Shea 1Rebecca Shea H English II Ms. Dinnen 27 May 2013 Prevailing Passion In the gothic novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Heathcliff’s passionate love for Catherine Earnshaw is the root of all his actions. After Edgar marries Catherine, Heathcliff becomes consumed by revenge. Heathcliff’s obsessive passion for Catherine creates a destructive path, changing others’ lives. His various schemes of revenge destroy the happiness of Isabella, Hareton, Linton, and Cathy, and cause conflict in Catherine and Edgar’s marriage. Heathcliff’s obsessive passion for Catherine fuels his revenge and disrupts Catherine and Edgar’s marriage. As children, Heathcliff and Catherine are raised as brother and sister. As their love for each other continues to grow, they fall in love as adults. Though Catherine and Edgar are married, Heathcliff’s love for Catherine remains strong. Nelly, a narrator for a portion of the story, observes the two lovers and says, “For some five minutes...He bestowed more kisses than he ever gave in his life before, I dare say; but then my mistress had kissed him first” (123). Heathcliff ardently loves Catherine, and she is Heathcliff’s sole source of happiness in his life. He professes his Shea 2 love to Catherine, “I could soon forget you as my existence!” (124). Despite his fervent love for Catherine, Heathcliff’s actions of love instill conflict in her heart. Catherine is committed to Edgar. Knowing that he can never marry Catherine, vengeance drives Heathcliff to marry Isabella, Edgar’s sister. Though he is married to Isabella, he continues to love Catherine with as much passion as ever. Heathcliff does not love Isabella, calling her a “wicked slut” (119). Isabella says, “He accused my brother...promising that I should be Edgar’s proxy in suffering till he could get a hold of him” (Bronte 114). Heathcliff hates Edgar for taking Catherine away from him. He punishes Edgar through his cruel treatment of his sister. Heathcliff’s marriage with Isabella angers Catherine. She declares, “You and Edgar have broken my heart, Heathcliff!..You have killed me--and thriven on it” (124). Heathcliff’s actions cause Catherine to have a life of torment. Catherine becomes overwhelmed, leading to her death shortly after giving birth to her child, Cathy. When she dies, Heathcliff’s passionate love turns to revenge and becomes the catalyst for his future actions. Heathcliff’s vengeful heart drives him farther away from others and in his fury, he tries to destroy the lives of the other characters. No one is close to Heathcliff because of his terrible treatment of those around him. When Hindley, Catherine’s brother, dies, Heathcliff gains ownership of Wuthering Heights along with Hindley’s son, Hareton. He continues to push others away as evidenced by his treatment of Hareton whom he treats Shea 3 like a slave, destroying every chance Hareton has with happiness. When Heathcliff discovers Isabella had hidden their son from him, he does not express any love towards Linton. Instead, he immediately decides that “it” will be his. He exclaims, “I’ll have it when I want it. They may reckon on that!” (142). Heathcliff claims “his property” after Isabella dies. He does not care about his son, and he does not even recognize Linton as a person. He treats Linton poorly because his heart is full of revenge. The mother of Linton is Isabella, not Catherine. Linton’s existence is a reminder to Heathcliff of what he does not have, Catherine. Heathcliff constantly yells at Linton, which slowly corrodes Linton’s spirit. Heathcliff forces Cathy to marry Linton. This union is a part of his scheme to own both families’ properties. He knows Edgar and Linton will soon die due to their sicknesses, leaving him with complete control over Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. Owning both properties formerly belonging to the Linton and Earnshaw families supply Heathcliff with smug satisfaction. Heathcliff’s revenge consumes his life. The narrator says, “Mr. Heathcliff...grew more and more disinclined to society” (238). Heathcliff increasingly isolates himself through destroying the happiness of Isabella, Hareton, Linton, and Cathy. Heathcliff has only cared for Catherine in his life. He describes Hareton and Cathy, “Those two...are the only objects which retain a distinct material appearance to me” (247). Heathcliff no longer desires to torture Cathy and Hareton because they resemble the love of his life, Shea 4 Catherine. Heathcliff’s revenge returns to its root emotion, his passion for Catherine. Heathcliff’s actions are dominated by ways to be with his dead love, Catherine. He stops his vengeful actions towards those around him. Instead he longs to be with his “Immortal love” (247). His passion drives him to be with Catherine. He says, “I cannot continue in this condition” (248). Heathcliff cannot continue living without Catherine. He focuses on being with Catherine, so he devises a scheme concerning Catherine and Edgar’s grave. The only suitable solution for Heathcliff’s happiness is to be buried next to Catherine, so that he can at least be with her in death. While thinking about his plan he says, “I’m too happy, and yet I’m not happy enough. My soul’s bliss kills my body, but does not satisfy itself” (254). Heathcliff’s soul is filled with bliss when he knows he will be united with Catherine in death. Passion is the underlying emotion that fuels Heathcliff’s love towards Catherine and his revenge towards the characters in the novel. His passionate love for Catherine consumes his life and causes destruction on the lives of Catherine, Isabella, Hareton, Linton, and Cathy through revenge. He plays with their emotions in the novel, causing confusion, pain, and heartache in their lives. The root of all of Heathcliff’s actions is his love for Catherine. Heathcliff is finally at rest when he is reunited with Catherine in death. Shea 5 Works Cited Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. 4th ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2003. Print.