Gothic Romance | The Fight for Women’s Education that Led to Wuthering Heights

The Gothic novel didn’t emerge from nowhere.

As women’s literacy rates rose in the late 18th and 19th centuries, so did a powerful new reading public and with it, a transformation in literary culture. In this episode, we examine how expanded access to education created the conditions for the Gothic romance to flourish.

At the center of our discussion is Wuthering Heights: a novel that shattered conventions, redefined love, and helped shape the lineage of what we now call dark romance.

We explore:

• The social history behind the rise of women readers
• The emergence of women authors in the literary marketplace
• Why Gothic romance became a cultural phenomenon
• How Wuthering Heights became a genre-defining text

This is women’s history with a storm brewing beneath it.

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