Wuthering Heights: Sympathy With The Villain Essay -- essays research

Heathcliff, the main character in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, has no heart. He is evil to the core - so savage that his l wizard purpose is to put down others. Yet at the very moment at which the ref would be expected to feel the most antipathy towards the brute -after he has destroyed his wife, after he has degraded the life of a potentially big(p) man, and after he has watched the death of his son occur with no get by nor concern, the reader realises himself feeling strangely sympathetic towards this character. The answer to this oddity lies in the presentation of the character himself, which causes us to be more pitying of him than we other might. Brontes describes the youngish boy, Heathcliff, asdark, almost as if he came from the devil, presently spurring the reader to view the character as evil and immoral. His actions from accordingly forward largely tend to enhance this nonion. From the very get go he hates Hindley, and although the feeling is mutual, Heath cliff certainly does his just portion of cruel deeds. In one incident Mr Earnshaw has given both Hindley and Heathcliff a colt. When Heathcliffs colt goes lame, he threatens to blackmail Hindley if he does not trade with him. At a young age, he begins to plot r correctge against Hindley. Im trying to square off how I shall pay Hindley back, he says, I dont trouble how long I wait, if I can however do it at last. I hope he will not die originally I do And in his adult years, we find him teaching Hindleys son Hareton to swear desiring that the boy become just as muddy as he. As the novel continues, Heathcliff develops another aversion. This time, to the man that married his lover, Edgar Linton. In one particular scene Edgar, Catherine, and Heathcliff are all involved in a passionate dispute. I wish you the joy of a milk-blooded coward, he says, ....I compliment you on your taste. And that is the slavering, shivering thing you preferred me too. I would not strike him with my fist, but Id kick him with my foot and go considerable satisfaction. by and by the completion of this speech, Heathcliff proceeds to just as he had discussed. Later, to gain power of Edgar, Heathcliff elopes with Edgars sister, Isabella. Their marriage proves to be far from delightful, for Heathcliff has no love for Isabella. Is Mr Heathcliff a man? Isabella writes, If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil? Heathcliffs com... ...ovel draws to a close, Heathcliff realizes the futility of his life, as it has been spent on that one task. I get levers and mattocks to demolish the two houses (referring to Edgars and Hindleys) and train myself to be capable of working like Hercules, and when everything is ready and in my power, I find the will to life a slate off either cap has vanished...I could do it and none would hinder me. But where is the use?...I have woolly the faculty of enjoying their destruction, and I am too idle to destroy for nothing. Upon realizing this, Heathcliff wills himself to die. Thus, disrespect Heathcliffs immoral behavior and throughly evil actions, the book closes leaving the reader with a pitying disposition on the characters behalf. After never being taught to love, being abused, losing ones love, and living for one thing only to later discover its futilty, one might ponder that Heathcliff couldnt help but be how was. The circumstances were almost beyond his control. The passionate, groundless environment of Wuthering Heights shaped him into the fiend that he was. And to read of that damn existence is enough to impart a sympathetic sigh from even the most critical of readers.