Vengeance and Self-Hurt in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights Essays

Wuthering Heights: Vengeance and Self-Hurt

Emily Bronte, who never had the benefit of former schooling, wrote Wuthering Heights. Bronte has been declared as a romantic rebel because she ignored the repressive conventions of her day and made passion part of the novelistic tradition. Unlike stereotypical novels, Wuthering Heights contains no true heroes or villains.

The narration of the story is very unique and divergent because there are multiple narrators. Brontes character Lockwood is used to narrate the introductory and concluding sections of the novel, whereas Nelly Dean narrates most of the storyline. It is interesting that Nelly Dean is used because of her biased opinions.

Many major themes lie within the book, but the most imminent theme is revenge, the factor that leads the protagonists to their dismal fate. Bronte proves there is no peace in eternal vengeance. In the end, the self-injury involved in serving revenges purposes will be more damaging than the original wrong.

Heathcliff never finds peace through his revenge. In fact, the only time he truly finds happiness is when he gives up his plan for retaliation. Austin OMalley states: Revenge is like biting a dog that bit you (Omalley 1). OMalleys quote reflects Heathcliffs immature need to propagate agony in those who have offended him. Heathcliffs plan for revenge on Edgar and Catherine is to marry Isabella, who is ignorant of love and of men because she has never experienced either. He wants to hurt Edgar because of his marriage to Catherine, and he wants to take revenge on Catherine by making her jealous. Catherines death proves that this flawed plan of repayment helps nothing. Heathcliff, haunted by the ghost of Catherine because he is her murderer, still is motivated by the need for revenge and tries to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton. Heathcliff never finds peace until he gives up his plan for revenge just before he dies. When Heathcliff gives up his plan for revenge, he meets Catherine in death and truly becomes happy once more.

Catherines revenge does not make things better for her. Her revenge on Heathcliff by blaming him for her upcoming death does not meliorate her mind. Just before she dies, she ascribes Heathcliff for her murder. You have killed me, and thriven on it, I think (Bronte, 158). Catherine resembles what Oliver Goldsmith said: When lovely woman stoops to folly, and finds too late that men betray, what charm can soothe her melancholy? What art can wash her guilt away? The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, isto die (Oliver Goldsmith, 1). Catherines death is caused by her lack of emotional control and her dual personalities. She and Heathcliff are each other (Bronte 80), but her wants of social status and popularity draw her toward Edgar (Bronte 78). She does not love Edgar, but her selfish material wants control her. Catherines revenge on Heathcliff does not assist her in finding happiness. She looks forward to dying and is wearying to escape into that glorious world (Bronte 160). Her death is, however, miserable as she wanders around the earth as a waif for 20 years, occasionally visiting Heathcliff and torturing him.

Just as Heathcliff and Catherines revenge make them miserable, Hindleys revenge on Heathcliff causes him to go bankrupt and eventually die. Hindleys attempt to kill Heathcliff only hurts himself in the process; it proves the point Isabella makes, Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies (Bronte 177). The fact that Hindley is mistreated as a child reflects the built up anger and resentment inside him and towards others. The hurt that Hindley feels is clearly understood, but sympathy for Hindley is only temporary because the fault it still his own for his predicaments. Hindleys loss of Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff and his mysterious death reflect how revenge does not make anything better, only worse.

Bronte corroborates that revenge is not only a harsh and rash way to live life, but is counter-productive and hurtful. Of all of her major themes, revenge is the most imminent. The self-hurt involved with vengeance shows that there are better ways to solve conflicts. Bronte sends a great message across by showing how negative revenge can be. There is no solution to obeying the spontaneous reaction of this negative reprisal.

***REMEMBER TO USE ACTIVE VOICE WHEN POSSIBLE! (I CHANGED MANY SENTENCES TO ACTIVE VOICE)