Wuthering Heights: Heathcliff

Last Thursday, groups were assigned different characters to find quotes to identify their changes and developments from Wuthering Heights to Thrushcross Grange. Heathcliff was assigned to my group and I found it extremely interesting to follow his change between the two locations. I personally believe that his change is the most drastic among the characters in this novel.

There is a dialogue with Heathcliff at Wuthering Heights that I think depicts his personality well, " 'Why, how very black and cross you look! and how-how funny and grim!'...'Shake hands, Heathcliff'...'I shall not!'...'You needn't have touched me!'...'I shall be as dirty as I please, and I like to be dirty, and I will be dirty' "(42-3). He exercises a very stubborn behavior, but trying to understand why he acts like that delves a little deeper. Heathcliff is essentially adopted by this family and is automatically an outcast, because he was not inherited into their values, traditions and wealth. Heathcliff was not after their money or wealth by any means, he sought their attention. I think he sought their attention with his dirt and different demeanor just to make it a point that he knew he was different and state that he is going to remain different. I admire Heathcliff as a character, because he is very true to himself and follows his own rules.

Nelly provided a spectator opinon of Heathcliff as, "His abode at the Heights was an oppression past explaining. I felt that God had forsaken the stray sheep there to its own wicked wanderings, and an evil beast prowed between it and the fold, waiting his time to spring and destroy" (85). He is compared to that of a beast and I think that is an accurate depiction of how Bronte intentionally meant to portray Heathcliff. Wuthering Heights represented a dark, tulmotuous time for Heathcliff. It is when he leaves that he is given the chance to really submit to his will and freedom.

Upon his return to Thrushcross Grange, Heathcliff is mature, attractive and reserved. "behold the transformation of Heathcliff. He had grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man...his manner was even dignified, quite divested of roughness, though too stern for grace" (75). This 180 definitely changes everyone's opinion of him, but he is still true to himself. He is still the same passionate, impulsive boy that left Wuthering Heights. However, he has learn to control his impulses and he is more polite, sophisticated and reserved, "He retained a great deal of the reserve for which his boyhood was remarkable, and that served to repress all startling demonstrations of feeling" (79). This mysterious transformation definitely catches everyone's eye and the reader is captivated by Heathcliff.

Through Heathcliff's drastic change, his character is allowed to develop and his place in everyone elses lives changes, because he no longer represents what he used to. It is almost as if he gets to begin with a clean slate, however the same pre-dispositions still remain as a caution. His character has so many depths and dynamics that it makes him a tangible, memorable piece of literary work.