In the light of events within the novel, do you think that Heathcliff is a fiend from hell or a victim of social prejudice?

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In the light of events within the novel, do you think that Heathcliff is a fiend from hell or a victim of social prejudice?

Throughout Wuthering Heights, it can be seen that Heathcliff is a social outcast, not fitting into anything the other inhabitants of Wuthering Heights do. The reader of Wuthering Heights can have completely different views on Heathcliff which represent the idea that he is misunderstood by a lot people. There are different characteristics that critics have labelled Heathcliff, some include a social misfit, a devil from hell, or something completely different by labelling him a romantic or gothic hero. The different characteristics indicate that there will never be one ‘label’ for Heathcliff. As Heathcliff is the main character of Emily Bronte’s novel, there are some interesting things that revolve around the man from the time he arrives at Wuthering Heights as a complete outsider until he dies as a powerful landlord of both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.

In the first part of Nelly’s narration, she begins by telling how Heathcliff come about the house. ‘We crowded round, and, over Miss Cathy’s head, I had a peep at a dirty, ragged, black-haired child.’ Such language explores that he is no ordinary child. The other children then Hindley and Cathy couldn’t believe what their father had brought home. ‘Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors...asking how he could fashion to bring that gipsy brat into the house’. Such a phrase would imply that if they were seen with the ‘gipsy’ they would have been looked down on. They don’t understand Mr Earnshaw’s reason to bring it home. Cathy and Hindley rejected Heathcliff ‘they entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room...I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it might be gone on the morrow’ Nobody wanted it to be part of the household. This first introduction of Heathcliff already explores he is socially beneath the other inhabitants of Wuthering Heights. He is typically described as an outsider of the family structure.

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Heathcliff’s presence in Wuthering heights put the Earnshaw family in turmoil and fighting; family relationships soon become unpleasant and hateful. It seemed Heathcliff was a trouble maker. ‘Miss Cathy and he were now very thick; but Hindley hated him...we were plagued’ this suggests that Hindley grew jealous of Heathcliff because he is practically taking his sister away from him, tensions grew between them. Hindley took his violence out on Heathcliff but he ‘would stand Hindley’s blows without winking or shedding a tear’ The image created implies there is something not right, as Heathcliff was only a little boy and didn’t ...

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