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Heathcliff: Hero or Villain?
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Heathcliff
Hero or Villain?
Do you love or hate Heathcliff?
Emily's Reason
Symptoms of BPD:
Borderline Personality
Disorder
- mood swings, usually sudden and severe
- impulsive
- difficulty with interpersonal relationships, self-image and behavior
- anti-social behavior
- self-injury and suicidal behavior
A brief look into BPD with Hank Green
Explaining BPD
Why do we sympathize?
Sympathizing
Emily uses the events of Heathcliff's traumatizing upbringing to validate his adult behavior
What is a hero?
Hero?
Definition: a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities
Heathcliff's Heroic Characteristics
Heathcliff's Characteristics
- Devoted
- Passionate
- Deeply loving
Heroic Actions
Heroic Actions
- Heathcliff and Cathy display innocence as they play on the moors as children
- His love for Cathy
- Heathcliff overhears Cathy say it would be degrading to marry him
- He turns himself into a gentleman after three years
- Heathcliff gives up his revenge
- Heathcliff dies, he is buried next to Cathy
Example of Heroism
“He had grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man; beside whom my master [Edgar] seemed quite slender and youth-like. His upright carriage suggested the idea of his having been in the army. His countenance was much older in expression and decision of feature than Mr. Linton's; it looked intelligent, and retained no marks of former degradation. A half-civilized ferocity lurked yet in the depressed brows and eyes full of black fire, but it was subdued; and his manner was even dignified: quite divested of roughness, though too stern for grace.” -Nelly, Chapter 10, page 83
Is Heathcliff a Hero?
Is Heathcliff a hero?
What is a villain?
Definition: a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.
Villain?
Heathcliff's Villainous Characteristics
- Deceitful
- Obsessive
- Petty
- Ruthless
- Vengeful
Heathcliff's Characteristics
- “I'm trying to settle how I 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!” -Heathcliff, Chapter 7, page 52
Villainous Actions
- Heathcliff is solely focused on revenge for the majority of his life
- He takes advantage of Isabella's feelings and naivety
- He wishes for Cathy to haunt him
- causing her to not be able to rest
- causing him to suffer even more than he already does
- Heathcliff wrongfully obtains Wuthering Heights
- Heathcliff forces young Cathy and Linton to marry
- thus legally acquiring Thrushcross Grange
Young Cathy learns she is locked in Wuthering Heights
Kidnapping Cathy
Is Heathcliff a Villain?
Is Heathcliff a villain?
What is an Anti-hero?
A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes. They may process traits such as courage and love but it is overshadowed by their darkness.
Anti-Hero?
Characteristics
The Unscrupulous Hero
- Lives in a world that has a morality that is made up of varying shades of gray, with their gray being slightly lighter than the villains
- Often live in an unfortunate setting, which explains their distrust of humanity and penchant towards violence
- Vengeful
- Possible collateral damage for their actions, with no remorse
Anti-Hero Characteristics
Heathcliff's Characteristics
- Christened after a deceased son of Mr. Earnshaw
- He was the favorite of Mr. Earnshaw
- Loving yet compulsive
- Dedicated yet obsessive
- How he gained his wealth is unknown
- Heatchcliff expresses heroic traits
- loving, courageous, physically strong, with imperfections such as feeling overpowered by his obsessive and thus selfish love
- Forced to prove his worth to Cathy by going off and gaining wealth/class
- Cruelly treats Hindley, Linton, and Hareton
- Enslaved by his love for Cathy
- Married Isabella and cruelly treats her
- Doesn't abandon love for Cathy after her death
Anti-Heroic Actions
"I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!"
After Cathy's Death
What is a Byronic hero?
- A character type developed by Romantic poet Lord Byron
- Romantic hero with dark characteristics
- Byronic heroes tend to have a greater degree of psychological and emotional complexity than traditional Romantic heroes
Byronic Hero?
Characteristics
Characteristics of a Byronic Hero
- Cunning
- Ruthless
- Violent
- Emotionally tortured
- Traumatized
- Manipulative
- Prone to bursts of anger
- Highly emotional
Heathcliff's Byronic Characteristics
Heathcliff's Characteristics
- "He is a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire: rather slovenly, perhaps, yet not looking amiss with his negligence, because he has an erect and handsome figure; and rather morose." -Lockwood, Chapter 1, page 3
- “Tell her what Heathcliff is: an unreclaimed creature, without refinement, without cultivation; an arid wilderness of furze and whinstone...He’s not a rough diamond - a pearl-containing oyster of a rustic; he’s a fierce, pitiless, wolfish man.” - Catherine Linton, Chapter 10, page 89
More characteristics of Heathcliff
Continued
- Obsessive over his love for Catherine
- Willing to do anything in order to be with Catherine
Hero vs. Villain
How do we decide?
It is important to remember that these characters think and feel just as we do. Being human means that the divide between good and evil is not always defined, or black and white
- Considering the environment, background, and possible trauma of a character is crucial when identifying their true intent
Perspectives
Perspective
Every reader has a distinct background full of different experiences. Consequently, each individual that reads Wuthering Heights will approach the storyline and characters with a unique perspective. The manner in which each reader perceives the characters pertains to their own experiences. Therefore, whether or not Heathcliff is a hero or villain is up to the reader.