Analysis----Revenge
Part 1.
By Victoria Lee
After reading this book, I found the foundations of the whole book
are strong love among the characters and revenge. And I am going
to talk about part of the revenge events.
As we know, Catherine did not choose Heaghcilff as her bridegroom because
she thought Heathcliff did not have a good background and that might lower
her status. She explained the reasons to Nelly that if she married
to Edgar, everyone would get less or more merits. For instance, she
could help Heathcliff to rise and place him out of her brother's power.
Heathcliff, however, did not think so. The hatred was full of his
heart and he left the Wuthering Heights. When he returned again,
he had a plan that after he saw Catherine, he would go to kill Hindley
and commit suicide. We can see clearly that how much is his hatred
to Hindley and how deep is his love to Catherine. Maybe Hindley should
not treat Heathcliff so badly but if I was Hindley, I may be somewhat like
him. Because his father loved Heathcliff more than him and he won
little of his father's love and concern, no wonder he hated Heathcliff
much. Whenever he met Heathcliff, he would try every mean way to
insult his enemy. But when Heathcliff was beyond his endurance, he
would make good use of Mr. Earnshaw's love to him and threaten Hindley.
Of course, Hindley was very afraid of his father so he had to give away.
This is a kind of Heathcliff's revenge. Hindley made him unhappy so he
also made Hindley lead an unhappy life.
In some other part of the story, Heathcliff took revenge on Catherine.
But he did his revengeful plans on people around Catherine and Edgar.
The poorest sacrifice was Isabella. She married Heathcliff because
she loved him, at least she thought she did. Catherine tried to protect
her but she thought Catherine wanted to break to good relationship between
Heathcliff and her. They eloped. Isabella was so naïve
that she did not know what on earth Heathcliff thought in his mind.
Heathcliff knew that Isabella was the heiress if the Lintons, what he wanted
just the property. When once he achieved his goal, he took off his
mask and Isabella also lost what she had ever owned. This was enough
to make not only Edgar but also Catherine break their hearts and angry
with what Isabella had done. This was another way of Heathcliff's
revengeful actions.
What Heathcliff had done seemed not satisfied with himself. And
his revengeful plans extended to the second-generation. Though Linton
was his own son, he did not love him or concern about him. He did
not treat him well because he might make him think of Isabella and Edgar.
He thought Linton was useless since he was so ill and cowardly. But
he knew well that Linton was a very good tool to hurt Edgar and little
Catherine. Furthermore, he knew that little Catherine had a very
kind heart, he made use of her sympathy to Linton and indirectly made Edgar
painful. For example, Heathcliff forced little Catherine to marry
Linton and did not let her go back to the Thrushcross Grange to see his
dear papa, even Edgar was seriously ill and eager to see his daughter.
What a cruel man Heathcliff was!
In sum, I think maybe the whole tragedies did not all result from Heathcliff
himself. But he should not take others' happiness away. He
might seek his own happiness and lead a happy life. We Chinese believe
the so-called retribution, so why he did not open his arms? And these
are my opinions about revenge of this story.
Part 2.
By Monica Huang
Revenge takes a big part in this story.
Besides Heathcliff's revenge on others. There are still other revenges
in this fiction. The following paragraph is about others' revenge
on Heathcliff.
(1) Hindley's revenge on Heathcliff
Mr. Earnshaw seemed to pay much attention
to Heathcliff. Therefore, Hindley had learnt to regard his father
as an oppressor rather than a friend, and Heathcliff as a usurper of his
parents' affection and his privileges, and he grew bitter with brooding
over these injuries. Then, after Mr. Earnshaw died. Hindley
became the new master of Wuthering Heights. At that time, a few words
from Frances, evincing a dislike to Heathcliff, were enough to reuse in
him all his old hatred of the boy. Hindley drove Heathcliff from
their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the
curate, and insisted that he should labor out of doors instead, compelling
him to do so as hard as any other lad on the farm. In this way, Heathcliff
was gradually became an uneducated savage. And sometimes, Hindley
also ordered Heathcliff a flogging. He also tried to separate Heathcliff
from Catherine. To sum up, the revenge of Hindley on Heathcliff could
be a main reason, which results in Heathcliff's revenge plan in the future.
(2) Isabella's revenge on Heathcliff
Sometimes, Isabella only could use some words
to make Heathcliff feel suffering. For example,(p.152) Isabella said,
"Nay, it's enough that he has murdered on of you. I (Isabella) observed
aloud " At the Grange, everyone knows your sister would have been living,
now, had it not been for Mr. Heathcliff. After all, it is preferable
to be hated than loved by him. When I recollect how happy we were---
how happy Cathrine was before he came---I'm fit to curse the day."
Most likely, Heathcliff noticed more the truth of what was said, than the
spirit of the person who said it. His attention was roused, I saw,
for his eyes rained down tears among the ashes, and he drew his breath
in suffocating sighs.
I think we can regard such a revenge as an
evidence of what Isabella said before. I'd be glad of a retaliation
that wouldn't recoil on myself; but treachery and violence are spears pointed
at both ends----they wound those who resort to them, worse than their enemies.”
(3) Cathy's revenge on Heathcliff
Cathy said to Heathcliff, " I know he ( Linton)
has a bad nature, he is your son. But I am glad I have a better,
to forgive it; and I know he loves me and for that reason I love him.
Mr. Heathcliff, you have nobody to love you; and, however miserable you
make us, we shall still have the revenge of thinking that you truly rises
from your greater misery! You are miserable, are you not! Lonely,
like the devil, and envious like him? Nobody loves you---nobody will
cry for you, when you die! I wouldn't be you!" Cathrine spoke
with a kind of dreary triumph: she seemed to have made up her mind to enter
into the spirit of her future family, and draw pleasure from the griefs
of her enemies.
Although Cathy really pointed out Heathcliff's
weakness, such a triumph was still very miserable.
Part 3.
By Stan Yu
Preface
In the first generation, Heathcliff, Hindley, and Isabella would have
one kind of feeling in common: to retaliate. Don't put up with someone
hurting them, all of the three people would strike back. Obviously,
it's the last thing for the three persons to conceal their resentment or
other negative emotions.
Heathcliff, the man leading the two generations to the point of suffering,
impacts deeply the emotional direction of "Wuthering Heights" and "Thruchcross
Grange." Hindley, the second host of Wuthering Heights, struggles
to earning Mr. Earnshaw's love. As for Isabella, she is the woman
breaking her heart because of mistaken love.
How would they reveal their discontent and indignation?
Hindley's Revenge
Example 1 Heathcliff: "You must exchange horses with me; I don't
like mine, and if
you won't I
shall tell your father of the three thrashings you've given
me this week,
and show him my arm, which is black to the shoulder."
(C. 4, Page 33, Paragraph 4)
The two horses are partly given to Heathcliff and Hindley. Undoubtedly,
the better belongs to Heathcliff. Hindley have been always hungry
for his father, Mr. Earnshaw's love since Heathcliff was brought to his
family. How would a child feel when he lose what he should get originally?
For Hindley, horses are not only horses, they represents Father's love
and concern. Being ignored, he can't attract his father'd attention
any more; to earn Father'd love (horse) and to harm Heathcliff physically
becomes his measure to feel content.
Example 2 He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived
him of the
instructions
of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of doors
instead, compelling
him to do so as hard as any other lad on the farm.
(C. 6, Page 39, Line 10)
After Mr. Earnshaw's death, Hindley becomes the host of Wuthering Heights.
To attack Heathcliff, he would make Heathcliff understand what's the main
difference between them--the legal heir is superior to an orphan all the
time! Having Heathcliff made a member to the lower class, Hindley
revenges in the realistic way.
Example 3 "Heathcliff, you may come forward," cried Mr. Hindley,
enjoying his
discomfiture and gratified to see what a forbidding
young blackguard he
would
be compelled to present himself. "You may come and wish
Miss Catherine
welcome, like the other servants."’
(C. 7, Page 45, Paragraph 5)
Hindley must have the idea that Catherine is important to Heathcliff.
When Catherine returns from Thrushcross Grange, Hindley would know Catherine
differs little from she did with Heathcliff before. To hurt Heathcliff,
he forces politely Heathcliff to greet Catherine. With the recognition
of Catherine's change, he would enjoy Heathcliff's mental mortification.
Heathcliff's Revenge
Example 1 "There was another rapid glance at the house, and supposing
himself
unseen,
the scoundrel had the impudence to embrace her. "
(C. 11, Page 94, last sentence of Paragraph 3)
In Wuthering Heights, readers could see Heathcliff doesn't miss anyone
he could defeat and harm. Heathcliff chases Isabella because of two
possible reasons: to retaliate Catherine for her betrayal; to make Edgar
sad by deceiving and hurting Isabella. Catherine would never imagine
Heathcliff's falling love with other girls--it could make her depressed
more than physical injury. As far as Catherine is concerned, Heathcliff's
love for herself is merely the support she can adapt herself to Thrushcross
Grange. When it comes to Edgar's reaction, he would esteem Iseballa's choice
and feel sorry--apparently Iseballa doesn't realize Heathcliff very much.
Example 2 He appeared to have bent his malevolence on making him
a brute: he
was never taught to read or write; never rebuked
for any bad habit which
did not annoy his keeper; never led a single step
towards virtue, or
guarded by a single precept against vice.
(C. 18, Page 165, Line 12~)
Heathcliff evidently gives back to Hareton what Hindley did to himself.
To remind him of Hindley's scorn, Heathcliff does the same thing to Hindley's
son. But we could also easily find the difference between Heathcliff
and Hindley. Besides lower down Heathclff's social position, Hindley
might beat Heathcliff cruelly straight; Heathcliff does not. In my
opinion, Heathcliff could perceive Hareton's fearless nature he has of
his own.
Example 3 "And it is quite natural that you should desire amusement
at your age;
and that
you should weary of nursing a sick man, and that man only
your father.
Catherine, his happiest days were over when your days
began."
(C. 27, Page 229, Line 4~)
Cathy is the Edgar's love after Catherine's death. The
direct method Hattack attacks his love opponent is--to plunder what Edgar
only has and favors. At this time, Edgar is sick--Edgar’s illness
could intensify the power of revenge! For Heathlciff, he just defeats
Edgar completely by detaining Cathy in Wuthering Heights.”
Iseballa's Revenge
Example " 'My father?' he cried, in strange perplexity. 'Mamma never
told me I
had a father.' Where does he live? I'd
rather stay with uncle.' "
(C.20, Page 171, Paragraph 4)
These are Linton's words when he knows his father's existence.
He has never told he has a father since he was born. Iseballa would
revenge Heathcliff by making him unknown to his son; maybe, the hurt Heathcliff
causes to Isaballa is so great and deep that Iseaballa chooses to forget.
And, Linton's would always have Heathcliff remember his failure in love
kingdom-- Catherine is married to Edgar Linton finally.
Conclusion
Exactly speaking, it is hard to say if Catherine and Edgar revenge
to people they dislike. Compared to Hindley, Heathcliff, and Isabella,
Catherine and Edgar would be much tenderer. The ways Hindley, Heathcliff,
and Catherine revenge just reflects their personality and characteristic:
Hindly would be short-tempered and straightforward--the physical action
is usually what he takes. Heathcliff is patient and meticulous: to
wait for the success of revenge, he could make money by hiself and then
get married to Isabella. Being cared in her family, Isabella would
revenge Heathcliff by plundering his pleasure as a father.
