Heathcliff's Obsession

Bronte uses Heathcliff to illustrate the recurring theme of obsession and its deleterious effects by his extreme devotion to Catherine Earnshaw. Heathcliff’s obsession with Catherine is the drive that escalates his sense of revenge. This obsession manifests itself when Catherine makes the decision to marry Edgar, who not only bullies him as a child, but steals the love of his life. In the middle of the book, Heathcliff venomously declares, “The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drank his blood (148).” He cannot stand the fact that Catherine chose Edgar over him, uncovering the pivotal reason for why he chooses to seek vengeance on Edgar. Heathcliff makes imprudent decisions throughout his life to avenge himself,

and by doing so, he only destroys the human being he once was. He elopes with whom he does not care for, abuses his own offspring, and propagates agony to those around him. Heathcliff goes through life so full of spite and hatred, that an apathetic and wicked nature replaces his humanity. However, Heathcliff’s obsession with Catherine is fully exhibited beyond her passing. In chapter sixteen, when Nelly reveals Catherine’s death, Heathcliff cries out, “-drive me mad...Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul (169)!” Heathcliff’s passion for Catherine is so great, that it becomes destructive to his psychological mindset; the thought of living without her drives him mad. He continuously cries for her ghost, only to be met with disappointment. At the end of the Bronte’s book, Heathcliff solemnly states, “Those two, who have left the room are the only objects which retain a distinct material appearance to me; that appearance causes me pain… her presence only invokes maddening sensations (323).”Any individual that has a slight resemblance to her elicits anguish in him.Catherine serves as a constant presence with every surrounding object reminding him of her and how he has lost her. She is the essence of his life and Heathcliff’s passion does not prevail until he ultimately decides to join her in death. He essentially kills himself from the grief her passing has inflicted on him. Heathcliff reveals the theme of obsession and it’s eventual consequence of self-destruction, by the breaking of his soul and mind for his excessive love for Catherine.