The Analysis of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is a remarkable piece of literature, the books character development is one of it’s most appealing features. For example, we all know about Heathcliff, the young boy taken in by Mr. Earnshaw who he raised as his own son and grew to love him more than his actual son. Initially, only Mr. Earnshaw cared for Heathcliff, but soon, his daughter would madly with him, and he with her. There love for one another grew as they did, they spent most of their days together, playing and getting into all sorts of shenanigans.

While all of these wholesome events took place, Heathcliff was constantly being antagonized by Hindley, Mr. Earnshaw’s biological son. Hindley went as far as to cancel Heathcliff’s education and force him to work in the fields as a common laborer. After an incident with the Lintons that leaves Cathrine injured and forcing her to stay with them, she returns not only with a desire to move up the social food chain, but she too starts treating Heathcliff as less than.

Upon returning to Wuthering Heights Catherine began looking down on Heathcliff. Her development transitioned her from a fun loving child who was in love with Heathcliff, to a woman with a deep desire for social advancement. Her desire is also what set off Heathcliff’s development. Cathrine wanted to move up the social ladder so bad that she chose to marry Edgar Linton, a wealthy guy, over Heathcliff, the man she was madly in love with. This snaps something in Heathcliff, sending him into a vengeful rage that lasted for the rest of his life. I believe it’s because of his background before Mr. Earnshaw took him in, what did Heathcliff have, I take it not much. He then moves into a home where his mistreated and despised by most but falls in love with someone who makes him happy beyond reason. However, that person who claimed they loved you, picks someone else for the sake of their wealth and nothing else.

It makes sense for Heathcliff to feel the way he does, in his life, he almost never had it good or easy, now this? His newly developed vindictive nature is so powerful that it guides him to make everything about revenge. He took in Hindley Earnshaw’s son and made him an uneducated worker like Hindley did to him, he even married Elizabeth Linton and has not even a shred of love for her in his heart because he’s so stuck on Cathrine. This reveals the power of love and human nature. Primarily that it’s in human nature to desire love, the question is, at what cost?

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