WUTHERING HEIGHTS

                 WUTHERING HEIGHTS

“If all else perished,and he remained,I should still continue to be;and if all else remained ,and

he were annihilated,the universe would turn to a mighty stranger:I should not seem a part of it.My

love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods:……..My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks

beneath.”Wuthering Heights is a magnificent Gothic Fiction written by Emile Bronte published in

1847.This fascinating novel traces the story of the inmates of two houses in a neighbourhood namely- Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.The eccentric relations and ambivalent feelings the

people have for one another were portrayed with much dexterity.Heathcliff was an orphan adopted

by Mr.Earnshaw of Wuthering Heights.Later he falls hopelessly in love with Catherine,the daughter of

the Earnshaws.Though Catherine reciprocates this feeling, because of her poor discretion and

Heathcliff’s impulsive behaviour their union never materialized.Eventually, Catherine married Edgar

Linton of Thrushcross Grange.This enraged Heathcliff to a great extent that he didn’t even spare the

next generation from his vengeance.The Passionate Love Heathcliff and Catherine nurtured for each

other and the incessant agony Heathcliff had over losing Catherine culminated in his revenge…This

forms the crux of the novel.Wuthering Heights is one of a handful of books in English Literature that

lingers in our mind for a long time.What is so special about it? I would say -The profound

dialogues,the powerful images and the impeccable execution of intense ideas. Tempted to read Wuthering Heights..?Grab the book and rush to your study..!

Some readers claim Wuthering Heights to be vexatious and the irksome creature obviously

is our Byronic Hero Heathcliff.The question remains…Is Wuthering Heights unpleasant?….If ineffable

love and inexpressible passion be unpleasant,then Wuthering Heights is the most unpleasant work

Literature has ever produced!Heathcliff was not born a monster but the hostile treatment he endured

was far suffice to make a ‘fiend of a saint.’When Heathcliff was brought home he was despised by

everyone save for Catherine and Mr.Earnshaw.Catherine alone,was compassionate towards him and

took good care of him.His existence mattered only to Catherine.He was rendered insensible owing to

the bad treatment directed against him.At a point Nelly asserted that Heathcliff was “the quietest

child that ever a nurse watched over.”It is inevitable that we probe into the dire occurrences of ill- treatment that rotted this quiet child into a brutal avenger.Catherine nurtured a peculiar fondness

towards Heathcliff.She was a diligent child and seperating her from Heathcliff would be the greatest

punishment given to her.Mr.Earnshaw’s undue love for Heathcliff sowed seeds of jealousy in

Hindley,the son of the Earnshaws and he deemed Heathcliff to be his rival in winning his father’s

love.Heathcliff’s rebellious nature prompted me to call him a Byronic Hero. Having endured utmost

hatred,wrath,abuse ,reproach and reprimand he became obsessed with these and perhaps he was

averse to all kinds of tender feelings.How could he show something which was not given to him?In

the beginning this ill-treatment didn’t bother him because his light in the darkened world was

Catherine.He felt that Catherine could compensate for all those abuse vented on him by the other

members.But he soon understood that this guiding light was just a mirage.Catherine’s stay at the

Lintons changed her altogether.She was no longer Heathcliff’s savage counterpart,she was more a

lady than his Cathy!He became conscious of his uncouth self.He began identifying himself as inferior

to her.The bitter indignation which was hitherto buried under the wreath of Love came out

emphatically.Catherine despised Heathcliff for not being clean.Hindley behaved towards him as if he

were a servant.These incidents stripped Heathcliff of his honour and a rebel was born out of the

insensible Heathcliff.Catherine was afraid that Heathcliff’s dirty hands would tarnish her frock.The

rebellious dialogue delivered by Heathcliff at that moment reverberates in the mind of every reader.It

goes like this: “I shall be as dirty as I please:and I like to be dirty,and I will be dirty.” The next epiphany Heathcliff had was of his ill-looks.When Catherine’s attention was directed

towards Linton,he started comparing himself with Linton and understood that Linton was ,more

civilized,rich and handsome than he was.Perhaps when he tried to counterbalance, he felt that Linton

deserved Catherine’s hand.This revelation made him restless.Heathcliff had a burning chasm within

him wherein he figuratively burned all tender feelings and out of that chasm was born a despicable

avenger.His estrangement from Catherine was his estrangement from himself.Because Catherine claimed that”He is more myself than I am”

The next advancement of Heathcliff was to attack his opponents physically.This was evident

when he splashed Apple sauce onto Linton’s face.By this time Heathcliff became a full-fledged

rebel.Sooner the home started to fall apart.A dreary gloom encompassed Wuthering Heights.This

sullen atmosphere accentuated the ferocious nature of Heathcliff.Heathcliff was a “bleak,hilly,coal

country” whereas Linton was a “beautiful fertile valley” and Catherine opted for the better

one.Heathcliff’s transition was not only physical but also mental “he acquired a slouching gait,and

ignoble look;his naturally reserved disposition was exaggerated into an almost idiotic excess of

unsociable moroseness.” My attempt is not to justify Heathcliff’s cruelty.My point is to suggest that the behaviour of a

person is determined by how he is treated.Heathcliff wouldn’t have become a sullen avenger had he

been treated well.All he wanted was to be happy by inflicting pain upon his enemies.He was oblivious

to the consequences of his acts as he became numb to tender feelings.This was the only means he

found to appease his deteriorated inner self.Is Heathcliff formidable or despicable?I encourage my readers to find the answer by close scrutiny of Wuthering Heights.

-Santhwana Thomas