Wuthering Heights was written by Emily Bronte. The story is centered on hatred, jealousy, and revenge that spans two generations. Social class plays a significant role in the story, as it the factor that ultimately divides two loves from being together. The futures of Cathy, Hareton, and Linton are shaped by the vengeful decisions made by Heathcliff. Each character chooses to use Heathcliff’s manipulation in a different way. Cathy is the daughter of Edgar Linton and Catherine Earnshaw. Shorty upon her birth, her mother Catherine passed away. Like her mother was, Cathy is very beautiful with curly blonde hair and a very strong personality. She was raised at Thrushcross Grange. Catherine is very sheltered as a child. Nelly regarded her as: The most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house: a real beauty in face, with the Earnshaws' handsome dark eyes, but the Lintons' fair skin and small features, and yellow curling hair. Her spirit was high, though not rough, and qualified by a heart sensitive and lively to excess in its affections. That capacity for intense attachments reminded me of her mother: still she did not resemble her: for she could be soft and mild as a dove, and she had a gentle voice and pensive expression: her anger was never furious; her love never fierce: it was deep and tender. However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts. A propensity to be saucy was one; and a perverse will, that indulged children invariably acquire, whether they be good tempered or cross … Fortunately, curiosity and a quick intellect made her an apt scholar: she learned rapidly and eagerly, and did honour to his teaching. One day while out exploring against her father’s wishes, Catherine comes across ... ... middle of paper ... ...areton had been born into. Linton spent much of his time trying his best to please his father so that he might not be angry at him. Linton expressed his fears to his father. Ultimately, his character was much like Heathcliff’s. Hareton was born to a good family; however he became introverted after becoming orphaned and going to live with Heathcliff. In conclusion, Heathcliff is ultimately to blame for the unhappiness and distress of Cathy, Hareton, and Linton. The children grew up in different homes, with different family structures, social statuses and personalities. Linton chooses to take on a stronger personality, influenced by his father. Hareton chooses to develop a relationship with Cathy, whom had previously been unkind and mocking and together they grow. Works Cited Bronte, E. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/768/768-h/768-h.htm
In “Wuthering Heights”, Emily Bronte”s novel, young characters exhibited multiple signs of immature actions and emotions. Heathcliff and Catherine both chased juvenile emotions, finding a possibly fake love in other people. Linton showcased the same adolescence when he faked illness so she would stay with him in order to fulfil his aspiration. Heathcliff attempted to get revenge on multiple characters, mostly focussing on Edgar Linton. Almost all of the characters demonstrate the characteristics that suggests their immaturity.
develops a fondness for young Cathy, but he is no match for Heathcliff., who is
When Linton Heathcliff’s son returns to Wuthering Heights Heathcliff tells Nelly “[his] design is honest as possible…that the two cousins may fall in love and get married. [he is] acting generously to [her] master: his young chit has no expectations, and should [Catherine]second [his] wish she’ll be provided for at once as joint successor with Linton. (215)” Heathcliff’s plan states that although Heathcliff looked down upon little Linton, yet he uses his son and the power of this distorted patriarchal society as weapons to take revenge over Edgar. He tricked little Catherine to Wuthering Heights and forces her to marry his terribly ill son Linton because this is the only way to take possession of the property she inherited from her father as the only child. Due to the acquiescence of patriarchal society, Linton and Heathcliff can easily manipulate little Catherine and hold on to her fate with no effort using the chains of marriage. After women are married to men, men have the right to control their wives and nobody could intervene and the society does not allow women to divorce their husbands because they are men’s personal attachments. As a part of Heathcliff’s plan, Heathcliff made Hareton, Hindley’s son “never be able to emerge from his bathos of coarseness and
He experiences "the intensest anguish at having made himself the instrument of thwarting this own revenge...he would have tried to remedy the mistake by smashing Hareton's skull on the steps" when he accidentally saves his enemy's child (Bronte 74). Heathcliff immediately regrets the circumstances in which he finds himself, to the point in which he would be willing to "remedy the mistake by smashing Hareton's skull on the steps" if it were darker in the house. Bronte utilizes Heathcliff's savage impulse to murder an innocent child to reveal how the desire for revenge has consumed his thoughts and actions, even those of common human decency. When Heathcliff returns to Thrushcross Grange to see Catherine one last time, he plans to finally "settle [his] score with Hindley," and to "[do] execution on [himself]" to avoid punishment (Bronte 96). Heathcliff's willingness to commit suicide after finally getting his revenge indicates how he views his life as complete and his purpose fulfilled by satiating his one and only wish. He views his body as only necessary to complete his mission and afterwards discardable, illustrating Heathcliff's complete physical infatuation with retaliation. Bronte emphasizes here how Heathcliff loses his purpose in life while he becomes tangled up in a plot for revenge. The intense drive to succeed can render people as
Heathcliff allowed himself to be engulfed in all of the rejection and hatred he was surrounded by and gave into the way he was nurtured as a boy instead of what he could have become if he had listened to himself and not all the other aspects of his outside life. Hareton, on the other hand, listened to himself and did not get consumed by all the hatred and darkness he was raised in; he learned to be kind and loving towards Cathy without hurting everyone around her. Heathcliff also hated Hindley, the man who brought all of the emotional and physical abuse in his life, while Hareton loved Heathcliff, even though Heathcliff was Hareton’s “Hindley”. Hareton also felt sorrow for Heathcliff when he died, “weeping in bitter earnest,” while Heathcliff felt no remorse or sadness whatsoever, even for the people he had wronged (Bronte 324). Hareton and Heathcliff were majorly different as Hareton embraced his good side and Heathcliff got wrapped up in his damaged
With Catherine married to Edgar, the Linton family heritage will carry on. After few years, Heathcliff returns as a proper gentleman when he was trained by Isabella. As he became more and more mature, Isabella fell in loves with him. As the two couples fall in loves, the story continues to tell its
Linton Heathcliff is only interested in himself. He is a sickly and scared young man. Like his mother Isabella Linton who accused Catherine Earnshaw of selfishly wanting Heathcliff for herself – in which she didn't- Linton enjoys inflicting and watching people suffer. As Heathcliff threatened to kill Linton, Linton only thought about his own life and, decided to betray Cathy, tricking her into staying at Wuthering Heights and getting married to him, instead of returning to Thurshcross Grange to where her father lies on his deathbed.
Cathy was a good child, but she was very spoiled and overprotected, since Edgar didn’t trust anyone with her. She wasn’t allowed to wander outside the house, unless she was going to the park nearby and was accompanied by either Nelly or Edgar himself. Before Isabella’s death, she wanted Edgar to visit her so that she could give Linton over to him. He goes on a trip to claim Linton for himself, so Nelly is instructed to take care of Cathy. While Edgar is away, Nelly takes Cathy to Wuthering Heights to meet her cousin, Hareton, which was strictly forbidden to her, especially because there was to be no communication between the houses. Edgar returns to the Grange with Linton; Catherine and Linton get along easily and become good friends almost immediately. That same night, Joseph comes to the Grange, demanding that Linton go to Wuthering Heights to be with his dad, Heathcliff. When they arrive at the Heights, Linton is appalled by the ugly outside appearance of his new home and becomes frightened of his father, screaming that he refuses to stay there. Cathy turns sixteen years old, sharing her birthday with the anniversary of her mother’s death. Edgar goes to visit Catherine’s grave, so Nelly takes Cathy out to play. They run into Heathcliff, and he tells Nelly that he wishes Cathy and Linton to marry each other. When Cathy learns that Linton is actually Heathcliff’s son, she returns home and blames Edgar for keeping her and Linton away from each other for so long. Catherine and Linton begin to write love letters to each other behind their parent’s backs. Nelly finds out about this, and threatens to tell Edgar about the letters unless Catherine lets her burn them all.
He was treated poorly as a child and was raised to have a negative outlook on life, inspiring his permanently disagreeable adult personality. This continued state of negative being can be seen in other characters as well. His early life is similar to Cathy Linton’s in the sense that she parallels her mother, Catherine, since she was born to her and is treated like her. She is born to have her specific characteristics, but also grows in a situation in which her household treats her like Catherine. Both Heathcliff and Cathy are destined for their lifestyles, as their pasts are not due to their personal actions. This can also be seen in Linton Heathcliff, who is perpetually weak from birth. Although Heathcliff attempts to raise him to be abusive, he fails, and Linton remains a wailing brat. This shows that the effects of childhood last long into adulthood, and what is established in early life cannot be
“Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside of itself; it only requires opportunity”. In the novel, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, cruelty is vividly shown through the character Heathcliff. This novel takes place during the 1800s and focuses on social relevance, and supernatural ideas. The novel is a series of narratives which involves two families, known as Lintons and Earnshaws. The main character Heathcliff, who causes many problems, is believed to be a cruel character. Bronte makes it hard for critics and readers to learn how Heathcliff should be viewed as. Various critics and readers tend to have various perspectives due to Heathcliff 's behaviour and actions. Bronte illustrates, Heathcliff
The sympathetic part of Heathcliff shows through when he sees Catherine in the beginning stages of her sickness after childbirth. “He neither spoke, nor loosed his hold, for some five minutes, during which period he bestowed more kisses than ever he gave in his life before, I dare say…” (159). The sympathetic part of Heathcliff kicks in when he sees the woman he loves dying right before him. Heathcliff began to ask Catherine the questions he had not been able to ask her before, whether it had been due to his pride or to his absence - was insignificant., “‘...You loved me - then what right had you to leave me? What right - answer me - for the poor fancy you felt for Linton?” (162). When the novel begins, it is mentioned that Heathcliff is shouting, “‘Come in! Come in!’ he sobbed. ‘Cathy, do come. Oh do - once more! Oh! My heart’s darling, hear me this time - Catherine, at last!’” (28). Heathcliff attempts to get Catherine’s ghost to speak to him, because his main goal is to be united with her in death. Heathcliff’s character changes relatively fast when he sees Catherine dying in her bed. There is a sympathetic side shown that has not been quite expressed before, and also the feelings that Heathcliff kept bottled
...ly declared their love there. As respite from the prison of Wuthering Heights the moors are a mysterious place that is liberating, and boundaryless. Catherine says, “I wish I were out of doors- I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free” (105). Once Catherine compares Linton and Heathcliff saying, “My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. Time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath a source of little visible delight, but necessary” (84).
Admittedly, Catherine, Heathcliff, and Hindley, aren't the soccer moms of today. Heathcliff does not even meet his son Linton until grown, only then because his mother Isabella dies. Because of paternal rights, Heathcliff gains custody of Linton. When Linton prepares to meet his father for the first time, he questions Nelly: "'And what is my father like? Is he as young and handsome as uncle?' 'He's as young,' she replies, 'but he has black hair and eyes, and looks sterner, and he is taller and bigger altogether.'…'Black hair and eyes!' mused Linton. 'I can't fancy him. Then I am not much like him, am I?'"(Bronte 152). Upon meeting his son, Heathcliff observes him as weak, sickly, and high strung, which strongly contrasts with ursine Heathcliff. Their contradictory personalities ultimate...
He faced much abuse from his brother, Hindley, as well as being a social outcast. Heathcliff was able to live a comfortable life during the lifespan of Earnshaw, and was able to persist through the abuse of Hindley, but Heathcliff’s true breaking point came from the romantic rejection from his lifelong best friend, Catherine. Catherine was Earnshaw 's daughter, who was slightly younger than Heathcliff. At first, Catherine had rejected Heathcliff 's friendship due to the fact he was a foreigner, but as time went on, they began to grow on each other. “She was much too fond of Heathcliff. The greatest punishment we could invent for her was to keep her separate from him: yet she got chided more than any of us on his account.” (5.10)They were two very adventurous children, and spent all their time together. They were two of the same children, but this began to change under the influence of the Linton family. Catherine for a short period of time lived with the Lintons after one of the guard dogs bit her leg after she and Heathcliff trespassed onto their territory. Prior to the trespass, Heathcliff and Catherine mocked the Linton children for their petty antics and delicate nature.”...instead of a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house, and rushing to squeeze us all breathless, there 'lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person, with brown ringlets falling from the cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit, which she was obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in.” (7.1) With Catherine 's renowned attitude, Heathcliff was left without a friend. As time progressed, Heathcliff began to develop romantic feelings towards Catherine. Although Catherine also had a strong feeling that she was destined to be with Heathcliff, she was unsure if she could marry him due to his low social stature. "I 've no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be
...his is impossible to prevent. This leads to Mr. Heathcliff self destruction, because all of his life he has been looking for strategies to get revenge on those he hates. He does not want Wuthering Heights to be a haven, rather a purgatory. To his dismay he realizes his years of revenge, will not last all generations. Seeing how both families, the Linton and the Earnshaw's stand up for one another, Heathcliff understands that the one thing that kept him alive has now been defeated. Therefore his life has no purpose, and he has lost.