Theme of Violence in Wuthering Heights

In chapter 17, Isabella Linton came back to Thrushcross Grange with all wt and covered with bruises after being hit repeatedly by Heathcliff and she was also bleeding. This shows Heathcliff’s violent character and his brutality. He used her infatuation as a tool of revenge towards the Linton’s; he constantly and savagely attacks Isabella Linton. Isabella even referred Heathcliff’ nature as “devilish”(pg 172). Isabella is herself inclined towards Heathcliff’s violence but not as capable of it.

Heathcliff makes it his life’s project to nurture Hareton in Brutality. In chapter 17 Heathcliff was locked out by Hindley and Hindley tried to kill him by stabbing him but when Isabella told him about Hindley’s plan he immediately enter and started physically torturing Hindley by beating him up and badly injuring him. Thus physical torture again emphasizes the theme of violence. Heathcliff’s violent character is shown even more chapter by chapter and he develops into a horrible person. In chapter 13 through Isabella’s letter, she describes how Heathcliff has been treating her and how she has misjudged him and she regrets not hearing to her brother’s advice in marrying a “devil”

The theme of violence is not only shown in Heathcliff’s character but also in other characters. We were also shown a violent side in Isabella’s character. Isabella reacted violently as a result of being badly treated by heathcliff. She was often beaten and she was also not allowed to meet with Edgar or anyone else. She also lived like a slave. As a result Isabella tormented heathcliff by talking about Catherine and she also threw a knife at him as a result of her frustration being beaten by heathcliff.

Hindley’s violent character was also shown in chapter 17 where he locked heathcliff outside Wuthering Heights and was planning to stab Heathcliff but he did not succeed and ended up having a fight with Heathcliff and Hindley ended up seriously injured. Hindley’s violent character was also shown when he threw his own son, Hareton Earnshaw down the staircase but did not kill him as Heathcliff caught Hareton. His violent character is shown through his actions.

Catherine Earnshaw also did have a violent side. She didn’t like the idea of Heathcliff and Edgar fighting for her love. She  uses mental violence to hurt and manipulate people. Even when she is dying she uses mental violence to hurt Heathcliff.  ”You and Edgar have broken my heart”.  Edgar also has a violent side in him, when he was locked with heathcliff inside a room by Catherine; he punched Heathcliff as a result of his frustration and jealousy because Catherine gave Heathcliff more attention.

Hareton Earnshaw is quite intelligent, but is made to lead a life of an ignorant by Heathcliff, who after Hindley’s death denied him any further education. Hareton as a child is wild and unruly, having a mouthful of foul words. Hareton as young man is still very rough, though subdued into silence by the knowledge of his ignorance. This is the way Heathcliff brought him up. He was also not taken good care of by Heathcliff. He talks a lot of foul language and when Nelly Dean came to visit Wuthering Heights, she was thrown rocks by Hareton and also Nelly was called with names. This shows the violent character in Hareton Earnshaw

But overall Heathcliff is the most violent and fiery character in Wuthering Heights. He becomes violent from an early age and grows up to be bitter and angry probably because of the degrading way he was treated as he got older

Violence play a strong role in Wuthering Heights and without it I don’t think the novel would have much impact on those who read it. Although there is an extensive amount of violence in Wuthering Heights it is not portrayed as anything out of the ordinary. The story is written as though violence is acceptable. Violence is only mentioned as something unusual once in the whole novel by Nelly Dean in one chapter in which she comments on the diabolical violence...Wuthering Heights is a story of love and hate, good and evil. It focuses on the theme of evil and violence. Emily Bronte continues to shock the reader with scenes of violence and malevolence throughout the novel; however we sometimes expect that perhaps Heathcliff's character could contain a much softer side and that it is his frustrated love for Cathy that brings out the ferocity in him.