The Development of Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering Heights Essay

The Development of Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering Heights Heathcliff is a character who is ever present in â€Å"Wuthering Heights† and throughout the novel his character changes. At first he is a poor, homeless child, then he becomes a loved and neglected victim, then he is a degraded lover, and finally he transforms into a vicious, lonely master. Heathcliff is introduced into the novel as a homeless child. He is a ‘â€Å"dirty, ragged, black-haired child†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ who Mr. Earnshaw brings to Wuthering Heights from Liverpool. He is constantly referred to as ‘it’ and a ‘gypsy’. His wife, Mrs. Earnshaw, is furious that Heathcliff has been brought into the house and the Earnshaws’ son, Hindley, is jealous of the apparent love his father is giving Heathcliff. Hindley therefore beats up and bullies Heathcliff throughout his childhood, especially when he becomes master of the Heights when Mr. Earnshaw dies: ‘†¦reminded him to order Heathcliff a flogging’. This shows that Heathcliff has been transformed from a poor, homeless child into a neglected victim. However, Mr. Earnshaw treats Heathcliff with more love than his other children: ‘†¦and petting him up far above Cathy’ This shows that Heathcliff is loved by Mr. Earnshaw but also neglected by Hindley and Mrs. Earnshaw. It is because of Mr. Earnshaw’s love for Heathcliff that Hindley gets jealous and abuses him. However, Heathcliff doesn’t really react to Hindley’s abuse, because he doesn’t cry or complain and just gets up and carries on. However, he manipulates Hindley into giving him Hindley’s horse: ‘â€Å"†¦if you wont I shall tell your father of the three thrashings you’ve given me this week. This shows that Heathcliff can be manipulative. After fighting with .. ... a servant by Heathcliff. He usually obeys him, but when small Cathy asks him to pick some flowers, he does it. Heathcliff is angry by this: ‘â€Å"And who ordered you to obey her?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This shows that Heathcliff is losing control. However, he also feels he has won everything and has nothing left worth fighting for. He dies soon after, drenching himself in the rain. However, he leaves an exulting face: ‘†¦life-like gaze of exultation’. This shows that Heathcliff has left thinking he has won. He has left to be with Catherine, and the ghosts of them are spotted together, finally: â€Å"They’s Heathcliff and a woman, yonder†. Heathcliff is a character in â€Å"Wuthering Heights† whose character has altered tremendously and in turn altered so many others. This is due both to the other characters either showing him love or showing him hate and his own personality.