Wuthering Heights: Heathcliffe-Worthy of Sympathy
The plot of Wuthering Heights, although it involves a number of complex relationships, largely revolves around Heathcliff's pursuit of revenge and through his subsequent manipulations of the rest of the characters. He has, at the conclusion of the story, manipulated Isabella into abandoning her home and family, forced the miserable marriage of Linton and young Catherine, and, in some way or another, helped to bring about the death of Catherine which led to the depression of Edgar Linton. He uses profane language, fills those who surround him with the incessant fear of his violent malice, and, perhaps most of all, centers his entire life upon seeking his revenge for the treatment inflicted upon him as a child. He is, in conclusion, the bane of existence of Wuthering Heights. Yet somehow this "lying fiend" of a "monster" possesses somewhat attractive qualities (149). Heathcliff, through his numerous malicious deeds, appears to be void of all human emotion. In his relationship with Catherine, however, his capacity to love is exposed. Despite his moral deficiencies this capacity makes him worthy of sympathy. Heathcliff, despite his bitter personality and moral shortcomings, is indeed a sympathetic character. While his action
Heathcliff's faults, although largely accounted for by his depraved youth and his troublesome passion, are still not sufficient enough to outweigh the sympathy which is owed to him from his personal and emotional losses. This love, shared by Catherine and Heathcliff, is so passionate in nature that to have it destroyed is far beyond anything that Heathcliff deserves. Throughout the story he commits numerous acts which could easily be deemed as evil, but are the products of passion. Heathcliff is continually plagued by the hostility of the jealous Hindley after the death of old Earnshaw, and so at an early age he is introduced to the qualities that will characterize his life. However, Heathcliff is not harmless, nor is he innocent. With a touch of empathy, they can reasonably be understood, and in turn, become forgivable. It is hard to forgive evil actions despite what motives lie behind them, yet it is possible. In the end, if Heathcliff's later conduct is not excused by this rough upbringing then he is at least owed a debt of sympathy for simply managing to emerge from a childhood which was so deliberately cruel. This dark, imposing figure becomes a paradox as he, who seems so vastly inhuman, suddenly portrays the strongest capability of all the characters for love, perhaps the most human of qualities. Heathcliff is doomed from his youth to a future of bitterness and revenge, surrounded by the same cruelties as during his brutal upbringing. Instead he is degraded to the level which Hindley sees, and has always seen him on, which is certainly not as a member of the family. This corruption, however, is only a parallel of the bombardment of cruelty inflicted upon Heathcliff at this same early age as "Hareton seem[s] a personification of [his] youth" (307). Herein this tragic irony lies Heathcliff's greatest plight lies.
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