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Women and Heathcliff
Among the social issues discussed in Wuthering Heights, one of the most prevalent is the treatment of women. This is especially highlighted with Heathcliff, who interacts with three women throughout story. Each woman sees a different man based on his motivation. Catherine sees a loving, beautiful person; Isabella sees an evil, spiteful creature; and Catherine sees an abuser. Heathcliff’s treatment of each woman is motivated by love, anger, and vengeance.
Catherine is the first woman that Heathcliff is introduced to. He treats her well; Heathcliff has never struck her or curse her. Throughout their childhood and adolescence, the pair are inseparable. When Catherine is injured at the Linton’s he refuses to leave her side,
claiming that, ““I refused to go without Cathy…bidding me march directly, secured the door again (Bronte 55).” Although he sustained much abuse for the Lintons, he did all to stay with her. This suggests that his actions were motivated by love and loyalty. However, Catherine was not kind to Heathcliff. She hurt him by stating that it would degrade her to marry Heathcliff (Bronte 84). He overhears this, and upon hearing of the union between Catherine, and Linton, runs away. His treatment of her henceforth is influence not only by love, but by hurt. “I have not broken your heart—you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine (Bronte 154).” These are the words he tells her before she passes away, and provides a reason for his treatment of women later on. Isabella is the second woman that Heathcliff comes across. She is charmed by his looks and manner. However, she refuses to believe that a monster lies beneath. When they are married, she quickly discovers the reality. Heathcliff is cold and abuses her. To him, Isabella is not human. She is just a pawn he uses to exact revenge. Catherine is crushed when Heathcliff and Isabella wed, precisely why he married her. His marriage to and treatment of Isabella is fueled by anger towards Catherine. He desires that Catherine feel the same pain that he felt. This is evidenced by this statement by Heathcliff, ““I want you to be aware that I know you have treated me infernally … “I’ll suffer unrevenged, I’ll convince you of the contrary, in a very little while (Bronte 111).” The last woman Heathcliff comes across is Cathy, Catherine’s daughter. Like Isabella, Cathy is nothing but an object used for whatever purpose he desires. He treats her adequately at first, but then begins to play on her emotions. Once he has control of her, the abuse begins. He is not afraid to curse her, especially because she resembles Catherine. He goes as far as to strike on multiple occasions. At this point in the novel, Heathcliff is enveloped in his own pain. This is caused by Catherine’s betrayal and the hatred he has for Linton. His ulterior purpose is to exact revenge on Linton and Catherine by taking their land and destroying their daughter. He knew that Linton could not bear the thought, even if he is dead. Cathy is the avenue by which he can take out his anger and vengeance. Heathcliff demonstrates that with the exception of Catherine, women are creatures to be manipulated and abused. He only treats Catherine with respect and dignity, and this is because he loves her with all his soul. Catherine and Isabella are abused on a frequent basis. His interaction with these women are a result of his anger towards Catherine and his desire for vengeance. Each woman is treated depending on who she is: his love or his instrument.
Heathcliff's love for Catherine transcends the normal physical "true love" into spiritual love. He can withstand anything against him to be with her. After Hindley became the master of Wuthering Heights, he flogged Heathcliff like a slave. Although Heathcliff could have simply run away, his decision to endure the physical pains shows his unrelenting devotion to Catherine. Fortunately, Catherine feels as deeply for Heathcliff as he does for her, explaining to Nelly that "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…" Their love for each other is so passionate that they can not possibly live apart. At Catherine's death, Heathcliff hopes that she will not rest, but will haunt him until he dies. This absurdity contradicts the traditional norm that one should pray that the dead rest in peace. Near the end of the novel, we learn that Catherine has haunted Heathcliff, allowing him only fleeting glances of her. This shows that despite their physical separation, nothing can part them spiritually. When Heathcliff dies and unites with Catherine once again, the neighbors see them haunt the moors. We finally see the power of their love; Not only does this love transcend physical barriers, it transcends time as well...
Catherine manipulates,her own self even. Who does she really love,and want to be with? “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, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.” Cathy is also referring to herself as Heathcliff,basically stating that she knows him and loves him as well as she does herself. Catherine may have been in love with Linton but she feels like that's going to change. Her love for Heathcliff maybe too strong and she does want to be with Linton. He has only manipulated herself. Yes, as such wondrous creatures, women even manipulate themselves
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
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.
Heathcliff and Cathy have a sadistic relationship. They are only truly in love when they are hurting each other. As Catherine lay dying, she wants Heathcliff, her love, to join her in death. She pleads to him:
This is the sister of Heathcliff and Hindley, as before mentioned. She also despised Heathcliff at first, but after their father died, they became very close. This lasted a long while, until the day they snuck out of the house and trespassed on the grounds of Thrushcross Grange. After that happened, she had to stay at that residence to “learn her manners.” When she came back, she was a well mannered lady, and Heathcliff still was the same ruffian child. She decided to come into a relationship with the son of the other family, Edgar Linton. This was what made Heathcliff run away, because she had chosen Edgar over him because he was not as honorable. Catherine was deeply hurt for a long time after Heathcliff left. When she finally got back on her feet, her and Edgar were married. After a while, Heathcliff returned, and they both realized their feeling for each other all over again. Catherine was now torn between Heathcliff and Edgar, she knew who she loved but she couldn’t back out on her marriage. One night Catherine and Heathcliff get in a heated argument, and Edgar comes in and begins to blame her for coming back into contact with Heathcliff in the first place. After this, she traps herself in her room and essentially starves herself. “... after they had quarreled, and Edgar being cruelly provoking” Bronte, 129. Catherine says this as her recollection after she finally lets the maid back into her room.
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.
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
characters have relationships which shape the story with their uniquely definable characteristics. The relationships between Catherine and Heathcliff, as well as Maurice and Alec both say different things about the fundamental nature of a relationship, the validity of union between different classes, and the idea that “love conquers all.” Whether we consider the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights to be successful is not the focus of this discussion, instead it is the nature of their relationship. Ever since childhood the two were best of friends and shared a very close bond.
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...
In the beginning it is clear that Heathcliff is rejected by his older step brother Hindly and turns to Catherine for affection, but Heathcliff feels he is not worthy of the affection shown to him by his step father and the family and this causes problems with members of the family. Hindly automatically feels threatened by Heathcliff's presence and his hate for Heathcliff grows as Heathcliff gets the attention from there father that Hindly feels he deserve and this causes friction between the two characters. But Heathcliff has needs and one of these is to be loved which he feels only Catherine can do even from a very young age, they become the best of friends and feel wild together running in fields and playing together, and it shows when Heathcliff is young Catherine is his sole source of self esteem. When Mr. Earnshaw dies Catherine takes comfort with Heathcliff, and Hindly comes back from university to attend to the funeral after a while Heathcliff was degraded by Hindly because of Hindlys jea... ...
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 ...
Catherine explicates her doubt about Heathcliff to Nelly stating that, “It would degrade [her] to marry Heathcliff, now” (92). When Heathcliff finally begins to unmask his passionate, warm-hearted inner self, he is immediately shut down after overhearing Catherine announce his disservice to her social status and expectations in a life partner. His humiliation, a result of heartbreak, prompts him to seek revenge on those he believes are deserving of it. Thus, this revenge and vengeance paired with ambivalent emotions encourage Heathcliff to act
Catherine Earnshaw is the love of Heathcliff’s life and ultimate desire. Their love is interrupted by the entrance of Edgar Linton, who entices Catherine with power. At this time, Heathcliff has desire but not power. Since Heathcliff has great desire to have Catherine forever, he embarks on a journey in order to gain power that the selfish Catherine wants. However, as time goes on, Heathcliff’s love for Catherine diminishes on his quest for ultimate power.
Much is the same in Bronte's relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff. Their relationship is undefined in words yet through time the truth is revealed. One major point in their relationship is when the pair sneaks to Thrushcross Grange and ultimately Catherine returns to Wuthering Heights greatly changed. Until this point, the friendship between Heathcliff and Catherine had been relatively untouched, and