It is said “he would have tried to remedy the mistake by smashing Hareton’s skull on the steps” to make Hindley mad. The overall impact of the phrase is extremely harsh. The word smashing stands out particularly because to smash something you need to use a great force.
After the death of Mr Earnshaw when Heathcliff was young, Hindley became head of the house. Upon his arrival, Hindley “drove him from their company to that of the servants” and “deprived him of the instructions of the curate.” The language used has a saddening effect on us because he has been stripped of status in the Earnshaw house. This makes us feel sorry for him because we would not want that to happen to us and if it did I am sure that we would feel like an outcast. Hindley also intentionally “insisted that he should work out of doors” adding to the effect that suddenly the boy has lost everything (status-wise) and is expected to work as a servant in his own ‘fostered family’.
Throughout the entire novel, Brontë presents Heathcliff in a variety of ways and one of these is love. He has had a long relationship with Catherine although never having ‘gone out’. Heathcliff says, “existence after loosing her would be hell” showing his true feelings and affections for her. In the novel up to the death of Catherine it seems his life has already been hell but when she does die Brontë makes him act like he is constantly grieving the death of Catherine.
On the night of Catherine’s death there is an emotional reunion between Heathcliff and herself in which they speak how much they love and hate each other. After a remark from Catherine he replies “I love my murderer – but yours! How can I?” saying that he could love her for murdering him but not love her murderer even though he thinks it is herself. The language of the phrase has a very large impact on me because when the whole scene is read it seems so tense and frustrating because they are both in love but hardly ever admit it. The word ‘murderer’ is the subject of the phrase and it self is a harsh, cruel word because when we think murderer we automatically condemn he or she.
Nearer to the end of the novel, Heathcliff could be seen as demanding. This is because he is insisting his son to marry the late Catherine’s daughter to his advantage. After a long period of an absent relationship between his son and Catherine (daughter), Heathcliff seems to get desperate for her to marry his son so that when Edgar died he would have his land. Because of this he goes to Thrushcross Grange to see her. Heathcliff tells her that “he dreams of you every night” trying to suggest that they are to be a perfect couple who are in mad love with each other. He also tells her that Linton “pines for kindness, as well as love” to try and make Catherine feel sorry for Linton. The language used may have an effect on the reader as when it is said I feel sorry for Linton because a picture of a dog or puppy received wining and crying for something. The word ‘pines’ stands out the most because it is the exact word that makes the picture of the dog and tells us that he is frantic for her love.
At the very beginning of the book there is proof that Heathcliff can be an evil person. Lockwood tells us he “uttered so savagely” suggesting that he snaps at small questions revealing his wickedness. The word savagely stands out the most because to savage is to be like a wild beast that stops for and cares about nothing. Mr Lockwood himself picks up on the evil side of him – he reports to us “the tone in which the words were said revealed a genuine bad nature” proving to us that he is unfavourable.
At this point in the book we know that Catherine Linton is kept in the house at all times by Heathcliff.
Furthermore into the novel, Lintons health deteriates much more whilst with Cathy on the moors with him. The passage reveals an extent of cruelty in Heathcliff because he hates his son for no reason and is perfectly happy to fill Lintons last moments with terror and despair. When Cathy remarks “I care nothing for his anger”, Lintons responds “but I do. Don’t provoke him against me, Catherine, for he is very hard.” The language used makes us sympathetic towards Linton, as he fears his father. The word ‘provoke’ seems to stand out mostly because this could mean that Lintons thinks Catherine would tell of him to his father which would get him into trouble – this does not show trust.
In conclusion I think that Heathcliff is a troubled man through his past has had bad experiences but somehow manages t turn around his life and take his anger out on other peoples lives in turn affecting them. It is true however, that Heathcliff really did love Catherine and wished to be with her even after death.