HEATHCLIFF is the most dominating character of the novel WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Undisputedly he is the principal main character of this novel. The entire plot of this novel is rotates round his character. His character is a mixture of opposite elements. He has love in his heart but at the same time his heart is burning with revenge and hatred. Love and hate are elbowing each other. Heathcliff, after knowing the desire of Catherine to many Edgar Linton begins to nurse, jealously and revenge in his heart. He is thirsty of punishing those who became a thorn in the flesh of his love for Catherine.
Heathcliff from a slave to master shades light on his sense of determination and profound potency. But besides all his merits and demerits his reigning passion is love. He loves Catherine from her very childhood and he cannot live without her. It is only for loves sake that Heathcliff like Macbeth turned into a villain. Macbeth for fulfilling his ambition turned into a villain and Heathcliff for the sake of love turned into a beast. Heathcliff’s life is a saga of suffering, insult, humiliation and what not. Heathcliff was a waif and brat luck and determination favoured him and he became the master of two Houses- WUTHERING HEIGHTS and THRUSHCROSS GRANGE. Heathcliff and Catherine loved each other. But Hindley did not like their meetings. Even after the warnings and threatening of Hindley Heathcliff did not cease meeting Catherine. Catherine in spite of giving her heart to Heathcliff preferred to give body to Edgar Linton to get social status.
Heathcliff with wounded heart left Wuthering Heights. But soon came back with different out look and status. He began to live at Wuthering Heights and with a malicious intention began to finance Hindley who was addicted to gambling in other vices. Ultimately he became the master of Wuthering Heights. Hindley’s son Hereton was serving as a slave. Even after punishing Hindley his appetite for taking revenge was not assisted. After taking revenge and bringing to book his dye hard enemy. Hindley now his eyes were now on Thrushcross Grange. Very soon he became the master of this house by his jealous tricks and by wedding Isabella. But even after getting success in his plans and tricks and even after becoming the master of the two houses, his heart was still smouldering to take more and more revenge. His frustration, his humiliation filled his every inch of heart that was beating every moment to take revenge and revenge.
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Although Heathcliff succeeded in what he wanted. He reduced his number one enemy to a pauper, in engaged his son and employed his son as his slave and became the master of the two houses. But even than his heart was all time obsessed with the love laden feelings for Catherine. The air which he breathed was the air of love for Catherine. His hate was so deep rotten than even after punishing Hindley and Edgar Linton he felt great satisfaction in torturing, humiliating and punishing Hereton. What he got from his father he gave it to son. Hereton and Cathy his daughter in law loved each other but Heathcliff did not like it. He was very brute in crushing their love. Hereton was warned but the passion of elemental love cannot be crushed for ever and ever. Heathcliff later on felt that the love spring of two young lovers cannot be dryed. There comes a change in his heart. Heathcliff died and his body was burried near the grave of Catherine. They were spiritually united. On the other hand Hereton and Cathy were united. There is defeat of jealousy and the triumph of love.
Heathcliff like Macbeth is hero turned into a villain. He has some qualities which are thought to be essential for a hero. He is Courageous, dashing and determined to fulfill his aims and aspirations. The entire plot of this novel centers round his personality. He is the one and the only hero of this novel. But because of frustration in love he turns into a villain and like a tiger he preys upon his hunts. In brief, we may say that he is a hero as well as a villain.
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