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Wuthering heights character analysis
Analysis of heathcliff character
Wuthering heights character analysis
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First of all, the physical appearance of Heathcliff and Marie has to be compared. Both of them possessed an unconventional look. Heathcliff is described as ‘gipsy brat’ , ‘as dark almost as if it came from the devil’ & ‘dirty ragged, black haired child, big enough both to walk and talk’. (32) In case of Marie, she possessed ‘lush body’ & ‘carved from stone’. Due to her extreme good look, ‘men either adored her or wanted to fight her’. ‘The permanent frown was gone revealing smooth unwrinkled skin. Her high cheekbones, the envy of more than a few screws and prisoners over the years, gave her face a Nordic beauty. Full, curving lips made her face look enigmatic, interesting. Her cool blue eyes were softer than usual
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The initial downward spiral of Heathcliff’s life was predominantly caused by harsh influences in the environment in which he was raised. Heathcliff, an adopted child, grew up in Wuthering Heights, a desolate and dystopian estate when compared to the beauty of the neighboring Thrushcross Grange. In childhood, Heathcliff displayed evidence of a sympathetic personality through his emotional attachment to Catherine and kind attitude towards Nelly. At the time of Mr. Earnshaw’s death, Nelly describes a scene where, “Miss Cathy had been sick, and that made her still; she
Their looks, Edgar being whiter and Heathcliff being darker symbolizes evil and good. Heathcliff is often compared to being the devil and with the whiteness of Edgar that could represent heaven for goodness. Since Heathcliff is a person full of rage, it makes me him think differently than Edgar. Like the examples used before like him marrying Isabella and pushing the marriage, it shows that Heathcliff is actually a smart and manipulative man. He know what makes peoples skin crawl, in this case Edgar’s, so he used his mind set to get exactly what he wanted. Edgar, on the other hand, is more of a softy. He knew that Catherine still had remaining feelings for Heathcliff, but instead of ending it, he just stayed with her. It was when Heathcliff came back when Edgar got angry about the situation because he was worried Catherine would leave him. Another thing that showed their difference is their love for their children. Edgar made sure Cathy being happy was his priority before anything else. When it came to Heathcliff and his son, Linton, there was just despise in that relation. Heathcliff used Linton to hopefully get Wuthering Heights, but since Linton was so pale and sickly looking, he reminded Heathcliff of Edgar which made him dislike him more.
Cathy is also depicted as physically separated from Heathcliff even when she returns to Wuthering Heights. Instead of a 'wild, hatless little savage' with whom Heathcliff has an affinity with, she returns as a 'very dignified person.' Heathcliff is now therefore separated physically from Cathy, not only by appearance but as he said in the previous chapter, her superiority "to everybody," including him.
9. Valjean’s punishment certainly did not fit his crime. Neither did Fantine deserve the treatment she received in his factory. Discuss Hugo’s purpose in using these situations in his social commentary.
Erstwhile where this is illustrated in the novel is when Heathcliff’s wife, Isabella writes about him in her letter. She questions why she even married him and why he holds such abhorrence towards her. In the message Isabella writes, “Is Mr. Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a ...
Heathcliff is a character who was abused in his childhood by Catherine’s brother, Hindley, because of his heritage as a “gypsy”, and Hindley was jealous of the love that Heathcliff got from Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley’s father. This is also selfishness upon Hindley’s part since he only wanted his father’s love for his sister and himself. So to reprimand Heathcl...
...ound him become bleak; it’s no wonder that Brontë kept comparing him to the devil. His many violent actions-for instance his torturing of Isabella Linton for no apparent reason, his hatred for his own son and his disinterest to take care of Linton, or almost harming Cathy during a meal-show the reader that Heathcliff hates others as much as he loves Catherine; he may know what love is, but he’s a sadistic character.
On the face of it, it would seem that the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is self-destructive to an extreme. Due to the lovers’ precarious circumstances, passionate personalities and class divisions, it seems that fate transpires to keep them apart and therefore the hopelessness of their situation drives them to self destruction. However, although the relationship is undeniably self-destructive, there are elements within it that suggest the pain Heathcliff and Catherine put each other through is atoned for to an extent when they share their brief moments of harmony.
Catherine Earnshaw’s death in ‘Wuthering Heights’ seems to be quite a peaceful and pure, even Nelly describes her death as “divine”, she also tells Heathcliff that she dies as “quietly as a lamb” . Her appearance is also described in a very saintly manor by Nelly “Her brow smooth, her lids closed, her lips wearing the expression of a smile; no angel in heaven could be more beautiful than she appeared” , but before her death her appearance was described completely different with gothic undertones, an example is Nelly describing her “white cheek, and bloodless lip” even though Catherine is alive at this point her description imitates one of a dead person, it is almost a ghostly description because she has no colour at all. This description is foreshadowing what Catherine will become after death, which is a ghost. This reveals how this shows how the supernatural and gothic themes are similar in this novel as we see many gothic themes portrayed with somewhat of a supernatural element. Heathcliff’s reaction to Catherine’s death is very demonic and almost barbaric, “He dashed his head his head against a knotted trunk; and, lifting up his eyes, howled, not like a man, but like a sava...
However, Heathcliff as a child was a complete opposite to Cathy “Rough as a saw-edge…hard as whinstone” these similes show a hardened Heathcliff through a lifetime of abuse...
Heathcliff resides in the country of Yorkshire, where his estate, Wuthering Heights, is “completely removed from the stir of society”(Brontë, 1). Heathcliff enjoys solitude and “guests are so exceedingly rare in this house”(6), and becomes irritated when guests do visit, wishing “no repetition of my intrusion”(7). Heathcliff acquires the dark attributes in the novel as if “a ray fell on his features”(101), stating at the beginning, Heathcliff came from a poverty-stricken country of Liverpool as a “wicked boy”(53) with “black eyes”(1), “black hair”(38), and being “dirty”(38). With Heathcliff coming from a different nationality, his childhood was uneasy. Hindley, Heathcliff...
Heathcliff and Catherine have loved each other since their childhood. Initially, Catherine scorned the little gypsy boy; she showed her distaste by “spitting” at him (Brontë 27). However, it was not long before Heathcliff and Catherine became “very think” (Brontë 27). They became very close friends; they were practically brother and sister (Mitchell 122). Heathcliff is intent upon pleasing Catherine. He would “do her bidding in anything” (Brontë 30). He is afraid of “grieving” her (Brontë 40). Heathcliff finds solace and comfort in Catherine’s company. When Catherine is compelled to stay at Thrushcross Grange to recover from her injury, she returns as “a very dignified person” (Brontë 37). Her association with the gente...
During the first half of the book, Catherine showed different types of love for two different people. Her love for Heathcliff was her everything, it was her identity to love and live for Heathcliff but as soon as she found out how society views Heathcliff, she sacrificed their love and married Edgar Linton in the hopes of saving Heathcliff from Hindley and protecting him from the eyes of society. In her conversation with Nelly, Cathy who professed her love for Heathcliff quoted “My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff's miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself.” Catherine proved Nelly Dean that the only person who can make her feel pain and sorrow is Heathcliff. The extent of her love was uncovered when she sang her praise of “I am Heathcliff” because this was the turning point in the book that allowed the readers to truly understand and see the depth of Cathy's love for Heathcliff. On the other hand, Catherine's love for Edgar wasn't natural because it was a love that she taught herself to feel. It might have come unknowingly to Cathy but she did love Edgar as she said “My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees.” Cathy knew that it was not impossible to love Edgar for he was a sweet and kind gentleman who showed her the world but unlike ...
Comparing and contrasting darcys and Elizabeth are relevant to relationships now. Now just like people now and back then, many people get into relationships for many of the wrong reasons. One reason is for the possibilities of gain from the other person’s money and/or wealth. Darcy realized that her family was money hungry. Today many families have become estranged due to money issues and complications. Darcy has pride in his character or morals and has a prejudice for the Bennet’s and their money. Now people do the same things for money, rather than choosing to live happy and stable lifestyles. Another comparison is having the ability to tell the truth or being deceitful. Darcy is telling Elizabeth many lies to make him look more appealing
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