“Bronte has made Heathcliff cold blooded and calculating. There is little to redeem his character.” How far do you agree with this statement?

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"Bronte has made Heathcliff cold blooded and

calculating. There is little to redeem his character." How

far do you agree with this statement?

This statement can be deemed as true to a certain extent. However, all

aspects of Heathcliff's past and his frame of mind at those times, portray him in a

very different light, as will be shown.

We are introduced to Heathcliff in the first chapter, and given first

impressions through Mr. Lockwood, who sees him as a 'capital fellow.' However, it

must be remembered and noted that Mr. Lockwood is an 'outsider', having no

knowledge of Heathcliff's past at Wuthering Heights. The opinions and views

expressed by Nelly Dean are more useful and reliable. Although she has no direct

relationship with Heathcliff, she has established good relationships with other

characters, for example 'old' Cathy. She had also been present when Heathcliff was a

young boy, and had especially spent time with him when he had suffered from

measles, along with Hindley and Catherine, who had complained much more, Nelly

had noted, adding to her fondness of him. Therfore, she is in the position to give us

a fair opinion of him, and also the best narrator to use, as Bronte has in the

beginning.

To respond to the question, it is highly important to cover all aspects of the

way Heathcliff's character is shown, and of his motivations in the situations he had

been placed in.

We are given a commentary by Nelly Dean, of Heathcliff's past, from her

perspective. There is no knowledge of who and where Heathcliff is from, adding an

air of mystery to his character, and also making it harder to fully analyse his

background. Upon arrival, he had been described in contradicting ways, both as 'A

gift from God,' and also 'A dirty ragged black-haired child.' He also immediately
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divides the household upon arrival, so his entrance is a disturbance to the family.

Originally, both children dislike him, yet he wins over Catherine's heart, as she seems

to understand his energy, determination, and ruthless powers of endurance,

especially to his stepbrother Hindley, who never failed to express his hatred towards

him. Not only this, but after the death of Mr. Earnshaw, he is treated harshly by 'old'

Catherine also.

As young children, Heathcliff and the young Catherine had been left to roam

free ...

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