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Transcript

WHY

WHEn

Heathcliff

Characterisation

By Malaika Okundi 13A

Who is Heathcliff?

family

Heathcliff is an orphan. He was found by Mr.Earnshaw in Liverpool street station. We know next to nothing about his life before he was found. He has no siblings that we know of and no living relatives. He is utterly alone in the world. Even though he is adopted into the Earnshaw family, he still remains without a surname, a foreshadowing of events to come. Eventually, he marries Isabella Linton and has a son, though family is a debatable term for them.

Appearance

Heathcliff goes through quite the metamorphosis during his life. He is at first desribed as 'as dark almost as if it came from the devil'. He retains this rugged, unrefined 'gypsy' appearance until after his return from his three year absence. He is then described as 'a tall, athletic well-formed man'. One feature that stands out is his eyes. Throughout the book they are described as being 'full of black fire'

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Personality

Heathcliff is the epitome of a Byronic hero. He is darkly romantic, brooding, ferocious and handsome. However he is also abusive, vindictive ,vengeful and downright evil at times. He is cut off from the world, and as close as one could get to a 'bad boy' in the nineteenth century. In fact one of the common romantic cliches of the time was 'A reformed rake makes the best husband'. Much of Heathcliffs personality has been shaped by his childhood of abuse and his love for Catherine.

Childhood

Heathcliff had a terrible childhood. His life bfore the Earnshaw's is unknown but we can assume that it was a life of destitution. We expect his life to take a turn for the better once he is adopted but this is not exactly the case. His life at Wuthering Heights is tumultuous. Though Mr. Earnshaw seemed to love him deeply, Hindley is intent on making him miserable. He is treated as lesser and frequently referred to as 'it' rather then 'he'. Fortunately, it wasn't all bad, Heathcliff and Cathy had some fun times on the moors, where they embraced their savagery to its full extent.

Heathcliff survived all his childhood ordeals physically intact but emotionally damaged and well on his way to becoming the abusive man we know and love to analyse.

Childhood

Quotation

They entirely refused to have it in bed with them, or even in their room; and I had no more sense, so I put it on the landing of the stairs, hoping it might he gone on the morrow. By chance, or else attracted by hearing his voice, it crept to Mr. Earnshaw's door, and there he found it on quitting his chamber. This was Heathcliff's first introduction to the family.

Chapter four

Quotations

I was frightened, and Mrs. Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors: she did fly up, asking how he could fashion to bring that gipsy brat into the house, when they had their own bairns to feed and fend for?

Chapter four

WHAT

What drives Heathcliff?

Revenge

Heathcliff was dealt a bad hand as a child. He was adopted, only to be treated like an interloper and servant. The actions of characters such as Hindley, the Lintons and Catherine created a need for vengeance within Heathcliff. This need is what drives the second half of the plot.

Heathcliff wants to prove himself to be richer, smarter and superior to the Earnshaws and Lintons. He accomplishes this by swindling Hindley out of his money, marrying Isabella to spite Edgar and Catherine, marrying his son off to Edgars daughter, making everyone miserable and becoming master of both Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. This plan drives Heathcliff to his deathbed. Though he achieved all his aims, he never found love. He died bitter, alone and with a sneer on his face.

Quotation

'I have no pity! I have no pity! The more the worms writhe, the more I yearn to crush out their entrails!'

Chapter 14

Quotation

So, from the very beginning, he bred bad feeling in the house; and at Mrs. Earnshaw's death, which happened in less than two years after, the young master had learned to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend, and Heathcliff as a usurper of his parent's affections and his privileges; and he grew bitter with brooding over these injuries.

Chapter four

Quotation

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! Chapter seven

Catherine

Heathcliff's love for Catherine is consuming. Catherine says it best when she states 'I am Heathcliff - He's always, always in my mind'. This sentiment is aparently vice versa, as Heathcliff is equally obsessed. Catherine's nasty commets about Heathcliff stature are what prompts him to leave Wuthering Heights for three years. Her marriage to Edgar Linton is what prompts his marriage to Isabella Linton. All his actions hinge upon Catherine. When she dies, he begs her to haunt him for as long as he lives. He digs up her corpse to spend time with her. He is well and truly infatuated, however his ove for Catherine does not include forgiveness, for he hates her for her actions and rants at her on her deathbed. They are the epitome of a love-hate relationship.

Quotation

"Come in! come in!" he sobbed. "Cathy, do come. Oh, do—once more! Oh! My heart's darling, hear me this time—Catherine, at last!"

Chapter three

Quotation

It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.

Chapter nine

Quotation

Two words would comprehend my future—death and hell: existence, after losing her, would be hell. Yet I was a fool to fancy for a moment that she valued Edgar Linton's attachment more than mine. If he loved with all the powers of his puny being, he couldn't love as much in eighty years as I could in a day.

Chapter fourteen

Quotation

"I want you to be aware that I know you have treated me infernally—infernally! Do you hear? And if you flatter yourself that I don't perceive it, you are a fool; and if you think I can be consoled by sweet words, you are an idiot."

Chapter eleven

Quotations

"Oh! you said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray one prayer—I repeat it till my tongue stiffens—Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!"

Chapter sixteen

Foreignness

Heathcliff is different. Strikingly so. Where other character's are pale and angelic, he is dark and demonic. He is painfully aware of the fact that he doesn't fit in. He is foreign. Critics speculate that he was mixed-race, probably the son of one of the merchants coming in and out of the port. In the homogenous country society, he stands out like a sore thumb. When Catherine begins to comment on his appearance, Heathcliff seems to decide that enough is enough.

Heathcliff is aware that he cannot change his skin or features, and tries to find other ways to elevate himself, namely by amassing a fortune. However this changes nothing; when he return he is still a pariah

Foreignness

quotation

Take my colt, Gipsy, then!" said young Earnshaw. "And I pray that he may break your neck: take him, and he damned, you beggarly interloper! and wheedle my father out of all he has: only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan."

Chapter five

Quotation

The cowardly children crept nearer also, Isabella lisping—"Frightful thing! Put him in the cellar, papa. He's exactly like the son of the fortune-teller that stole my tame pheasant. Isn't he, Edgar?"

Chapter six

Quotation

It was a deep voice, and foreign in tone; yet there was something in the manner of pronouncing my name which made it sound familiar.

Chapter ten

Quotation

Doubtless Catherine marked the difference between her friends, as one came in and the other went out. The contrast resembled what you see in exchanging a bleak, hilly, coal country for a beautiful fertile valley; and his voice and greeting were as opposite as his aspect.

Chapter eight

HOW

How does Heathcliff contribute to the story?

Conflict

Heathcliff is the major force of conflict in the book. His arrival is the beginning of the strife between Mr. Earnshaw and his children. His presence creates tension between Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw.

If we were to divide the book inot two parts, the first would be dedicated to the conflicts caused by Heathcliff's adoption and treatment; whilst the second part would be dedicated to the conflicts created by Heathcliff's schemes for revenge.

In this way, Heathcliff is essential to almost every conflict that takes place. Though they do not know it, all the characters orbit around Heathcliff, reinforcing his role as the protagonist.

Conflict

Pathos

For the first half of the plot, Heathcliff is the main object of our sympathy and pity. As we witness the abuse he suffers, we begin to support him and dislike those tormenting him. He is the hero of the story.

As this story follows the 'Rags to Riches' plot line, Heathcliff must succeed in being pitiable whilst he is in rags. When he accumulates riches, he takes a turn for the worse and begins to look more like the villain of the story. This turnabout allows us to sympathise with other characters such as Hareton Earnshaw and Linton Heathcliff.

Heathcliff's actions control where our sympathies lie during the events of the book. This makes the story more engaging as the reader is able to love him and hate him alternately

IQ

Character Traits

Jealous

Violent

Passionate

Thank you for listening!

IDEAS

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