Why ChuckandBlair are no Rhett/Scarlett or Heathcliff/Catherine I’ve seen these comparisons floating around the GG fandom from the Chair stans non stop, ever since the two characters got together, and I’m sorry – they make no sense whatsoever.
I actually find Heathcliff a way more sympathetic character than Chuck – he was an abused and abandoned gypsy child born in the 19th century who was mistreated by Hindley and many others all throughout his childhood. Yes, he was a villain, but a complex one at that, and he was never romanticised, just portrayed for the terrible person he was. Heathcliff also had a vaster and more believable array of reasons for the way he acted. He was constantly degraded and abused throughout his childhood and adolescence. Likewise, Catherine was a terribly selfish and poisonous person who really was just as bad as Heathcliff. And you know what, I buy Heathcliff’s twisted love for Catherine way more than I buy Chuck’s “love” for Blair, which is more like creepy possessiveness.
I know Bart wasn’t the greatest father to Chuck, but come on. Chuck is at the end of the day a billionaire at the age of 20, a privileged white male in the 21st century. Trying real hard to shed a tear here. His daddy issues are not severe or tragic enough to give him a pass or justification for his actions or for the way he has treated Blair.
Blair is no Catherine Earnshaw. She is a much better person than Catherine.
The thing is in Wuthering Heights Catherine/Heathcliff were never portrayed as good people or presented as true love – Nelly the narrator and most of the other characters often referred to them as monsters or psychopaths. Nobody gushed over Heathcliff or bent over to make excuses for him, he was never woobified. That’s what made him so twisted and compelling.
Most importantly, Heathcliff and Catherine ended up in TRAGEDY. They both paid for their actions and got what they deserved. Same with Romeo and Juliet. Screwed up relationships get screwed up endings. That’s what makes a real tragic story. I wouldn’t mind if Chuck ended up dead in a ditch somewhere, ngl, but Blair deserves so much better than that.
If you want to compare Chuck to a character in Wuthering Heights then he is definitely Hindley, the uncharismatic, bitter and jealous step sibling who descended into alcoholism and who could never get over his prejudice towards Heathcliff.
As for Rhett/Scarlett – same again, the relationship ended in TRAGEDY because of how toxic their relationship became towards the end. Also, the dynamics of their relationship were completely different. Rhett was often the one chasing Scarlett, not the other way around, and he would more often than not always try to go above and beyond for her, even whilst she was married to other men.
Also, Blair and Scarlett can be said to be similar because of how scheming and manipulative both are capable of being, but they schemed for completely different reasons. Scarlett did it because it was her only way of surviving during a time when women were completely held back by society. Blair does it because she is insecure, feels second best and it’s her way of lashing out.
Also Blair is well read, cultured, loves books, films and arts - Scarlett wasn’t like that at all. She was crass and business minded, made it a point to state that she hated and disliked novels, and her strongest subject was mathematics.
Lastly, both these romances are set in a DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD. The gender dynamics of both relationships were hugely affected by the social norms of the 1800’s. I mean why are so many CB fics set in the Regency period/olden times when men held more dominant positions in society and women often had to be subservient to them? EXPLAINS EVERYTHING, TBH.
You want to compare Chuck to literary characters? He is Hindley Earnshaw from WH, he is Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, he is Wickham from Pride and Prejudice, he is Alec D’Urberville from Tess of the D’Urbervilles. He is everything his fangirls wanted Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter to be BUT NEVER CAN BE.I’m a big lit nerd, I got lots of examples. Anyway, point is, Chuck is just a heartless, scummy asshole who is in no way a romantic hero and never, ever was. Just a terrible character in general.
Feel free to agree or disagree no matter where your ~allegiances on the show lie.
