“Nelly, please help me get dressed appropriately, as I am going to behave well.
Heathcliff, in a desperate plea for salvation, spoke these words to Ellen Dean, his nurse and confidant, during a time when his life had hit rock bottom. Despite being an abandoned child from the streets of Liverpool who endured cruel treatment, can we truly despise Heathcliff for his subsequent actions? Shouldn’t we consider the fact that we have never experienced the immense pain of being forcibly separated from a deeply loved person? To determine whether Heathcliff deserves admiration or contempt, we must delve deeper into his character and history. The first individual to encounter Heathcliff in the novel is Mr Lockwood, his tenant. Lockwood characterizes Heathcliff as someone who harbors a dislike for outward displays of emotion.
“Although this comment appears nonsensical when observing Catherine and Heathcliff together, it holds true. Following Mr Earnshaw’s recent passing, Catherine and Heathcliff provide each other solace and kindness. Nelly comments that they envision heaven in the most glorious manner imaginable. It seems as though he can only fully expose his soul to her, and her memory alone. Anything else in his surroundings appears insignificant.”
Heathcliff’s tender and caring disposition is solely revealed to Catherine, while towards every other character he displays disdain, hatred, or simply indifference. Lockwood’s comment is partly accurate as Heathcliff only expresses emotions when it comes to Catherine. In all other instances, he appears as a withdrawn and taciturn individual. This clarifies Lockwood’s assumption since he lacked any connection with Catherine.
The shameful behavior of Heathcliff upon his return to the Heights cannot be disputed. Treating Isabella in such a cruel manner, raising her hopes only to dash them to hell, is truly appalling. This action alone would cause any remaining sympathy towards him to quickly disappear, except for the most kind-hearted readers. Furthermore, his bullying and violent treatment towards his son, Linton, adds to the reasons why we may despise Heathcliff. Especially when he speaks with bewilderment about how Linton “shudders when I touch him.” However, we can observe that all of these acts of bitter cruelty are connected to one person, Catherine.
Heathcliff was brought to reside at Wuthering Heights by Mr Earnshaw after finding him one day, aimlessly wandering the streets of Liverpool, “starving, and homeless, and unable to speak.” Nelly characterizes Heathcliff as “dark almost as if he emerged from the devil.” The initial portrayal of Heathcliff is uncomplimentary, hinting at his eventual destiny. Hindley, perceiving him as a threat to his father’s love, instantly developed an antipathy towards Heathcliff.
Nelly observes that from the very beginning, Heathcliff bred bad feeling in the house, almost like a curse on the Heights itself. Therefore, his introduction to the Earnshaw family was not as welcoming as he had hoped for. Despite Nelly’s portrayal of Heathcliff as a soulless demon, I believe he entered the Heights as an innocent young child. Nelly recounts how she put him to bed on the landing of the stairs and he crept to Mr. Earnshaw’s door. This indicates his desire for love, and since Mr. Earnshaw was the only one who cared for him, that was where he sought affection.
As Heathcliff grew older, he was increasingly despised by Hindley but adored even more by Catherine. This, along with Mr Earnshaw favoring Heathcliff over Hindley, enraged Hindley. Hindley, being nearly a decade older than Heathcliff, was able to physically vent his frustrations, which he did ruthlessly. Heathcliff recounts one instance where his arm was “black to the shoulder” due to Hindley’s beatings.
Hindley throws a heavy metal weight at Heathcliff, possibly aiming to get rid of him. However, Heathcliff only shows his emotions when it comes to Catherine, and their relationship is not in danger here. Consequently, Heathcliff rarely complains about his mistreatment and keeps his anger bottled up. Evidence for this can be found in Chapter 6, where he expresses his desire to paint the house-front with Hindley’s blood while passionately speaking about losing Catherine to the Lintons.
This is an extremely violent thought considering the person’s age, providing a glimpse into their subconscious. The reader also witnesses their emotional side as they express a desire to “smash their great glass panes” if anyone were to detain Catherine without her agreement. Following Mr Earnshaw’s passing, Hindley took control of the house, thus marking the end of Wuthering Heights as it was known, with Hindley becoming a “tyrannical” figure.
“Now that Hindley had the opportunity to seek true revenge on Heathcliff, he wholeheartedly did so. He banished him from their circle and forced him to work with the servants, denying him access to the guidance of the curate. Hindley also made sure he labored outdoors, subjected to the same strenuous tasks as any other farm boy. These actions were driven by two motives for Hindley. Firstly, he desired to witness Heathcliff’s degradation and humiliation, refusing to treat him as an equal as his father had done in the past.”
Furthermore, Hindley aimed to use Catherine’s attraction to him as a tool to reconsider her affection for Heathcliff by denying him an education and forcing him into manual labor. Although Catherine initially tried to help by sharing her knowledge with Heathcliff, she soon grew tired of his lack of intelligence. Moreover, influenced by her time at the Grange and the desire for a higher social status, she chose Edgar Linton over Heathcliff. This outcome satisfied Hindley as it evoked the exact emotions of anger, worthlessness, and resentment that he had wished for. A statement from Heathcliff during this period encapsulates his mental state: “I am contemplating how I will retaliate against Hindley.”
“Heathcliff expresses his eagerness to finally have the opportunity, regardless of how long he has to wait. He even hopes that Hindley will not die before he can carry out his plan. When Nelly reprimands him, reminding him that only god is fit to punish Hindley, Heathcliff counters that he will derive more satisfaction than god. This passionate and spirited response demonstrates his deep-seated loathing for his oppressor. Moreover, Heathcliff’s hyperbolic claim reveals the abandonment of his moral values, as it is a grave sin to consider oneself superior to god.”
Nevertheless, it is not only Hindley who is accountable for the transformation of Heathcliff from an innocent child to a heartless and reckless individual; Catherine, the object of his desire, also plays a role in his downfall. Following her three-month recovery at Thrushcross Grange, Catherine becomes accustomed to the luxurious surroundings. She realizes that Heathcliff would never be able to offer such opulence and therefore, selfishly, she seeks the affections of Edgar Linton, a wealthy young man who can fulfill her middle-class dreams. After overhearing Catherine’s confession to Nelly about how marrying him would diminish her, Heathcliff is determined to possess her and flees. He returns three years later, prosperous and affluent.
However, had he waited a little longer and listened further, he would have realized that Catherine knew she had no intention of marrying Edgar Linton, just as she had no desire to be in heaven. This reference to heaven was made previously when Catherine explained that her true paradise would be to roam the moors and be at Wuthering Heights. If Heathcliff had heard this, he likely would not have left so suddenly. Yet as he has consistently demonstrated throughout the novel with regard to Catherine, his emotions overpower his rationality. Ignoring his mind, he succumbs to his heart and disappears into the darkness, determined to have Catherine regardless of the consequences.
Catherine declares that her marriage to Edgar is like “foliage in the woods (subject to change)” compared to the unbreakable bond she shares with Heathcliff, which is like “eternal rocks beneath.” It is inevitable that the marriage will not last because the connection between the two lovers is deep and almost otherworldly, and cannot be broken or separated for long. Before his disappearance, Heathcliff was unable to seek revenge due to his social position. However, upon his return as a Victorian gentleman, he starts to initiate his plans for revenge against those he believes have treated him unjustly.
The only person he refuses to seek revenge upon is Catherine herself. It is rather ironic because she is the central cause of his unhappiness. If Catherine had not been at the Heights, Heathcliff would have fled from Hindley’s bullying a long time ago. If Catherine had not fallen in love with the lifestyle at Thrushcross Grange, Heathcliff would not have become so bitter towards Edgar. Consequently, Linton and Cathy would never have been treated the way they were and they wouldn’t even exist! Despite this, the first person Heathcliff focuses on is Hindley.
Encouraging him to gamble and squander his money, Heathcliff effectively forces Hindley to mortgage the Heights to him. He employs similar mistreatment towards Hareton, Hindley’s son, partly to provoke and shame Hindley, but also out of pure animosity towards the child who is the offspring of his most despised adversary. In my opinion, this act of retribution is justifiable for anyone who finds themselves in such a position of enmity.
Forgiving someone who has persecuted you for a long time is incredibly difficult. However, Heathcliff’s treatment of young Hareton, using him as a tool against his father and turning him into a savage before his eyes, goes beyond my capacity for sympathy. As he later comments, it is like using gold for paving slabs. By involving an innocent child in his feud with Hindley, Heathcliff behaves just as poorly as Hindley did to him initially. Heathcliff’s second act of revenge is directed towards Edgar Linton, whom he believes has taken what rightfully belongs to him.
Unable to physically harm him due to his concern for Catherine’s well-being, he decides to shame him by marrying his sister Isabella. Furthermore, by joining the Linton family, he could inherit all of Edgar’s belongings after his demise, which greatly troubled Edgar. From my perspective, this mistreatment of young Hareton is equally immoral.
Heathcliff’s lack of love for Isabella is evident as he stared at her with contempt, like one would look at a repulsive creature. Isabella, on the other hand, was drawn to Heathcliff due to his persona as a character in romantic novels, which she found captivating. However, Heathcliff only had space in his heart for Catherine’s love and viewed anyone trying to intrude upon that with disgust. Despite this, Heathcliff decided to marry Isabella because he saw an opportunity for revenge.
The union between Edgar and Catherine not only had the desired effect on Edgar, but also sparked jealousy in Catherine. This was likely something that Heathcliff had been hoping for all along. The motive for Heathcliff’s revenge on Edgar and Catherine becomes evident. In fact, he doesn’t hide his plans at all. During a heated argument about Isabella, Heathcliff tells Catherine, “I am not your husband, you don’t need to be jealous of me!” This comment is followed by the revelation that has haunted him since his return: “I want you to know that I am aware of how horribly you have treated me – horribly!” When Catherine dies, Heathcliff is overcome with grief.
When attempting to talk about the issue with Nelly at Thrushcross Park, where he stayed the night after her death, he can’t even utter her name. Despite witnessing Heathcliff’s ruthless retaliation, even Nelly acknowledges that he has emotions and vulnerabilities just like any other person. This occurrence emphasizes the importance of their relationship; even a tough man like Heathcliff is reduced to tears at the mere mention of her existence. Moreover, Heathcliff makes a noteworthy remark that echoes something Catherine had said earlier.
While in tears over her demise, he declares, “I am unable to exist without my soul!” This echoes Catherine’s previous remark about the circumstances involving Heathcliff and Edgar: “Even if everything else were to perish and he remained, I would still endure… but if he were obliterated, the universe would transform into a vast stranger.”
These two quotes emphasize the supernatural connection between Catherine and Heathcliff. This connection is not accidental as ghosts and spirits are also present in other parts of the book. For instance, at the start, Lockwood sees Catherine Linton in a ghostly form, and later, Heathcliff exhumes Catherine’s grave. These instances serve as undeniable evidence of the intense and enduring passion that exists between these individuals. This passion is so powerful that no ordinary person could ever comprehend their experiences.
Heathcliff’s acts of revenge, which may initially appear cruel and bitter, become more comprehensible due to the deep-rooted connection between Catherine and him. Nevertheless, their relationship is so unusual that it parallels the concept of God for a religious person – incredibly intricate and beyond complete understanding. Our Heathcliff shares a name with a deceased child who never grew up, and similarly, he has lived a life of homelessness, being bullied, infatuation, jealousy, and malice.
Heathcliff, never truly happy, raises the question of whether he should be admired or detested. In my opinion, it would be incorrect to admire such a man. While it is admirable how he held onto his dignity and love for Catherine despite being treated poorly, his methods of seeking revenge by manipulating and mistreating the innocent are repulsive. Nevertheless, considering the kind of childhood he endured, I can’t help but wonder if my own mind would have been similarly affected if I were in his shoes.
Therefore, in conclusion, I find myself unable to admire or detest him since events on both ends of the spectrum appear to nullify each other.
