Throughout the novel Heathcliff struggles with his position and social status in the Earnshaw household after the death of Mr. Earnshaw. He wants to progress forward in his education and gain respect from the residents of Wuthering Heights but he gets nowhere with Hindley 's abuse and mistreatment and Catherine´s coercion. There are several limits that Heathcliff tries to overcome to rise above his status as a homeless orphan and later a slave with no education. Hindley´s abuse and degradation, Catherine´s actions and feelings towards him and the oppression he feels from society. Heathcliff has a strong sense of will that motivates him to take his revenge against Hindley for the way he treated him and to get back at Catherine for her betrayal.
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The servants don’t know how to treat him at first and are confused by Mr. Earnshaw’s favoritism towards Heathcliff and Hindley’s pure hatred toward him. Eventually Hindley’s initial hatred turns into envy and jealousy for Heathcliff’s relationship with his own father. This hatred and jealousy sparks a continuous cycle of abuse and mistreatment. Chapter 4 says to Hindley Heathcliff was the “usurper of his father’s affections”. During chapter 5 Hindley is sent off to college and returns three years later in chapter 6 for his father’s funeral with a wife, Frances. He stays at Wuthering Heights with Heathcliff and Catherine and Frances. Frances views Heathcliff the same way Hindley does so she encourages and persuades Catherine to keep her distance from Heathcliff. This does nothing to stop Catherine and Heathcliff’s growing relationship but it does anger Heathcliff. The built up frustration and anguish stemming from Heathcliff’s inability to force the Earnshaw’s to do what he wants creates a terrible hate in Heathcliff’s heart that stays with him even after he leaves Wuthering …show more content…
Hindley restricted Heathcliff from receiving an education therefore everyone who came in contact with Heathcliff whether they were familiar or not could tell what station he belonged to from his speech and the way he looked; dirty and unkempt. There is the possibility that Catherine had taught him what she had learned but even then very few children want to learn or teach difficult concepts for entertainment. So in theory when Heathcliff left Wuthering Heights to become a man worthy of marrying Catherine he was most likely starting from nothing. This jump from nothing to wealthy man who has gained an education emphasizes Heathcliff’s will power when he sets out to do something which also feeds into his relentless and well thought out plan of
The servants don’t know how to treat him at first and are confused by Mr. Earnshaw’s favoritism towards Heathcliff and Hindley’s pure hatred toward him. Eventually Hindley’s initial hatred turns into envy and jealousy for Heathcliff’s relationship with his own father. This hatred and jealousy sparks a continuous cycle of abuse and mistreatment. Chapter 4 says to Hindley Heathcliff was the “usurper of his father’s affections”. During chapter 5 Hindley is sent off to college and returns three years later in chapter 6 for his father’s funeral with a wife, Frances. He stays at Wuthering Heights with Heathcliff and Catherine and Frances. Frances views Heathcliff the same way Hindley does so she encourages and persuades Catherine to keep her distance from Heathcliff. This does nothing to stop Catherine and Heathcliff’s growing relationship but it does anger Heathcliff. The built up frustration and anguish stemming from Heathcliff’s inability to force the Earnshaw’s to do what he wants creates a terrible hate in Heathcliff’s heart that stays with him even after he leaves Wuthering …show more content…
Hindley restricted Heathcliff from receiving an education therefore everyone who came in contact with Heathcliff whether they were familiar or not could tell what station he belonged to from his speech and the way he looked; dirty and unkempt. There is the possibility that Catherine had taught him what she had learned but even then very few children want to learn or teach difficult concepts for entertainment. So in theory when Heathcliff left Wuthering Heights to become a man worthy of marrying Catherine he was most likely starting from nothing. This jump from nothing to wealthy man who has gained an education emphasizes Heathcliff’s will power when he sets out to do something which also feeds into his relentless and well thought out plan of