Heathcliff Abuse

Wuthering Heights, a novel written by Emily Brontë, illustrates the drama of the Earnshaw and Linton families over two generations. Heathcliff, a formerly abused orphan from Liverpool, influences many of the key events described in Wuthering Heights. His undying love for Catherine Earnshaw drives the plot of the novel accompanied with his prior history of abuse lead Heathcliff to commit acts, such as abusing his own relatives and forcing a marriage between his niece and son. In Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff’s otherwise unreasonable actions are driven by his love for Catherine Earnshaw, his history of abuse, and desire for revenge upon Hindley and even Catherine. Heathcliff’s love for Catherine drives him into committing irrational …show more content…
For instance, Hindley refers to Heathcliff as an “it” and “imp of Satan”, hoping “that he [Hindley’s horse] may break your [Heathcliff’s] neck (Bronte 43),”. Heathcliff never responds to the abuse outwardly, and Nelly Dean is “surpassed to witness how coolly the child gathered himself up, and went on with his intention (Bronte 44)”. Although Heathcliff appears to present a stoic facade throughout the abuse, he is “trying to settle how I [Heathcliff] shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it, at last. I hope he will not die before I do (Bronte 63 ),” or plotting his future revenge upon Hindley. Following the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley inherits Wuthering Heights, allowing him to further abuse Heathcliff by discontinuing his education and shunning Heathcliff. Furthermore, Hindley terrorized the other servants in the household, such as Nelly Dean and Joseph, following the death of his wife, providing an unsuitable environment for a child, such as Heathcliff, to grow up in. As stated, Heathcliff appears resilient towards the battering he suffers, yet internally, he gradually intensifies his anger, allowing him to pursue his anger upon his