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Heathcliff's Character in Wuthering Heights Essay

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In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff is portrayed in a certain way which changes drastically throughout the novel. The way in which others perceive him differs and gradually changes as the novel progresses. Heathcliffs character is fairly controversial as it is unknown to the reader how he is feeling, and who he really is. His personality is not presented in a way that would demonstrate to the reader who he is as many of the comments about Heathcliff are from the other judgemental characters in the novel rather than from himself. The reader is not provided with enough information on his background to know enough about his former life. We only become aware of whom he really is, later on in the novel when he narrates for himself.

When we first meet Heathcliff, our perception of him comes from Nellys narration. She admits that at his introduction to the family, she took an immediate disliking to him. This is revealed when she says, But Hindley hated him, and to say the truth I did the same. This makes it clear that Heathcliff did not give off a good first impression. Furthermore, when discussing Earnshaw, Nelly says, He took to Heathcliff strangely. By saying strangely, it suggests that Nelly thinks very little of Heathcliff and is surprised that someone should actually like him. She also says that she couldnt dote on Heathcliff and wonders why Mr Earnshaw admired him so much. This could almost show a sign of jealousy. However, when Earnshaw dies, Nelly begins to sympathise with Heathcliff which shows a change of heart. Nelly also mentions, that when Heathcliff was ill he did not complain much but she says this almost in a negative way as she says, Though hardness not gentleness, made him give little trouble. This suggests to the reader that the character of Heathcliff is very uncaring, cold hearted and not at all sensitive. She is almost suggesting that he has no feeling as if he is a robot.

Furthermore, Nelly also speaks about the fact that Heathcliff never appreciated the indulgence she gave him. Mr Earnshaw once bought a couple of colts at the parish fair, and gave the lads each one. Heathcliff took the handsomest, but it soon fell lame. This suggests that Heathcliff was a spoilt and bratty child despite the fact that he had a difficult childhood. Nelly makes the reader believe that Heathcliff was cold-hearted and hard. He would stand Hindleys blows without winking or shedding a tear. The lexis is this passage reveals Heathcliffs character in Nellys eyes; Bitter, hardness, shamefully, plagued. The narrative style is very opinionated, critical, negative, and judgemental.

During the passage where Heathcliff is telling Nelly about how he is coping with the death of his lover Cathy, his personality is shown quite clearly. This passage explains the belief of Cathys ghost and the reaction Heathcliff has to this. Heathcliff tells Nelly that he dug up Cathys coffin. Ill tell you what I did yesterday. I got the sexton, who was digging Lintons grave, to remove the earth of her coffin- lid, and I opened it. Nelly hastily interrupts him and says, You are very wicked Mr. Heathcliff. When Nelly claims that Heathcliff disturbed the dead, He turns it around to say that Cathy has disturbed him. He loses himself as he seems as if he is speaking a monologue rather than speaking to Nelly. This suggests that he is very passionate but also very disturbed. It also suggests that he feels sympathetic towards himself, as if he is a victim in the situation.

In one passage, Nelly is describing the new Heathcliff when he had returned from we know not where. She says, A half-civilized ferocity lurked yet in the depressed brows, and eyes full of black fire, but it was subdued; and his manner was even dignified, quite divested of roughness though too stern for grace. The use of metaphors shows how demonic and angry Heathcliff looks. This would frighten the reader and make them believe that Heathcliff was a monstrous and evil character. Furthermore, Nelly also says, I felt that God had forsaken the stray sheep there to its own wicked wanderings, and an evil beast prowled between it and the fold, waiting his time to spring and destroy. This demonstrates that Nelly thinks that Heathcliff was evil to begin with, but now that he had been left alone he was able to come out of his shell and fully reveal his frightening and horrible self.

When discussing Heathcliff at his arrival, Edgar Linton says, I declare he is that strange acquisition my late neighbour made in his journey to Liverpool- a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway. This suggests that Heathcliff was picked up, as if he was a possession rather than a person. By saying An American or Spanish castaway, this suggests that Heathcliff is foreign and unknown to the others, and in some ways this frightens them. This adds a sense of mystery to Heathcliffs character as it is unknown where he is from.

We see an aggressive, dominant side to Heathcliff when he says, I have no pity! I have no pity! The more worms writhe the more I yearn to crush out their entrails! It is a moral teething, and I grind my teeth with greater energy, in proportion to the increase of pain. He wants to put Isabella through the pain he went through. The use of explanation marks emphasises his anger and frustration.

Heathcliff is perceived as an obsessive and eccentric man on page 321 when he says, She showed herself, as she often was in life, a devil to me! And since then, sometimes more, and sometimes less, Ive been the sport of that intolerable torture! This is due to his constant obsession and devotion to the ghost of Catherine. It also demonstrates that he is slightly terrified of what his mind is causing him to see. Ive been a sport of that intolerable torture. This suggests that Heathcliff feels sympathetic towards himself. Furthermore, it becomes evident that he is a fairly confused man as he one minutes explains how much he loves and cares for Catherine and then suddenly describes her as a devil. This passage contradicts the idea of Heathcliff being a hero of a love story as it reveals the love of his life to be of something monstrous and terrifying. The way in which his imagination is controlling him, suggests that he is a misunderstood individual.

On the night that Heathcliff runs away, his narration says, About midnight, while we still sat up, the storm came rattling over the heights in full fury. There was a violent wind, as well as thunder, and either one or the other split a tree off at the corner of the building. This description of the weather, very clearly mirrors his emotions showing his rage and anger. It also manages to frighten the reader, making them fear Heathcliff.

In conclusion, I would say that Heathcliff is a very isolated, withdrawn, and minsunderstood character. Not many of the other characrers like him which could be due to the fact that he is different and his past his unknown to all. To the reader he could be seen as slightly eccentric and obsessive.

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