Julie Gaglione
Mrs. Strada
English 3H
7 February 2015
Heathcliff’s Obsession: Wuthering Heights In Wuthering Heights written by Emily Bronte we are introduced to sinister, corrupt and nefarious characters that are fixated on furthering their social standing. Families become intertwined by marriage in order to obtain property in both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Passion is traded for domination and loyalty is bartered for a rise on an ongoing social ladder that is held by a slim thread. Even though some temporarily give up their love, the memory of admiration festers within them driving them mad. For the higher class, life can be filled with numerous regrets and the lower class begins to fixate on furthering themselves to avenge their soulmate. Heathcliff obtains many obsessions such as his infatuation with his foster sister Catherine Earnshaw and his lingering fascination to bring sorrow onto all who have done wrong to him. Heathcliff’s obsession stems from his devotion to his foster sister and long time playmate, Catherine Earnshaw. From adolescence they explored and scrutinized the Linton grounds which ultimately resulted in Catherine’s conversion from an elementary child to a polished blue blood. Heathcliff’s undying love for Catherine enables him to withstand the torture put upon him by his foster brother Hindley. Catherine made the decision to choose fortune over passion and Heathcliff became only a memory. After many years of longing for her and conniving, he returns with bountiful riches and a burning desire to be reunited with his love. Although Catherine yearned to rekindle her relationship with Heathcliff, her affection was still out of reach. Heathcliff began lurking around her whereabouts causing a feud between him and Edgar Linton which resulted in Catherine’s madness. The beginning of her downfall is exemplified when she says “Well, if I cannot keep Heathcliff for my friend-if Edgar will be mean and jealous, I’ll try to break their hearts by breaking my own” (Bronte 73). Catherine later dies during childbirth which leaves her reminiscence to haunt Heathcliff with the desire to be buried next to her corpse. “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Heathcliff always proved himself to be an eccentric man, continuously on the outskirts of society and said to have darker skin than the others. When his foster father passed away, Wuthering Heights was inherited by Hindley Earnshaw, Heathcliff’s foster brother. Hindley abhorred Heathcliff from childhood so this prompted the mistreatment Hindley then conveyed upon him. Heathcliff was segregated from the household thus commanded to live in a barn and work as an oppressed servant. After Hindleys wife, Frances Earnshaw, dies of consumption his fate down spirals into a pool of