The Character Of Heathcliff In Brontë's Wuthering Heights

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In Wuthering Heights, Brontë presents Linton Heathcliff as arguably one of the most unlikeable, unsympathetic characters of the novel: he is often described as 'peevish', is constantly unwell ('faint-hearted creature') and resorts to fits of coughing when he doesn't get his way. He plays a key role in Heathcliff's revenge plot – marrying Cathy to award Heathcliff control of both Thrushcross Grange and the Heights (although this eventually fails) – and reveals its futility in the mean time.
The second generation of the novel offers many parallels, albeit less wild and powerful ones, with the first generation: the second Cathy is a milder, gentler version of her mother and Hareton has a definite likeness to Heathcliff (their degradation, appearance etc. – however their difference lies in Hareton's pivotal capacity for forgiveness); Linton, however, is presented as an even more insufferable, pathetic version of Edgar Linton: he 'might have been taken for [Edgar's] younger brother, so strong was the resemblance'. This similarity with both Edgar and Isabella (his enemies), coupled with his name – the ultimate insult to Heathcliff ('they wish me to hate it too, do they?') – emphasises the vast differences between them – he is more Edgar's …show more content…

If Brontë encourages sympathy with characters belonging to the lower working classes (for example Michael and Nelly), she does the opposite with Linton and his attitude to life – she emphasises his incompatibility within the insular society of Wuthering Heights and how it struggles to accommodate a person unwilling to work for the benefit of their

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