a crèche facility for local young children in one of the Quinta do Infante (Senhora Silva's house complex) buildings. And this, as well as taking care of stray cats, apparently gave Teresa immense happiness, a wholesomeness in her life, that she decided to stay in the Quinta forever. In time, David too, is attracted with the serene and peaceful atmosphere of the place, and, of course, of the girl he falls in love. There's some funny moments too, usually involving Mr. Easter, what a dear old man he is! In short, I love everything about this book, and would certainly read more of Elizabeth Cadell in the future! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Love for Lydia (1952) by H.E. Bates #1952Club

💙 This was my first introduction to H.E. Bates, and I read from the synopsis that this was "his own favourite among his Northamptonshire novels", and that this was a semi-autobiographical account of Bates' own life. So, I was excited to read it for my third and final entry for #1952Club - and it's not disappointing! The story was narrated by Richardson, who, at the beginning of the novel, worked as a newspaper reporter. However, he seems to be too dreamy and imaginative, shy and reserved, to be a journalist. On one of his errands, he gets to know a girl called Lydia Aspen, who has just arrived to stay with her two spinster aunts. His first impression of Lydia, is a tall, dark, awkward, and shy girl. Her two aunts wanted him to take Lydia out for skating, to meet people, instead of being isolated with two elderly people.

💙 As Lydia learns to skate, little by little she is out from her shell, so to speak, revealing more of her true nature, which is self-centered, flirty, enjoying her power over men. In short, Lydia is a femme fatale. Richardson was soon fascinated and falling in love with her, so were three other young men, though in different ways and not at the same time. After all the dancing and partying that the group had a lot, Lydia grew farther from Richardson, that when he finally proposed, she rejected him. And at this point, a tragedy occurred - you could actually see it coming, just like in The Great Gatsby - and Richardson, sick of it all, left for London.

💙 After his return two years later, Richardson found that things had changed. How is it changed? Would he meet Lydia again? And what would happen when he actually met her; would he still love her? And what about Lydia, could she finally grasp the pain she had caused the man who really loved her? Will the story be a happy-ending romance, or a devastating tragedy?

💙 What I loved most about the book is Bates' beautiful narration, especially his portrayal of the small English tannery town, located inside a valley. Whether in winter, spring, summer, or fall, Richardson, our narrator, could always describe the scenery picturesquely. Here's one of my favorites: 

"The sun went down a moment later in a plunge of wintry magnified fire that left on the ice, the snowy meadows and the cold sky a wonderful after-glow. A lichen-like green hung above the sunset, and the shadows, all across the snow, became of indigo brilliance before finally dissolving. A biting moment of dispersing day, exhilarating and almost cruel, hung in the pure start air before the first star sparked into green sky above the sunset."

💙 All in all, it is a beautiful romantic coming of age story. A bit sad, perhaps, but beautiful on the whole.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read this book for:

The 1952 Club

hosted by Simon @ Stuck in a Book & Karen @ Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings

A Bramble House Christmas (2015) by C.J. Carmichael #ALiteraryChristmas

🎄 Willa Fairchild, accompanied by her son Scout, arrived for Christmas holiday at Bramble House B&B in Marietta, Montana, followed by Finn Knightly at the same time. Willa's intention is to have a Christmas holiday, which, somehow, is important for Scout. Finn, however, are following Willa there for, as yet, an obscured purpose.

🎄 That's how this novella starts, with a snowy village, a cozy inn with lovely people, enshrouded with thin mysteries. Only gradually that the mysteries are unfolding. We came to know that Finn, a children book's illustrator, wants to know why his deceased father had left fifty thousand pounds to the nurse (Willa) who treated him during final illness. The reason behind Willa's over-protectiveness towards Scout soon becomes clear too.

🎄 Then there's also the mystery around the sapphire ring Finn's father had gifted Willa. The Brambles family - owner of the B&B - recognize the ring as an heirloom. Are there more than one ring, then? And how did Finn's father own the ring in the first place?

🎄 Amidst all these mysteries, one thing is sure. Finn and Willa are attracted to each other. Willa eventually opens up about her fuss over Scout all the time. But Finn still hasn't confessed that he is the son of her ex-patient, and that Finn isn't his real name. How would Willa react about his true purpose of getting to know her in the first place? That he had thought her a scheming ambitious woman?

🎄 This seemingly short, light, soppy Christmassy romance, turned out to have more depth than you would've expected - personal struggles in facing illness and death is one, and family secrets is another. All is encased with Christmas and winter cheerfulness - skating, skiing, tobogganing, hot cocoa, snowman's building, gifts, scrumptious Christmas dinner - just all you could imagine of a wonderful Christmas. And of course, there's love, forgiveness, and hopeful future - the essence of Christmas.

🎄 If it sounds like a perfect Christmas read, well.... it is!

Rating: 🎄🎄🎄🎄1/2

Jane Eyre: Final Review

After Wuthering Heights about three years ago, this year I finally got a chance to read another Brontë’s. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre was definitely more enjoyable than Emily’s WH, but I think WH was more intriguing than JE. From the books, we could recognize the different personalities of both sisters; Emily is more passionate, while Charlotte is much reserved. As Jane Eyre has been taken as Charlotte’s autobiographical novel, we can assume Jane’s voice is Charlotte’s own voice.

Jane Eyre is an orphan who is adopted by her uncle, Mr. Reed. After he died, Mrs. Reed dislikes her, and with her children, treats Jane with hostility of being so sensible for a child her age. Jane is quite relieved when she goes to a charity school of Lowood Institute. But there she is also tortured by the poor accommodation. She endures it however, and even becomes a teacher for several years, before finally leaves it forever when she gets a job as governess in Thorfield hall.

Thornfield Hall belongs to an eccentric landlord, Mr. Rochester—Jane’s pupil is his ward. Mr. Rochester lived alone in his big house with the housekeeper, Mrs. Fairfax, and his ward, Adele. Even if you haven’t read this book, you would guess that soon the master and the governess would fall in love to each other. When there is a love story, there must be an obstacle to their relationship. Firstly, their age difference and their social status; but love is more sensible than social laws.

But then, it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is actually still married to his lunatic wife, whom he has secretly been hiding on the house’ attic. This fact gives the couple an immense blow. Mr. Rochester might think that he is eligible to marry another woman, as his present wife is practically lifeless. But to a sensible girl like Jane Eyre, who is a reverend’s daughter and has been educated in strict Christian morality, to become a married man’s mistress is not possible. So she runs away from Thornfield Hall, from happiness, and from her dear Mr. Rochester, to avoid degradation and humiliation. Is that the end of the story? Of course not, Charlotte then takes us to follow Jane’s new life. Whether she will or will not meet Mr. Rochester again, is a question you must keep in your mind while reading on this book to the end. I won’t give you any spoiler, if you have not read it. :)

To me, Jane Eyre is rather dull, especially when Mr. Rochester was absent, or have not yet appeared (in the first part). It is perhaps typical of Victorian women’s character of narration: emotionless and submissive. Or maybe it’s Charlotte’s own personality which was reflected to this story. Either way, I remembered that I have almost thought to put this book down, when Mr. Rochester appeared. Then, this book was not so colorless as before. He is so vigorous and full of energy, that the pace of second part suddenly felt much faster than before. Jane Eyre too, seems to become more alive everytime she converse with Rochester. Their dialogues are always witty, and are actually the best part of the book!

In Jane Eyre, I sensed the struggle of balancing the freedom (for happiness) and the principle (of conscience). In marriage, unlike most Victorian women, Jane seeks love, because marriage without love can’t guarantee her happiness. That’s why she refused St. John Rivers’ proposal, despite of the honor and security he can provide. If Jane could not marry Rochester, and won’t marry other men whom she doesn’t love, what would she get? Yes, she is now a quite rich woman, but I think not that rich that she can support her entire life without having to work. For a woman in that era, I believe this is a difficult choice. But Jane takes it confidently. Maybe this is what the readers see as early feminism: the courage to be herself; to follow her own principle, and not to bow down to the customs.

[spoiler alert] Actually, the feminism theory could be justified if the story ends up there. However, when Charlotte made Rochester fell completely (physically as well as mentally), to open a way of bringing a happy ending to this love story, then I began questioning whether Charlotte saw feminism as woman overpowering man. Is that what she really thought? Of course we would never know, and we would be wondering over and over again, what this novel is really about. Maybe….this is, after all, just about the power of love and a struggle of a woman….

Three and a half stars for Jane Eyre.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I read Penguin Red Classics paperback edition

This book is counted as:

2^nd book for Twelve Months of Classic Literature:2014 (Victorian Lit)

82^nd book for The Classics Club Project

80^th book for 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Sense and Sensibility

Confession: I have been dreading reading Jane Austen since I took The Classics Club project. Why? Because I regarded her books as chicklit—or chicklit in 18^th century style if you like. Basically, romance is never my favorite genre, unless it’s only an added touch to a much serious topic. So, when I joined Jenna’s Austen in August, I was really gambling; I didn’t know what I was about to read, and even was not sure whether I would finish it. But at least, I said to myself, I would be able to say in the end of the event, that I have tried. So, I picked Sense and Sensibility, more because it was the lightest of all. I have tried once to read Pride and Prejudice, but could not get through more than one chapter.

Sense and Sensibility is more or less a character analysis of the society around 17^th century, where Austen lived. In particular, it’s about Elinor and Marianne Dashwood—the sense and the sensibility. The sisters are from middle class family, and in age to find a husband—like any girls of their age in that century. Austen brought us to see the different approach of both sisters in trying to secure their love lives. Elinor—strong and reserved—used more of her logic than emotion; while Marianne—expressive and emotional—used her emotion more than logic. They were both so different, but they loved and took care of each other so well. Elinor fell in love with the simple and shy Edward Ferrars, while Marianne was attracted to the handsome and flamboyant Willoughby. Everyone but Elinor was deceived by both men’s manners. I think you would guess the end of both men, although—as usual—there will be twists before all ended up, quite predictably.

Of the two, I think I prefer Elinor; maybe because I am more like her than Marianne. Elinor could see things deeper, and could separate the essential from the trivial. While Marianne, who only saw the outer appearance or things on the surface, were often deceived. I think Elinor’s qualities made her tougher, the qualities I like from a woman and a friend. Expressive person like Marianne is used to bore and tire me; and they are often more vulnerable too.

Beyond the sisters, I also learned about different types of people in the society, which Austen satirized cleverly in this book. Her idea to portrait how people treated marriage as merely business, was very witty, but I think her style was rather flat and boring. The first half was almost nonsense that I seriously thought to dump it. But, fortunately, I refused to give up, as someone said that it will pick up if I keep staying with it. And it was.

In the end, what did I get? Not much. I can say now that I have read Jane Austen at least one book, but beyond that, I am at the same stage as before. I do not like her book. Period. And I think it would be the end of it. I don’t despise her; it’s just that her style does not fit my taste.

Three stars for Sense and Sensibility.

~~~~~~~~~~

I read e-book from feedbooks dot com

This book is counted as:

Austen in August

77^th book for The Classics Club Project

76^th book for 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

Guy de Maupassant’s Short Stories Collection

I must thank Serambi—one of Indonesian biggest publishers—for collecting and translating these nine fine treasures of Guy de Maupassant’s short stories. Being never a fan of short stories—although I still like to read them sometimes—I have not expected to like this book too much when I first read it. It was a gift from Serambi when they invited us in a gathering last year, and it has since been in my to-be-read pile. I included this book only to complete a challenge, and I have postponed reading it until last week. However, to my astonishment, I did really like it. Maupassant really deserves to be called “one of the fathers of the modern short story”, as his short stories are short but not without certain depth that would throw us in some deep reflections.

As Serambi has picked the first story—Lasting Love (translated: Cinta Sejati)—as the book title; and as Maupassant is identical with sweet stories—at least in my mind—I half expected the book would be full of sweet love stories. I was wrong! Most of them are about love, and I think we can find love in almost all aspects of life, for love is the seed of life, isn’t it? But Maupassant didn’t write only about sweet love. He presented several aspects of love; love that brings life, as well as love that brings death; love that brings joy, as well as love that brings sorrow. I will try to breakdown each story here without revealing too much of it (hopefully!).

#1. Lasting Love (Cinta Sejati) – A story about unconditional love of a working woman, who loves a boy since she was a little girl, and despite of his refusal, loves him still until she dies. Her love is always giving, and never demanding. Her love is the purest kind of love: sacrificing for the happiness of the loved one, just as our Lord’s is. Note: Besides about love, Maupassant also criticizes human greediness and discrimination towards the poor. Score: 4.75 of 5.

#2. A Widow (Seorang Janda) – It is an unordinary story about an over-sentimental boy who dedicates his life only to love a girl, and is prepared to kill himself if she ever betrays him. Although it is similar with story #1, this is a selfish and demanding love. While dying for love to save others is noble, dying for love to force others to return it, is not love but greediness! I can’t but remember a song from Queen: Too Much Love Will Kill You. It will indeed! Score: 4.50 of 5.

#3. My Wife (Istri Istimewa) – This might be the shallowest type of love of all the stories. An easy going man accidentally enters—and sleeps in—a bedroom which turns out belong to the daughter of the host, in whose house he was invited to stay. This incident brings huge scandal and he is forced to marry the girl. The forced marriage turns out to be a happy one for the (lucky) guy. Note: Seems there’s no moral value in the story rather than: make sure you enter your own room when staying at other’s. But there is still a bit of love here; that love can grow from unexpected circumstances, even when you least expect it. Score: 3 of 5.

#4. The False Gems (Perhiasan Palsu) – I still cannot solve the mystery of this one. A respectable husband has a lovely wife who can provide a fine lifestyle over small salary, but has an acute fondness of false gems. After she died, the destitute husband wants to sell his wife’s false gems, but surprisingly finds that the gems are not false! I can’t imagine where she had gotten them; they can’t afford it, so it must be a gift, but from whom? Does it mean she has been cheating? That she got them from a secret lover? Is this just another irony, that infidel woman brings happiness while the loyal one is dull? Maybe, Maupassant wanted to criticize how men often praise money more than love. Score: 3.50 to 5.

#5. The Diamond Necklace (Kalung Berlian) – This is a reverse story from #4; about a wife of a moderate husband, who loves gems so much. To attend a grand party she borrows a diamond necklace from her friend, but alas! She’s accidentally lost it. Now they—husband and wife—tumble from moderate life to poverty. They struggle for ten years to return the diamond necklace, only to find out that the lost one is in fact false! Oh…what an irony! But I prefer to highlight the husband’s love here. He never reproaches his wife for having too high an ambition, not even for losing the necklace that ruins their life. This is another example of unconditional love. Score: 4.50 of 5. 

#6. A Vendetta (Dendam Kesumat) – Now, this one is far away from sweet; it’s actually a macabre. This is an example how love that brings death instead of life. An old poor widow loves her son very much, so when he is stabbed by his rival in a duel, the mourning mother swears that she will avenge his son’s death. It’s not much for a macabre, really, but the way the widow execute the revenge is what shuddered me when reading. Is that really love? Absolutely not. But the ending is really great, and just reminded me of Poe! Score: 4.50 of 5.

#7. Babette – This one is about passionate love, or more precisely, madness in love. Babette is a woman who lives in a sanatorium for mental illness. She has a sexual appeal to men; and, just as women like her, she tends to bring catastrophe for men who desire her. It’s only another example of how love which is led by passion is disastrous; it’s not the real love, and can only bring death and sorrow. And the end is…another irony. I liked this one the least of all. Score: 2.50 of 5.

#8. Mademoiselle Fifi – Mademoiselle Fifi is actually far away from a girly story! It’s one of two great patriotic stories in this book. When Prusian troops are occupying France’s area, five of its high rank officers are boring, and called five prostitutes to entertain them. One of the officers, the cruelest of them, is nicknamed Mademoiselle Fifi since he has slender figure like a girl’s. He tortures the bravest patriotic girl of them, and the girl stabbed him with a knife, before she runs away and hunted by the army. It seems like an ordinary patriotic story, but the end—the slightly twisted end—is really touching. This story reminds us that patriotism has two sides: violence and love. It can done in a most risky act or just in silence. But both need a great courage to execute it. Score: 4.75 of 5.

#9. Boule de Suif – Another patriotic story about French prostitute, but with much deeper irony and a touch of humanity. Boule de Suif is the nick name of a female prostitute, she is on the way to Le Havre when France is colonized by Prusia. With her, some other rich and respectable couples, and two nuns, take the same chaise. Boule de Suif is shunned by the others because she is a prostitute, but nonetheless she happily shares her lunch basket with everyone when they don’t have anything to eat—and they gladly accept her hospitality. However, when a Prusian officer retain them all from leaving until Boule de Suif agrees to sleep with him, the others selfishly force her to sacrifice herself (she is a prostitute anyway, why rejecting this particular man?); while Boule de Suif resists because of her patriotism. This is the longest and deepest story of all, and the best choice to end the book. It tells about patriotism; hypocrisy; and about sacrifice. Score: 5 of 5.

Over all, this book is about love—all shape of it—and the consequences. There are also some irony in the humanity aspect, hypocrisy and greediness. In short, it’s about men and what are deep inside their masked appearances. What I like most from Maupassant are his irony, his intense ending, and his variety of theme with still one big issue: love and life. They are light at the start, but make you reflect at the end.

Weighing on the nine stories’ scores, this short stories collection gets my four stars. Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Maupassant!

~~~~~~~~~

*I read Indonesian translation edition from Serambi*

*This book is counted as:*

9^th book for Back To The Classics 2013

6^th book for Books on France 2013 Reading Challenge

59^th book for The Classics Club Project

Romeo and Juliet [Play + Movie]

Let’s Read Play’s theme for this month is tragedy, and I have picked one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies of all time: Romeo and Juliet. Although I‘m not a fan of romance story, least of all teenagers romances, I braced myself to give a try on this particular play. Well, I must say that my instinct has never failed me before, and it doesn’t this time also. It turns out that I could not enjoy this play, and it didn’t move me like Julius Caesar did me, for instance.

First of all, I am annoyed by the harsh—and sometimes very vulgar too—humour Shakespeare put in this play. I know that somehow it is his style, but I think it has come at an annoying point this time. Maybe it’s because I have been expecting ‘Romeo and Juliet’ comes as a romantic yet tragic love story, that there would be flowery sentences and paragraphs. They do appear of course, but especially in the beginning, there are also harassing comments or insults from Romeo and Mercutio around sexual topics. And as this has happened in the very early Act, it diminished my mood (and respect) to read the rest.

What interesting me is the eternal hostility of two Houses in Verona: Montague and Capulet. The play can portray very well how each of the families took their hostility; how the youngsters especially, were eager to ignite strife whenever they met the enemies. It is in the situation that Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet found themselves in love. And apparently, the hostility of the two families could only be resolved by the two teenager’s sacrifice. It’s quite ironic, considering that these two youngsters were merely thinking about their passionate love, but from them the adults would have to learn much about the real meaning of ‘love’.

Considering that this is about teenagers’ love, the story is as ridiculous as you could have expected, but I think the plot is interesting; how the mistiming and misunderstanding caused the tragedy. It’s only proving how love can sometimes be blind for naïve (or foolish?) people. Three stars for this tragic play—which did not really moved me, honestly…

~~~~~~~

Right after finishing the play, I jumped to the movie adaptation. I picked Baz Luhrmann’s version, partly because that’s the only one I had (:D), and partly because I was curious to see the earlier collaboration of Baz Luhrmann and Leonardo diCaprio (before The Great Gatsby).

I’ve already known that the movie would be in modern settings, before I watched it, so I was a bit surprised to see that Luhrmann only alter the settings, but not the dialogues! The dialogues were really picked from the original play, and that makes the whole movie is really unique. Listening to those punk boys speak in Shakespearean language was weird but interesting.

Here Leonardo diCaprio is in his earliest career, and this movie shows distinctly the difference with his present acting. However, I think he plays Romeo quite convincingly as the waverer and sentimental young man. The rest of the stars are not very prominent, except for Harold Perrineau, Jr who plays as Mercutio, who is the most interesting character in this movie.

One of my favorite scenes is Juliet’s tomb—which in this case doesn’t look at all like a tomb. It is very eloquent and glamour (typical Baz Luhrmann, of course), and the scene of Romeo and Juliet in their last agony is superb! Only while watching Romeo drinks the poison not knowingly that Juliet is stirring beside him, and Romeo’s expression when he knows the truth, that I am really moved. So in this case, for me, the movie has enlightened the play rather than the other way round. 7 to 10 is my final rating for this adaptation.

~~~~~~~~

I read the ebook version from Feedbooks dot com

This book is counted for:

May theme of Let’s Read Plays: Shakespeare’s tragedy

5^th book for Back to the Classics 2013

11^th book for What’s in A Name Reading Challenge 2013

43^rd for The Classics Club

I watched the movie for Books Into Movies Monthly Meme #6

Antony and Cleopatra – Final Review

This is my second Shakespearean tragedy after Julius Caesar, and while we are still entertained with wars—though not as flourish as Julius Caesar’s—we are also spoiled with stories of love and lust, loyalty and betrayal, nobleness and dirty politics; all bitters-and-sweets in human’s live.

I believe Antony was a great general, he fight with his soldiers; not just watched and gave orders from the camp (compare this with Octavius who pointed Agrippa to lead the army), and for that his soldiers loved and respected him—well at least before he was crazy. He was a gentleman of his time, always treated his soldiers fairly, and his friends loyally. However—as every man must have his weakness—Antony could not resist love charm; and in this case, the charm has a name: Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt.

From the beginning of the play we can see that Cleopatra was an obsessive woman, she kept asking Antony how much he loved her. If one does not know her reputation, one might think she was just like any other silly young girl who was in love. But I believe this was not the case of Cleopatra. I think she was an ambitious, self-possessed and even cunning woman—you could not become a queen at that time if you did not possess those qualifications—and for her, to keep her throne was more important than to win a man’s heart. I think, after Caesar’s death, Cleopatra needed an allegiance to protect her interests, and she had chosen Antony.

On the contrary, Mark Antony had really fallen in love and trapped into Cleopatra’s charm, that he neglected his duty as the ruler of one third of the world, leaving the young ambitious Octavius worked alone (with Lepidus) in Rome for his own interests. This was Antony’s biggest fault, to let his heart controlled his brain. However, with a woman so charming and determined like Cleopatra, it’s difficult for Antony to avoid his faith.

Cleopatra on the Terraces of Philae
by Frederick Arthur Bridgman, 1896

I loved this play a lot, it has all you can ask for an exciting reading; history, romances, politics, wars and witty dialogues now and then. I always love Roman history, so I don’t have any trouble of loving this one too, plus I think I’m a new fan of Mark Antony, although Cicero is still (for me) the best. One thing I don’t like from this play, is how Cleopatra was portrayed here by Shakespeare. I think, except for once or twice when she was really angry and in the last chapters, one will think Cleopatra was a spoiled teenager who was madly in love.

I am still wondering whether Cleopatra had betrayed Antony as Antony had accused her. If not, why had the Egyptian deserted their master twice, first in Actium battle, second near Alexandria? And Cleopatra never gave Antony any reason why she had instructed her army to abandon him in Actium, nor did she defend herself when Antony accused her after the last battle; she just left him and hid in the monument.

Assuming that Cleopatra was innocent and she hid herself merely afraid of Antony’s rage, why did she send her eunuch to tell Antony that she had died, but then sent another messenger to say that she was still actually alive? Did she send the first one because she knew how Antony would react if he heard about her death—thus keeping her promise to Caesar; then sent the second one because she was in fact still in love to him? Oh what a complicated woman!

The label of “hero of this play” I think must be granted to Eros, who—when was instructed by Antony to kill him—chose to end his own life because he could not kill his own master, but he did not want to disobey him either. Antony did not have the courage to kill himself and must ask his men’s help, but Eros stabbed himself without any doubt. Antony killed himself as a result of his own conducts, but Eros killed himself merely of his infinite loyalty to his master.

“My dear master,

My captain, and my emperor, let me say,

Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

(stabs himself) Thus I do escape the sorrow

Of Antony’s death.”

I have enjoyed this play until Mark Antony died. After that, it’s like an anticlimax for me. I did not really want to know how Cleopatra will end her life (for I had already know the facts), and what Octavius would do. Act V was the most boring part of this play, and for that—and for absurdity in Cleopatra’s manner—I granted four stars for Antony and Cleopatra. Although this play was slightly interesting than Julius Caesar, but all in all, I liked Julius Caesar more.

You can read my post for each act: Act I - Act II - Act III - Act IV - Act V

Gone With The Wind – Final Review

Gone With The Wind was one of around ten or eleven books that have always been intimidating me. First, because romance has never been my favorite genre—I hear you’re yelling at me that GWTW is not JUST a romance novel, I know, I know! But still, besides the historical contents, I still think that GWTW is best included in genre romance. Second, because of its thickness—1448 pages! GWTW was perhaps one of the longest books I’ve have read. So, you see, GWTW would not be my best choice for classics reading, however, GWTW has been reviewed as a great literature by many people, that I think I must have a go. And that’s how I decided to host this Gone With The Wind Read Along—which quite surprisingly—got a lot of interested participants; thanks a lot to your guys! :)

From my update posts from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4, you can see my progress with GWTW, and you would know that despite of my efforts, I could not get into the story as I have expected. One thing that was entertaining me through the story is the historical aspect, the American Civil War and the slavery. It’s quite interesting to see how the Southerners treated their slaves, and how the slaves reacted; it’s even more interesting to follow Mitchell’s perspective towards the slavery. Although sometimes I got difficulty in following how the blacks speak, it could describe the atmosphere better.

But apart from those aspects, the story itself had failed to impress me. The main culprit was Scarlett, from whose point of view Mitchell had written the whole story. From many discussions on Twitter with other participants and from participants’ Update Posts, Scarlett was not a favorite character, yet I have been advised to not concentrating at Scarlett personalities only, but more on the upheaval of the Southerners because of the war. Well, the problem is, Scarlett was a dominant character here, as if Scarlett was the person who told me about main events in this book. Tell me, when you did not like—or should I say ‘hate’?—a person, could you appreciate anything that she/he said? I can’t….

Until now I still don’t understand why Mitchell created such an annoying character to tell her story. I could not trace any single positive aspect about Scarlett, other than her determination. But to what aim was her determination? At first, when she was much younger, and the life was good before the Civil War, Scarlett’s main focus was to attract as much as beau to love and marry her; and I can see even then, that Scarlett’s determination was so strong. After her world had been up side down by the war, what was her main aim? Money! She could put aside anything else—people who loved her, her conscience, even her logic—to be able to get the only thing that filled her narrow-minded brain: money. I understand that in crisis we need money to survive, and Scarlett has a good reason for that too, she need money to save Tara, her family’s land. But again, what a land would mean if she must lost everything else?

So no, I still can’t understand why Mitchell ruined the great story by letting Scarlett to tell it. And because of that, I personally don’t think that GWTW deserved to be called classics. It is an epic, a great one, I agree, but not classics (sorry if you think differently). And Scarlett’s and Rhett’s vulgar point of views only made it worse, that sometimes I felt like I’m reading a piece of chicklit or watching a soap opera, instead of a classic literature.

I must admit that I failed to read the whole piece, when I came to Part 5 I just could not get on. I just browsed the ending, and searched in Sparknotes about it, and found that I did not miss many things, and really was not interested in knowing the ending. Three stars for Gone With The Wind, for though I failed it, I think Mitchell deserved an appreciation for telling this epic. And although this is not a special review, I’d like to present this honest opinion to celebrate Margaret Mitchell’s birthday today, November 8^th. Happy birthday Mrs. Mitchell!

*I read Pocket Book’s June 2008 edition

*Total pages: 1448

Love in the Time of Cholera

Oprah Winfrey mengatakan bahwa buku ini adalah “One of the greatest love stories I have ever read, it is so beautifully written.” Maaf Oprah, kali ini aku tak setuju. Kalau yang anda maksud adalah kisah cinta antara Florentino Ariza si pecundang itu—begitu ia kujuluki—dengan Fermina Daza, menurutku cinta mereka sama sekali bukan cinta sejati. Baik, mari kutunjukkan mengapa aku tak setuju dengan anda.

Florentino Ariza adalah anak tidak sah seorang pemilik perusahaan pelayaran di perairan Karibia. Tak diakui oleh ayahnya, ia hidup bersama ibunya dalam kemiskinan. Jujur saja, tak ada satupun sisi positif yang bisa kutemukan pada pria ini. Pemimpi, lemah, terlalu terobsesi pada cinta, tapi juga sex-addicted. Florentino boleh dikatakan jatuh cinta pada pandangan pertama pada seorang gadis dari keluarga berada yang saat itu masih berusia tigabelas tahun: Fermina Daza. Fermina adalah putri Lorenzo Daza, pengusaha ternama di kotanya. Florentino yang bekerja di kantor telegram, pada suatu hari harus mengantar telegram ke rumah Lorenzo Daza. Saat itulah ia melihat sosok Fermina, dan panah cinta pun langsung tertancap di hatinya.

Karena Florentino pria yang tak percaya diri—wajar saja dengan penampilannya yang lusuh seperti orang tua itu—ia merasa minder. Alih-alih mendekati langsung, Florentino memilih cara memperhatikan dari jauh. Setiap hari pada jam tertentu ia duduk di bangku taman Park of the Avengels di bawah bayangan pohon almond, sambil berpura-pura asyik membaca buku. Melihat Fermina Daza melewati bangku itu ketika berjalan pergi-pulang sekolah dikawal oleh bibinya, merupakan pemandangan yang menyejukkan hati Florentino muda. Florentino yang memang berjiwa puitis mulai menulis sepucuk surat, tanpa tahu bagaimana cara menyampaikannya—karena ia menyadari bahwa hubungan mereka tak mungkin dijalani karena perbedaan kelas sosial.

Selama berbulan-bulan hal itu berlangsung, hingga suatu hari Florentino memiliki keberanian bertemu dengan Fermina. Pertemuan yang amat singkat, sama sekali tak dapat disebut berpacaran. Selama penantian Florentino menunggu “panggilan” Fermina, ia sempat jatuh sakit. Karena saat itu Kolumbia sedang berjangkit epidemi kolera, tak heran bila dokter yang memeriksa Florentino mengira pemuda itu terkena kolera. Ibunya saja yang yakin bahwa penyakit yang diderita putranya adalah penyakit cinta!

Fermina dan Florentino akhirnya sempat berkirim-kiriman surat dengan cara sembunyi-sembunyi. Bisa diduga, surat mereka dipenuhi kata-kata manis lengkap dengan bunga camelia. Khas cinta monyet remaja. Suatu hari kisah cinta mereka tercium Lorenzo Daza, padahal sang ayah sudah mengatur supaya putrinya menikah dengan pria terpandang. Maka Fermina pun tiba-tiba dijauhkan dari segala surat cinta, puisi romantis dan permainan serenade biola, dan dikirim lewat laut ke rumah saudara sepupunya di kota yang jauh: San Juan de la Ciénaga.

Setelah kembali ke kotanya, Fermina Daza telah tumbuh menjadi wanita yang lebih dewasa, bukan lagi gadis ingusan yang bertukar surat dengan Florentino. Meski awalnya sering memikirkan Florentino, namun begitu bertemu kembali dengan pria itu, Fermina mulai merasa muak. Muak akan kisah cinta monyetnya, dan baru menyadari bahwa Florentino adalah "pria payah". Sementara itu ada seorang dokter muda dari kalangan keluarga terhormat yang karirnya sedang menanjak: Dokter Juvenal Urbino. Saat mengobati penyakit Fermina, sang dokter pun terpikat kepadanya, dan tak lama kemudian ia melamarnya. Fermina sama sekali tak merasakan cinta pada sang dokter, namun mengingat target yang ia tentukan sendiri untuk menikah di usia 21 tahun hampir terlewati, dan mengingat Urbino seorang pria terhormat, sopan, berpendidikan, Fermina pun menerima pinangannya.

Fermina Daza dan Dokter Juvenal Urbino memasuki hidup perkawinan tanpa cinta. Meski awalnya perkawinan mereka sempat bergolak--terutama saat masa adaptasi--namun setelah mereka mengarungi bahtera perkawinan itu, mereka menjadi tak terpisahkan. Hal ini jelas terungkap saat mereka sudah beranjak tua, di mana mereka menjadi lebih saling membutuhkan daripada sebelumnya. Ini salah satu bukti bahwa yang terpenting dalam perkawinan bukan hanya cinta, namun kemauan untuk saling menerima dan berusaha mempertahankan perkawinan itu. Maka cinta pun akan tumbuh, meski bukan cinta nafsu seperti yang awalnya mereka inginkan atau rasakan. Cinta macam inilah yang menurutku adalah cinta sejati. Cinta yang menerima, alih-alih menuntut. Apakah perkawinan mereka bahagia? Menarik menyimak apa yang dikatakan Dokter Urbino:

"Always remember that the most important thing in a good marriage is not happiness, but stability."

Bagaimana dengan Florentino? Di luar dugaan, meski sakit hati, Florentino tetap memendam impian untuk kelak bisa bersatu dengan Fermina. Lima puluh satu tahun ia menunggu. Tapi jangan bayangkan cinta Florentino bak cinta seorang martir yang tak tergoyahkan. Di masa itu ia memang tak menikah, tapi ia bertualang cinta dengan sangat banyak wanita, dan bahkan menjadi kecanduan seks. Sampai-sampai di usia tujuh puluh tahun, ia masih bercinta dengan gadis remaja yang dititipkan kepadanya. Dua kata yang bisa menggambarkan Florentino Ariza: menjijikkan! Dan hingga akhir hayatnya, Florentino selalu mengatakan bahwa ia tetap setia kepada Fermina. Pembohong yang menjijikkan!

Keanehan Florentino yang membuatku makin mual terjadi ketika secara tak sengaja ia berada di satu restoran yang sama dengan Fermina dan suaminya. Ia menghadap ke cermin yang merefleksikan pantulan Fermina. Lalu tebak apa yang dilakukan Florentino! Ia berkeras membeli cermin itu dari pemilik restoran dengan harga berapapun, hanya untuk mengenang hari ketika ia bisa menatap Fermina lewat cermin itu. Obsesif? Kegilaan? Entahlah...

Lalu apakah Florentino dan Fermina akan benar-benar bersatu di usia tua mereka? Itu sebaiknya anda baca sendiri di bukunya, karena itulah yang akan menjadi hadiah dari penantian anda selama membaca buku yang beralur lambat ini. Yang jelas, aku tak bisa menyebut Love in the Time of Cholera ini sebagai kisah cinta sepanjang masa. Mungkin persistensi Florentino untuk menunggu Fermina selama lima puluh satu tahun bisa dikatakan hebat, tapi kalau selama itu ia membagi hati dan tubuhnya bagi orang lain--sambil membohongi diri sendiri--dapatkah itu disebut cinta sejati?

Maka sekali lagi...maaf Oprah, aku hanya bisa memberi 3 bintang untuk buku ini, karena meski kisahnya absurd, namun kepiawaian Marquez dalam merangkai kata cukup menghibur.

*Review ini kubuat tepat di Hari Ulang Tahun Gabriel García Márquez yang ke 85 (6 Maret 1927 - 6 Maret 2012)*

Judul: Love in the Time of Cholera
Penulis: Gabriel García Márquez
Penerbit: Penguin Books
Terbit: 2008
Tebal: 424 hlm

Doctor Zhivago

Nama yang menjadi judul buku ini merupakan sisa-sisa kenangan masa kecilku. Entah pada usia berapa, aku ingat pernah diajak menonton bioskop oleh kedua orangtuaku. Ingatan samar-samarku hanya berisi judul film itu—Doctor Zhivago, tokoh utama prianya yang berkumis tebal (kelak aku tahu pemerannya adalah Omar Sharif), dan adegan—entah awal atau akhir film—seseorang berlari di tengah kemuningnya ladang. Yang paling jelas kuingat justru theme song film ini, yakni lagu Somewhere My Love. Setelah aku dewasa, aku baru mengetahui bahwa film Doctor Zhivago diambil dari sebuah buku yang ditulis Boris Pasternak. Dan kini, lebih dari 30 tahun setelah nonton film itu, barulah aku memiliki kesempatan untuk membaca bukunya.

Doctor Zhivago bersetting di Rusia pada awal abad 20, tepatnya setelah Perang Dunia I. Kisah dibuka dengan sebuah pemakaman. Saat itu Zhivago kecil menjadi yatim piatu setelah ibunya meninggal, sementara ayahnya sudah lebih dulu tiada. Yura—panggilan Zhivago kecil—kemudian diantar oleh pamannya menuju kediaman orang tua angkatnya: keluarga Gromeko. Kemudian kisah berpindah ke sudut pandang seorang bocah teman sekolah Yura yang bernama Misha Gordon. Misha sedang mengingat-ingat kejadian tragis bunuh dirinya seorang pria di kereta api yang ia tumpangi bersama keluarganya. Ternyata pria itu adalah seorang pengusaha bernama Zhivago, yang tak lain dan tak bukan ayah si Yura kecil.

Dari kedua intro itu, kita bisa mulai mengenal gaya bertutur Boris Pasternak. Ia bercerita dari sudut pandang banyak orang, kadang berupa dialog panjang, kadang narasi. Di tiap bab kita akan dihadapkan pada berbagai pertanyaan. Seolah-olah ada begitu banyak kepingan-kepingan puzzle yang tak beraturan dan tak berhubungan. Dan semuanya itu ia jalin sedemikian rupa hingga pelan-pelan terjawablah semua pertanyaan dan terbangunlah sebuah kisah yang menawan.

Kembali ke kisah awal, selain Yura dan Misha, kita pun diperkenalkan pada beberapa tokoh penting lainnya. Ada Tonia (putri keluarga Gromeko) yang kelak menikah dengan Yura—menjadi Yurii Zhivago setelah dewasa. Lalu Lara (Larisa Feodorovna—nama yang cantik bukan?) gadis cantik yang terlalu cepat dewasa dan terlibat affair dengan pengacara keluarga dan pacar ibunya: Komarovsky. Ada juga Pasha, pemuda yang juga tinggal di rumah keluarga di mana Lara tinggal. Lara akhirnya menikahi Pasha dalam kekalutannya akibat hubungannya dengan Komarovsky.

Awalnya kisah mereka tampak tak berhubungan, baru di bab 2 lah Pasternak “mempertemukan” mereka semua dalam sebuah insiden. Setelah itu pecahlah revolusi di Petersburg—yang menurunkan Tsar—dan dimulailah perubahan besar-besaran bagi rakyat Rusia, yang diwakili oleh tokoh-tokoh kita. Melalui mereka semua, kita bisa melihat bagaimana rakyat yang tak bersalah mau tak mau terseret dalam arus perubahan yang dibawa kelompok-kelompok radikal. Bukan saja menjadi miskin secara fisik, namun perang juga memporak-porandakan keluarga.

Pasha bergabung dengan militer karena kecewa dengan perkawinannya. Yurii telah menjadi dokter dan bertugas di Medical Unit. Saat istrinya tengah melahirkan di rumah sakit, Yurii terkena ledakan. Dan ketika siuman, ia dipertemukan dengan Lara yang bekerja sebagai perawat di Rumah Sakit di mana Yurii dirawat. Di titik ini cinta pun tumbuh. Yurii yang sudah sejak kecil memuja Lara meski tetap setia pada Tonia, dan Lara yang mendengar isu bahwa Pasha telah tewas dan baru menyadari bahwa ia tak sepenuhnya mencintai Pasha.

Dari curahan hati Yurii kepada Lara sebelum mereka berpisah, kita dapat memahami apa yang dialami manusia saat perang, yaitu bahwa mereka mau tak mau telah berubah (atau dipaksa berubah oleh perang). Yurii kembali ke Moskow karena tak tahan dengan revolusi, mencoba untuk menemukan kembali hidupnya yang lama bersama Tonia dan putranya: Sasha. Ternyata saat itulah Sovyet akhirnya menguasai Rusia, dan di musim dingin yang tak bersahabat, bencana kemiskinan menghadang. Keluarga Zhivago pun memutuskan untuk pindah ke sebuah kota kecil Varykino.

Akankah Yurii, sang doctor Zhivago mampu menyelamatkan keluarganya? Dapatkah ia--yang telah berubah dalam pribadi dan pemikiran--menjalani kembali hidup yang sama seperti sebelum perang? Bagaimana dengan cintanya yang terbagi antara Tonia dan Lara? Mengapa sebenarnya Yurii mencintai Lara? Dan bagaimana dengan nasib Lara sendiri? Dengan amat perlahan Boris Pastermak akan membawa anda menemukan jawaban-jawabannya, sampai pada akhir kisah ini, yang boleh dibilang tragis namun indah.

Lewat Doctor Zhivago, Pasternak hendak menyoroti efek-efek negatif perubahan yang sedang terjadi di negara Rusia. Seperti kita ketahui, begitu Perang Dunia I usai, kaum proletarian menggulingkan rezim Tsar. Pemerintahan monarki pun tumbang, namun dalam gejolak saat itu—saat di mana belum jelas siapa yang akan berkuasa—seluruh rakyat Rusia turut menderita dalam jungkir baliknya kondisi negara.

“All customs and traditions, all our way of life, everything to do with home and order, has crumbled into dust in the general upheaval and reorganization of society. The whole human way of life has been destroyed and ruined.” ~hlm. 421 (Lara)

“The war is to blame for everything, for all the misfortunes that followed and that hound our generation to this day.” ~hlm. 422 (Lara).

Doctor Zhivago adalah kisah tentang percintaan dan tragedi yang dihadapi manusia. Namun jangan membayangkan nuansa gelap selalu menaungi kisah ini, karena dengan lihainya Pasternak menghujani kita dengan metafora-metafora indah di sepanjang buku ini. Metafora itu membuat hal-hal nan sederhana menjadi terasa begitu indah. Aku kutip beberapa agar anda bisa merasakan sedikit keindahan yang membuatku jatuh cinta pada buku ini!

“It was a clear, frosty autumn night. Thin sheets of ice crumbled under his steps. The sky, shining with stars, threw a pale blue flicker like the flame of burning alcohol over the black earth with its clumps of frozen mud.” ~hlm. 113.

“In the foreshortened view from the bunk it looked as if the train were actually gliding on the water. Only here and there was its smoothness broken by streaks of a metallic blue, but over all the rest of its surface the hot morning sun was chasing glassy patches of light as smooth and oily as melted butter that a cook brushes with a feather on a pie crust.” ~hlm. 246.

Bisakah anda membayangkan pemandangan yang melahirkan untaian kalimat seindah itu? Itulah sebabnya diperlukan waktu yang lama dan suasana yang mendukung untuk membaca buku ini. Bila anda membacanya tergesa-gesa dan hanya mengambil inti cerita saja, anda akan melewatkan banyak keindahan—yang menjadi kekuatan utama buku ini.

Empat bintang untuk Doctor Zhivago, kuhadiahkan kepada Boris Pasternak yang—andai beliau masih hidup—tengah berulang tahun ke 122 tahun tepat pada hari ini, 10 Februari 2012!

Pada akhirnya, perang dan revolusi itu selalu menghasilkan penderitaan, namun toh keduanya diperlukan demi membangun sesuatu yang lebih baik di masa depan: kebebasan. Seperti yang dikatakan Boris Pasternak dalam epilog:

“Although victory had not brought the relief and freedom that were expected at the end of the war, nevertheless the portents of freedom filled the air throughout the postwar period, and they alone defined its historical significance.” ~hlm. 544.

versi film th. 1965 dengan Omar Sharif sebagai Dr. Zhivago & Julie Christie sebagai Lara

Judul: Doctor Zhivago

Penulis: Boris Pasternak

Penerbit: Pantheon Books, Inc.

e-book source: The New American Library

Terbit: unknown

e-pages: 615 hlm

Wuthering Heights

Dalam arti harafiahnya, wuthering adalah cuaca buruk semacam badai dengan angin yang kencang. Namun dalam novel klasik bersetting abad 19 karangan Emily Bronte ini, Wuthering Heights adalah nama sebuah rumah milik keluarga Earnshaw. Meskipun, nama Wuthering memang pas juga disandang oleh rumah itu kalau melihat sejarah para penghuninya yang membuat ketenangan dan kedamaian tak pernah ada di dalam Wuthering Heights.

“Wuthering” [baca: badai] pertama ditiupkan oleh Mr. Earnshaw ke tengah keluarganya yang (saat itu) harmonis, ketika suatu hari ia pulang dari luar negeri. Entah dengan alasan apa, ia memungut seorang bocah keturunan gipsi untuk menjadi anggota keluarga baru Earnshaw. Anak itu diberi nama Heathcliff. Kombinasi pemanjaan dan pemujaan dari ayah angkatnya, ditambah perlakuan buruk semua orang kepadanya, membuat Heathcliff tumbuh sebagai orang yang kasar, pahit, jahat, pendendam dan cenderung brutal. Hindley, putra sulung Mr. Earnshaw teramat sangat membencinya karena ayahnya kini mencurahkan seluruh kasih sayang dan perhatiannya pada Heathcliff kecil, dan mencampakkan Hindley dan adiknya Catherine begitu saja. Di sisi lain, Catherine yang tumbuh sebagai gadis liar justru menyukai dan berteman akrab dengan Heathcliff.

Bertetangga dengan Wuthering Heights, hiduplah Mr. & Mrs. Linton beserta Edgar dan Isabella anak-anak mereka, di rumah yang berjuluk Thrushcross Grange. Edgar muda tertarik pada Catherine Earnshaw, sementara si gadis lebih menyukai Heathcliff yang juga membalas perasaannya. Sementara itu, setelah Hindley meninggalkan rumah untuk kuliah, Mr. Earnshaw pun meninggal dunia. Kematiannya menjadikan Hindley yang telah menikah, pemilik Wuthering Heights yang baru. Dan untuk membalaskan dendam kesumatnya, ia menurunkan derajat Heathcliff menjadi setara pelayan yang hina. Sementara Catherine, yang tadinya sama liar dan tak terurusnya seperti Heathcliff mendadak berubah menjadi lebih anggun dan bermartabat setelah menginap beberapa minggu di rumah keluarga Linton. Hal ini menjadikan ia semakin jauh dari Heathcliff, dan semakin dekat dengan Edgar…

Rasanya setelah membaca sekilas 3 paragraf di atas, novel ini hanyalah menyajikan sebuah drama keluarga biasa yang membosankan dan datar-datar saja. Anda keliru! Novel ini justru cenderung bernuansa “gelap”, tragis dan brutal. Emily Bronte rupanya adalah, entah seorang penulis yang ahli masalah kejiwaan, atau memang memiliki latar belakang kehidupan yang sangat kelam. Karena, persoalan dua keluarga yang biasa ditemui pada jaman itu: jatuh cinta, perkawinan, iri, dendam…dirangkai olehnya sehingga sanggup mempengaruhi emosi dan bahkan kebencian pembaca. Boleh dibilang, amarah anda rasanya akan tersulut tiap kali salah seorang dari tokoh-tokohnya berbicara kasar sambil menebarkan ancaman yang sangat kejam dan sadis.

Dan Emily dengan cerdiknya membungkus kisah itu sebagai cerita bersambung Ellen (Nelly) Dean, seorang pengasuh di Wuthering Heights, yang dikisahkannya atas permintaan Mr. Lockwood, seorang pria yang menyewa rumah Thrushcross Grange dimiliki Mr. Heathcliff. Tokoh Heathcliff memang menjadi benang merah novel sepanjang 488 halaman ini. Setelah tamat membaca buku ini, aku merasa bahwa Heathcliff adalah karakter yang paling kuat di kisah Wuthering Heights ini. Saking kuatnya, Heathcliff dapat mencengkeramkan pengaruhnya (dan meniupkan “wuthering” demi “wuthering”) ke dalam hidup orang-orang di sekitarnya. Seolah, karena ia sepanjang hidupnya harus menderita, maka tak ada orang lain yang boleh merasa bahagia. Berkat Heathcliff pula, jalan hidup semua tokoh lainnya jadi berubah. Dan hebatnya, tak ada yang dapat menolak pengaruh jahat Heathcliff ini, apalagi memeranginya. Mereka semua hanya dapat bertahan.

Lihat saja Catherine yang menderita karena cinta, meski Edgar mencintainya sepenuh hati (yang sangat aku herankan mengingat karakter Catherine yang liar dan cintanya pada Heathcliff). Lihat juga bagaimana Hindley menjadi setengah gila karena dendam, sehingga mempengaruhi pertumbuhan Hareton, anak lelakinya, menjadi bocah yang bodoh dan berperangai kasar. Dan cengkeraman jahat Heathcliff ini tak berhenti setelah ia mengawini Isabella Linton yang ia benci (lebih heran lagi aku pada kebodohan Isabella yang jelas-jelas melihat karakter buruk Heathcliff tetapi tetap mencintai dan menikahinya!). Perangai Heathcliff juga tak berubah setelah ia memiliki anak lelaki yang cengeng. Kenyataan bahwa mereka yang segenerasi dengannya telah tiada, tetap tak menyurutkan obsesi Heathcliff untuk membalaskan dendam pada anak-cucu mereka.

Aku jadi berandai-andai…kalau saja semua perangai jahat Heathcliff itu diganti dengan perangai yang baik, maka karakter Heathcliff akan bisa menjadi panutan. Di kisah ini ia begitu konsisten membenci, berbuat jahat dan memastikan orang lain hidup menderita. Alangkah baiknya kalau seseorang bisa konsisten mengasihi sesamanya, selalu berbuat baik, dan membaktikan seluruh hidup, pikiran dan tenaganya untuk membuat kehidupan orang lain lebih baik! Ah…seandainya saja… Tapi, mungkin kalau Emily Bronte menulis kisah dengan tokoh yang sedemikian baik, bukunya tak akan selaris dan sefenomenal Wuthering Heights ini. Sebagai catatan, di Goodreads aku mengamati bahwa kebanyakan orang memberi bintang 5 (amazing) atau 2 dan bahkan 1 (didn’t like it), jarang orang memberikan bintang 3 atau 4. Yang artinya, kebencian dan kejahatan di satu sisi bisa membuat anda muak setengah mati, namun di sisi lain bisa sangat mempesona. Berada di kubu manakah anda? Oh ya, tentu saja anda harus membacanya dulu sebelum bisa menjawab. Yang jelas aku seharusnya bisa memberikan 1 atau 2 bintang saja, namun aku juga tak bisa mengabaikan kepiawaian Emily Bronte dalam menulis kisah ini. Buktinya? Ia mampu membuatku sangat muak pada Heathcliff dan semua yang ada di Wuthering Heights ini hanya melalui tulisannya. Hebat bukan?....

Judul: Wuthering Heights

Penulis: Emily Bronte

Penerbit: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama

Cetakan: April 2011

Tebal: 488 hlm