The Development of Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering...

The Development of Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering Heights Heathcliff is a character who is ever present in â€Å"Wuthering Heights† and throughout the novel his character changes. At first he is a poor, homeless child, then he becomes a loved and neglected victim, then he is a degraded lover, and finally he transforms into a vicious, lonely master. Heathcliff is introduced into the novel as a homeless child. He is a ‘â€Å"dirty, ragged, black-haired child†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ who Mr. Earnshaw brings to Wuthering Heights from Liverpool. He is constantly referred to as ‘it’ and a ‘gypsy’. His wife, Mrs. Earnshaw, is furious that Heathcliff has been brought into the house and the Earnshaws’ son, Hindley, is jealous of the apparent love his father†¦show more content†¦However, it is not Heathcliff who transforms his character throughout the novel; it is the characters around him. Mr.Earnshaw brings Heathcliff into the story: ‘â€Å"†¦but you must take it as a gift of God†. This shows that Mr. Earnshaw transforms Heathcliff into a loved person. Hindley and Mrs.Earnshaw transform him into a neglected victim: â€Å"Mrs.Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Hindley hated him†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This shows that Mrs. Earnshaw neglects Heathcliff, not loving him as much as her other children. Hindley hates Heathcliff and therefore abuses him, making him a victim. However, Mr. Earnshaw loves Heathcliff, and along with Hindley and Mrs. Earnshaw, makes him into a loved and neglected victim. Hindley and Cathy change him into a degraded lover: ‘He drove him from their company to the servants†¦ â€Å"I love him†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This shows that Hindley degrades Heathcliff by making him a servant, after Mr. Earnshaw’s death. Cathy turns Heathcliff into a lover by loving him. Cathy and Hindley alter him into a vicious, lonely master: ‘â€Å"The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don’t turn against him, they crush those beneath them†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This shows that Heathcliff will not take revenge on Cathy directly, but will hurt those who are close to her. This is because Cathy married Edgar Linton and said that it would degrade her if Heathcliff was her husband. In addition, he will takeShow MoreRelatedRevenge in Wuthering Heights Essay783 Words   |  4 PagesRevenge in Wuthering Heights Novels often use the emotion of hate to create tension and distress in the plot. Wuthering Heights uses Heathcliff’s disdain for the other characters to add conflict to the story. Wuthering Heights examines the source of Heathcliff’s hate as well as its effects on the other characters throughout the story. Heathcliff’s relationships with other characters also suggests the universal theme that breeds hatred. Hindley plants the seeds of hate into HeathcliffRead MoreWuthering Heights By Emily Bronte1198 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s novel depicts the addictive yet destructive relationship between orphaned Heathcliff and Catherine. 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