He flung himself into the nearest seat, and on my approaching hurriedly to ascertain if she had fainted, he gnashed at me, and foamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy. I did not feel as if I were in the company of a creature of my own species: it appeared that he would not understand, though I spoke to him; so I stood off, and held my tongue, in great perplexity.
A movement of Catherine’s relieved me a little presently: she put up her hand to clasp his neck, and bring her cheek to his as he held her; while he, in return, covering her with frantic caresses said wildly:
“You teach me now how cruel you’ve been – cruel and false. Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this . You have killed yourself. Yes you may kiss me, and cry; and wring put my kisses and tears: they’ll blight you – they’ll damn you. You loved me – then what right had you to leave me? What right answer me – for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery and degradation and death and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own free will, did it. I have not broken your heart – you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine. So much the worse for me, that I am strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will be when you- oh God! Would you like to live with your soul in the grave?”
“Let me alone. Let me alone,” sobbed Catherine. “If I have done wrong I’m dying for it. It is enough! You left me too: but I won’t upbraid you! I forgive you. Forgive me!”
“It is hard to forgive and look at those eyes, and feel those wasted hands,” he answered. “Kiss me again; and don’t let me see your eyes! I forgive what you have done to me. I love my murderer - but yours! How can I?”
They were silent – their faces hid against each other, and washed by each other’s tears. At least, I suppose the weeping was on both sides: as it seemed Heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like this. (862 words)
The purpose of this essay is to investigate the character of Heathcliff from the passage quoted.
The tension and conflict that is apparent in the passage pervades throughout the novel of Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is presented to the reader as a Byronic hero which is described as “ characteristically both glamorous and dangerous, haunted by the guilt of mysterious crimes” (1). In the excerpt, although there is no definitive physical description of Heathcliff the reader can sense that he is struggling with great emotion and that he does not wish Catherine to witness it. “ his face which was livid with emotion” and “his eyes wide and wet at last, flashed fiercely on her; his breath heaved convulsively”. (p143) He deliberately moves out of Catherine’s view whilst he deals with his inner turmoil and regains some of his composure. This rare display of emotion is in direct contrast to the rest of the novel where he is largely both the controller of his fellow characters as well as his own feelings and destiny,
Heathcliff lays his personal thoughts clearly out on public display in front of Cathy and Nelly (the narrator at this point) and the dialogue illustrates the destructive passion that they share and illustrates that they will only be joined together in death and eternity. The absolute love and desperation that Heathcliff is feeling whilst Catherine lays dying in front of his eyes and the futility of their love is clear for all to relate to in this conversation.
The dark, animal side of his character is reflected in “he gnashed at me and foamed like a mad dog and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy. I did not feel as if I were in the company of my own species”. (p143) Heathcliff's black and brutal actions are produced by a distortion of his personality. He is brought into Catherine’s world by her father Mr. Earnshaw who had found him in Liverpool and brought him home to Wuthering Heights “a dirty, ragged, black-haired child” ( p45), the reader is led to believe that he is used to hardship and suffering. He is named after a dead son of Earnshaw’s – Heathcliff – which introduces an element of ghostly links with the spiritual world. The genre of the novel is Gothic – “designed to horrify and fascinate readers with scenes of passion and cruelty; supernatural elements; and a dark foreboding atmosphere”. (1)
The name Heathcliff serves as both a Christian and surname, he is the only character in the book to have a singular title and this immediately places him outside the social convention of that time. It also pitches him clearly in the readers mind early in the novel as a number of the other characters names are duplicated within generations. Heathcliff’s name can be divided into “heath” and “cliff” – a heath can be described as a “moss-covered, open, shrubby ground (2) and cliff as a “steep and jagged faced rock” (2) with each image being contrary to the other. The heath is peaceful and breezy and the cliff remote and in some, may induce fear due to its steepness. Catherine and Heathcliff spend many happy,inseparable hours on the moors but always return to Wuthering Heights which is exposed and isolated,
Bronte has used a direct link to nature and simile in the setting and the direct link to Heathcliff’s personality.
Thrushcross Grange on the other hand, where the passage is set, is considerably lighter and surrounded by beautiful trees and blossoms that will not grow at the Heights. The imagery in the book evokes the reader into believing that the Grange is welcoming and warm but Wuthering Heights is unreceptive, isolated and cold.
This pervades into Heathcliff’s character and reflects in the atmosphere and mood created by Heathcliff wherever he appears in the book.
However in the passage the “light and dark” elements of his character are related to the realisation that he is to lose the great love of his life and he is, for once, powerless to stop it. One of Heathcliff’ s strongest traits is his determination to get what he wants unflinchingly. The passage displays how desperate Cathy’s condition is and how their last passionate and emotional reconciliation will only end in her death and transfer into the spiritual world. Cathy taunts Heathcliff (the only character in the book able to do this effectively and without incurring any of his wrath) by telling
him that it is he who has caused her demise; he will not be held accountable and lashes back at her vehemently explaining that she is the love of his life and he will have to cope with her loss and live on. “Do you reflect that all those words will be branded in my memory, and eating deeper eternally after you have left me? You know you lie to say I have killed you: and, Catherine you know that I could as soon as forget you as my existence! …while you are at peace I shall writhe in the torments of hell?” (p142).
The climax of this passage comes as Catherine and Heathcliff are locked together in a final embrace:Heathcliff remonstrates with Cathy and exposes the readers to what is to come in the rest of the novel in relation to his mourning and the continued effect that this will have on his personality. He openly acknowledges that he is inextricably linked to Cathy to the extent of them “sharing a soul”, these are the powerful, despairing and anguished words of a lover who is to remain haunted by the early and untimely death of the love of his life.
“ I have not broken your heart – you have broken it: and in breaking it, you have broken mine. So much the worse for me, but I am strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will be when you – oh God! Would you like to live with your soul in the grave?………..”.
At the final point of this passage the narrator, Nelly, imposes her view on the situation and a hint of irony creeps into the situation. Nelly has played an almost motherly role to both Catherine and Heathcliff and has seen them develop into adults. She is aware of their foibles and character strengths but is still not totally convinced that Heathcliff can weep at the sad situation he finds himself in. Maybe this is because she has never been married herself and has not experienced such great emotion, however at the end of the scene (not quoted) she intertwines their locks of hair and places them in Cathy’s locket forever. The scene has obviously moved her emotionally enough to complete a positive task in what is a seemingly negative situation.
“They were silent – their faces hid against each other, and washed by each other’s tears. At least, I suppose the weeping was on both sides: as it seemed Heathcliff could weep on a great occasion like this”.(p144) (904 words)
Access – English Literature Cathy Hogg 12 March 2003
Novel:
Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte Penguin Popular Classics 1994
References:
1. York Notes Advance Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte York Press 1998
2. Dorling Kindersely English Dictionary Dorling Kindersely 2002
3. 10/3/2003
Bibliography
Brodie’s Notes Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte Pan Books Ltd 1990
Heights/Context-Wuthering
20/01/2003
Breakdown of word count: Total word count 2080
Passage 862 -
Quotes 314
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Total 904
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