Heathcliff's struggle for self-determination in Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Heathcliffe is a foundling, and his discovery by Mr. Earnshaw resembles the way a father might bring home a pet for his children. His single name (both first and last name) emphasizes the family's view of Heathcliffe as a pet. Indeed, Heathcliffe's status in the family becomes like that of an animal. The narrator states that Mr. Earnshaw took to "petting him up far above Cathy," (Chapter 4). His fate seems to be foreshadowed as soon as he is introduced, as he was named after a son "who died in childhood (Chapter 4). Heathcliffe is further dehumanized by the very fact that Mr. Earnshaw interferes in his fate and creates a childhood bereft of self-determination. Although his motive later is to exact revenge, Healthcliffe illustrates the personal struggle for self-determination, independence, and respect. The ways that children emerge from harmful childhood relational patterns is to detach completely from those unhealthy patterns, as Heathcliff does. However, Wuthering Heights also shows that children must always return to their houses of origin in the struggle to remake themselves in the context of more constructive relations.

The character of Heathcliffe prepares the young man for hardship, and he endures because of inner strength. Heathcliffe was "sullen, patient child; hardened, perhaps, to ill-treatment," (Chapter 4). Ill-treatment was exactly what he would receive, as Hindley hated him and felt threatened by him. Hindley therefore becomes Heathcliffe's enemy, but it is not just Hindley that hardens Heathcliffe; it is Catherine. "Heathcliff bore his degradation pretty well at first," but later ceases to care for his appearance entirely (Chapter 6). Heathcliffe bears his hardships less gracefully. He lacks confidence when Catherine comes home, and he starts to resent the way the family treats him. "I shall not stand to be laughed at. I shall not bear it!" he shouts to Mr. Earnshaw (Chapter 7). Having been made into little more than a slave, Heathcliffe cannot help but be viewed as anything but a pet to Catherine even though she actually does admit eventually that she loves him.

The person he loved and trusted the most essentially turns on him, driving Heathcliff into deeper despair. Catherine states, "My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff!" (Chapter 9). Her romantic longings for Heathcliff never cause Catherine to challenge her prejudices toward him, or the social norms that relegate Heathcliff to a subordinate status. Ultimately, Catherine's love for Heathcliffe comes across as being little more than her love of an animal, as she exclaims, "He does not know what being in love is!" (Chapter 9). Heathcliff's departure from Wuthering Heights becomes necessary to maintain his personal dignity. He comes across as being much stronger and more dignified than any of the Earnshaws, as Heathcliff understands how to value human relationships. The upper class stratum values only personal status. Social class status barriers and social hierarchies prevent Heathcliff from being loved and accepted, and Wuthering Heights is largely about breaking through and dismantling rigid social hierarchies.

Thus, the symbol of Heathcliff attaining self-empowerment threatens to undermine the social order of elite English families. How he achieved his self-empowerment is not as important as its effect on the family at Wuthering Heights. By improving himself without the aid of the family, Heathcliff proves himself more worthy than they are of respect. Heathcliff marries Isabella out of convenience, and as a means to get back at Edgar for marrying Catherine. Although this does reflect poorly on Heathcliff's character, it also shows how he became singularly determined to usurp the barriers preventing upward social mobility. Heathcliff's odd inheritance of the Wuthering Heights estate adds an ironic twist to the story. He has achieved upward social mobility in a warped way, never achieving happiness. Catherine's child becomes his own, symbolizing a sort of spiritual union between Heathcliff and Catherine that transcends death itself. Heathcliff has to come back to Wuthering Heights, because he needs to prove to his adopted family and especially to Catherine that he is better than they gave him credit for. His presence shows them how sick their prejudices are, as they literally succumb to illnesses one at a time. Heathcliff has turned around his life without their help, and indeed in spite of the overbearing oppression of the family. The other children -- Catherine and Hindley -- do not achieve the type of personal transformation that Heathcliff did.