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Wuthering heights character analysis
Character development in wuthering heights
The character of Heathcliff as a protagonist
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Wuthering Heights Book Report
The main and important characters in the book are Heathcliff, Catherine, Hareton Earnshaw, and Linton Heathcliff.
Heathcliff in the book is an orphan who was brought to Wuthering Heights by Mr.Earnshaw, he falls in love with his daughter Catherine. When Hindleys dad dies he starts to abuses Heathcliff and treats him like a slave/servant. Catherine marries Edgar Linton which humiliates and makes Heathcliff miserable. He spends the rest of his life seeking revenge on all of them.
Catherine in the book is the daughter of Mr.Earnshaw, she falls in love with Heathcliff and considers them the same person. She marries Edgar Linton because of her social desire.
Hareton Earnshaw in the book is Catherine’s nephew, after his dad dies Heathcliff gets custody of him and makes him a field worker and uses him as revenge on Hindley.
Linton Heathcliff in the book is Heathcliff's son, he is always sick he goes to live with his dad when he is thirteen his dad forces him to marry young Catherine and despises his son Linton dies not long after he is married.
The...
The complicated nature surrounding Heathcliff’s motives again adds an additional degree of ambiguity to his character. This motivation is primarily driven by Catherine’s marriage to Edgar and past rejection of Heathcliff, since he was a servant whom Hindley disapproved of. Prior to storming out of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff overhears Catherine say, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now…” (Brontë 87). The obstacles that ultimately prevent Heathcliff from marrying Catherine provide insight into Heathcliff’s desire to bring harm to Edgar and Hindley. The two men play prominent roles in the debacle, Edgar as the new husband and Hindley as the head figure who refused Heathcliff access to Catherine. Following this incident, Catherine says, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…” (Brontë 87). Catherine’s sentiment indicates she truly would rather be with Heathcliff, but the actions of others have influenced her monumental decision to marry Edgar. Furthermore, Heathcliff is motivated to not only ruin Edgar’s livelihood, but also gain ownership of his estate, Thrushcross Grange. This becomes clear when Heathcliff attempts to use Isabella
Young Linton is described as having “the self-absorbed moroseness of a confirmed invalid, repelling consolation, and ready to regard the good-humored mirth of others as an insult” (Bront 252). Already, from a young age, Linton feels sorry for himself because he knows that he is sick, and he demands special treatment because of it. Once sent to live at Wuthering Heights with his father, “utter lack of sympathy” from Heathcliff and Joseph “had rendered young Heathcliff selfish and disagreeable, if he were not so originally” (Bront 207). Once he stops receiving the special treatment that he has been served with for his whole life, and is treated as Heathcliff would treat anyone else, Linton becomes even more selfish and intolerable to not just his father and servants, but also to Cathy, his young bride. Since the adoption of Heathcliff into the Earnshaw family, “Hindley hated him” particularly because Mr. Earnshaw “took to Heathcliff” (Bront 38)....
Catherine Earnshaw appears to be a woman who is free spirited. However, Catherine is also quite self-centered. She clearly states that her love for Edgar Linton does not match how much she loves Heathcliff. She is saying that she does love both, and she is unwilling to give one up for the other; she wants “Heathcliff for her friend”. Catherine admits that her love for Linton is “like the foliage in the woods”; however, her love for Heathcliff “resembles the eternal rocks beneath”. She loves Heathcliff and yet she gives him up and marries Linton instead, Catherine believes that if she marries Heathcliff it would degrade and humiliate her socially.
The children of Hindley and Frances Earnshaw, Catherine and Edgar Linton, and Heathcliff and Isabella Heathcliff, are all subjected to the mistreatment of Heathcliff, as a part of his revenge plan. Those children
Which drew Catherine towards him; she describes him as “handsome”, “pleasant to be with,” and “cheerful,” and “rich”. Linton turns Catherine from a wild child to a well-mannered lady. They meet when Catherine got bit by a dog, and then the Lintons take her in while she is healing, this lasts for five weeks. Edgar tames her in a way, his overall persona clashes with hers in a perfect way. His love gives Catherine safety a security in the society. Heathcliff on the other hand is almost obsessed and can't give her the attributes she needs and wants; such as, commitment and how he won't sacrifice anything. However, those exact qualities attract Catherine to him. “She was much too fond of Heathcliff. The greatest punishment we could invent for her was to keep her separate from him: yet she got chided more than any of us on his account.”(Brontë 41) According to Levy, “As a result of the Unlove that they were made to suffer, both Heathcliff and Catherine, by opposite means and in distinct circumstances, turn loneliness into a community of rejection over which they wield absolute control. Heathcliff does this by persecuting those he hates; Catherine, by persecuting those she loves.” Edgar and Heathcliff have a good angel bad angel complex, of course Heathcliff is the bad angel and Edgar is the good angel. The reasons behind this is simply the characteristics portrayed;Edgar
Hindley, being the only biological son of Mr Earnshaw was envious of the relationship shared between Mr Earnshaw and Heathcliff and burned with fury. He made no effort to hide his resentment toward Heathcliff. Hindley despised Heathcliff to such an extent that when Mr Earnshaw died, he treated Heathcliff more like a servant and for bided him to talk to Catherine. Life then became miserable for Heathcliff and then became revenge driven. Hindley’s abusive and arrogant attitude toward Heathcliff, resulted in the chain of revengeful events that occurred in the novel. Hindley was instrumental in moulding Heathcliff into the destructive character he became.
From the beginning of the novel and most likely from the beginning of Heathcliff's life, he has suffered pain and rejection. When Mr. Earnshaw brings him to Wuthering Heights, he is viewed as a thing rather than a child. Mrs. Earnshaw was ready to fling it out the doors, while Nelly put it on the landing of the stairs hoping that it would be gone the next day. Without having done anything to deserve rejection, Heathcliff is made to feel like an outsider. Following the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Heathcliff suffers cruel mistreatment at the hands of Hindley. In these tender years, he is deprived of love, friendship, and education, while the treatment from jealous Hindley is barbaric and disrupts his mental balance. He is separated from the family, reduced to the status of a servant, undergoes regular beatings and forcibly separated from his soul mate, Catherine. The personality that Heathcliff develops in his adulthood has been formed in response to these hardships of his childhood.
The intensity of feeling between Catherine and Heathclif defies family barriers imposed by Catherine's brother ,Hindley after their father's death. Heathcliff was ill-treated by Hindley after the death of the old Earnshaw: He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the curate … He bore his degradation pretty well at first, because Cathy taught him what she learnt, and work or play with him in the fields. They both promised fair to grow up as rude as savages, the young master being entirely negligent how they behave, and what they did, so they keep clear of him…… and the after punishment grew a mere thing to laugh at. The crute might set as many chapters as he pleased for Catherine to get by heart, and Joseph might thrash Heathcliff till his arm ached, they forget everything the minute they were together again. (Pg 44) Thus, it is clearly obvious that since childhood their feeling for each other defies all the family barriers imposed on them. No outside force would be strong enough to eclipse their emotions. Even when she grows old enough for the question of marriage to arise, Catherine's relationship with Heathcliff remains much as it was when they were children. The way the two spirit intertwined are clearly illustrated in Catherine's speech below: My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff"s miseries; my great thought in living is himself. If all else perish, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the Universe would turn to mighty stranger. I should not seem a part of it. My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. Time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees-my love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath-a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff-He's always in my mind-not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself-but, as my own being-so, don't talk of our separation again-it is impracticable…… Catherine loves both Heathcliff and Edger Linton on different basis-She loves Linton because he is handsome, and pleasant, and young, and cheerful, and rich, and loves her. Her love for Heathcliff is a must: it is the deepest impulse of her nature, it is "necessary". Through her feeling for Heathcliff, Catherine discovers her own identity, her place in the world-as he does through her.
The plot of this story is a seamless transition from Bronte’s book to Wyler’s film. This passionate film begins as Mr. Earnshaw returns from Liverpool with a unique surprise. Cathy and Hindley have negative attitudes towards Heathcliff when he first arrives; however, Cathy’s curiosity drove her to befriend Heathcliff. In contrast, Hindley’s treatment towards Heathcliff remains hostile from childhood to adulthood. Cathy and Heathcliff’s friendship grows to such a bond where they become dependent upon each cannot stand separation. However, an incident while spying on a party at the Linton’s home drives them apart for a period of time. While at the Linton’s, Cathy begins a friendship with Edgar Linton that brings out a lady-like persona that is not present when she is in the presence of Heathcliff. As time passes, Cathy an...
Catherine Earnshaw is the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw and his wife; Catherine falls powerfully in love with Heathcliff, the orphan Mr. Earnshaw brings home from Liverpool. She was born at Wuthering Heights and was raised with her brother Hindley. Catherine loves Heathcliff so intensely that she claims they are the same person but does not marry him because Hindley has degraded him after their father's death so her desire for social advancement motivates her to marry Edgar Linton instead, a neighbour from Thrushcross Grange and he is handsome and rich, another reason for Catherine marrying him. She is quite passionate about Heathcliff though, and does not want to give him up. She becomes ill when Heathcliff and Edgar fight, and dies in childbirth.
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...
He cares little for his son, despises Heathcliff, and seeks to control all around him. He begins drinking and as it becomes more frequent, his frame of mind while drunk causes others to fear him. Hindley’s drinking and gambling, both efforts to cope with the loss of his wife and years of hatred and bitterness only put him in a position to lose everything he has. He hates Heathcliff, wishes his son was dead, and causes others to fear his dangerous nature. During Heathcliff’s three year absence from Wuthering Heights, Hindley’s condition deteriorates as he becomes more dependent on alcohol and gambling. When Heathcliff returns and Hindley recognizes that he is now wealthy, he invites Heathcliff to stay at Wuthering Heights not out of kindness but out of his desire to use Heathcliff’s money. It is this decision that places him in debt to Heathcliff and that finally brings Hindley to total ruin. “They say Mr. Earnshaw is worse and worse since he came. They sit up all night together continually: and Hindley has been borrowing money on his land; and does nothing put plan and drink…” (103) When Hindley dies “true to his character, drunk as a lord” (186), he leaves no inheritance for his son, Hareton, “who should now be the first gentleman in the neighbourhood, was reduced to a state of complete dependence on his father’s inveterate enemy; and lives in his own house as a servant deprived of the advantage of wages, and quite unable to right himself, because of his friendlessness and his ignorance that he has been wronged.”
Although, Mr. Earnshaw tried to make Heathcliff an equal part of the family, Heathcliff never truly fits in. Heathcliff is from a completely different social class than the rest of his “family”. This led to the hatred that Hindley felt towards Heathcliff. Hindley robs Heathcliff of his education, forces him to work as a servant at Wuthering Heights and frequently beats him. Throughout this all, Heathcliff never complains.
With Catherine married to Edgar, the Linton family heritage will carry on. After few years, Heathcliff returns as a proper gentleman when he was trained by Isabella. As he became more and more mature, Isabella fell in loves with him. As the two couples fall in loves, the story continues to tell its
Mr. Earnshaw believes that “the young man, [Hindley], should be sent to college”(45) as Hindley is not treating Heathcliff properly. This shows how Mr. Earnshaw is favoring Heathcliff to Hindley and is forcing Hindley to leave. Catherine becomes good friends with Heathcliff. One night, they spy on the Lintons, their neighbors, and are caught. Mrs. Linton is disgusted that “Miss Earnshaw [was] scouring the country with a gypsy”(53). Catherine is expected to behave like a proper lady, implying that she should not associate with those inferior in status to her because she is part of the middle class. Even though Catherine and Heathcliff have a strong friendship, he ruins her reputation in the eyes of the Mrs. Linton. While having connections proves to benefit Heathcliff status, they appear to be detrimental to his connection’s