By the end of chapter five, what impression have you formed of Heathcliff?
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Introduction
Laura Kennie By the end of chapter five, what impression have you formed of Heathcliff? Give evidence from the text for your comments. The first time we are introduced to Heathcliff is at the very start of chapter one. Our first image of Heathcliff is that he is animal like: "his black eyes withdrew so suspiciously under their brows..." This is Mr Lockwood's first impression of him and we see it through his eyes. However, as we find out, Lockwood is not a very good narrator, neither is he good at first impressions. Except, on this occasion, his impression of Heathcliff is fairly accurate. Heathcliff is not only compared to animals in this way, but also to the house at Wuthering Heights. The house is described old and worn with deeply set windows, just like Heathcliff's deeply set eyes. Also it becomes obvious later on that Heathcliff has had quite a tragic past just as the house has had with the stormy weather. "the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather." I think that Emily Bronte purposely wrote the description of the house to match Heathcliff's character. ...read more.
Middle
Heathcliff also gets really upset and angry. " I guessed however, by his irregular and intercepted breathing that he struggled to vanquish an excess of violent emotion ". The mention of her name unleashed a cacophony of emotions, which says that this person means a great deal to him. (Especially if Heathcliff hasn't changed Catherine's room in over 20 years). Heathcliff seems very bitter and violent in the morning and almost hits his servant, as quoted earlier. The way she reacts is to move away immediately. It is obvious from her response that she is used to this kind of behaviour from him. In chapter four, Lockwood returns to Wuthering Heights with a cold. While he is scurried up to bed, he asks his servant, Mrs Ellen (Nelly) Dean, to accompany him. He hoped "she would prove a regular gossip". Lockwood wanted to know the past history of Wuthering Heights and its owner, Heathcliff. Ellen first describes the whole family tree and who belongs to whom. The family tree should look like this: - Ellen describes Heathcliff as "rough as a saw-edge and hard as whinstone! The less you have to do meddle with him the better". ...read more.
Conclusion
A very intimate moment between the three of them, even more so since Hindley has been sent away to boarding school, which causes more resentment towards Heathcliff. In a way, Hindley blames Heathcliff for his father's death and despises him for being there when he wasn't. When Mr Earnshaw dies, Catherine and Heathcliff hug each other " and they both set up a heart-breaking cry ". Afterwards, they retreat upstairs to console each other over the incident, as Ellen overhears: " The little souls were comforting each other with better thoughts than I could have hit on. No parson ever pictured heaven so beautifully as they did, in their innocent talk" In conclusion, the impression that I have formed of Heathcliff is of a very savage, cruel and animalistic man. However, in my opinion, I do think he has a soft spot for his beloved Catherine and, since her death (later on in the book) he has become very reclusive and even more bitter. Heathcliff is also violent to others and quite rude to anyone and everyone, with absolutely no interest in human companionship. I think his happiest times were in childhood with Catherine. ...read more.
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