This blog post is probably going to be in stark contrast to my first blog post on Wuthering Heights. In my first post, I sided with Heathcliff and believed that his actions were purely the result of others wrongdoings upon him and not a result of his own blackened-heart. However, after reading further, I believe Heathcliff has not only far exceeded the hardships others have placed upon him but multiplied his own brash actions three fold. He is not acting purely in response to others actions upon him now, but instead acting as a manipulator to everyone around him.
In my first blog post, Heathcliff was mentioned as a manipulator when it came to using his close relationship with his adopted father as bait for others to treat him well and gain extra benefits. However now after more reading, Heathcliff is manipulating people for his pure enjoyment. He has become a very spiteful person. For example, Heathcliff marries Isabella only for revenge on Catherine. He doesn't truly love his wife. In fact, Isabella and Heathcliff's son, Linton Heathcliff, is shunned from his father until he becomes profitable to Heathcliff. Heathcliff ignores his son for the first thirteen years of his life and refers to his mother as a slut. Isabella was mistreated by Heathcliff and ran away to England to escape Heathcliff's wrath upon her. She was anything but a slut. Heathcliff should not speak so harshly about his deceased wife.
I find it interesting that one of Heathcliff's main goals in life, is creating little Healthcliffs. By this I mean, Heathcliff raises children exactly how he was raised even though he hated his upbringing. For example, Hareton and Linton are both Heathcliff's sons and neither of them receive formal education. Harteton, especially is a exact representation of Heathcliff's revenge against the wrongdoings others have done upon him. Hindley raised Heathcliff as an uneducated worker and, to release his spite against Hindley, Hetathcliff treats Hindley's son the exact same way. Hareton is raised as an uneducated worker. He is ill-literate and has very little future because of his lack of education. Heathcliff has purposely tried to ruin Hareton's life, just as Hindley did to Heathcliff.
Heathcliff is a very spiteful person and I believe his heart has been blackened beyond repair. He has become a mass manipulator. The common saying, "Hurt people, hurt people", is a good descriptor of Heathcliff because he is able to hurt people due to his disgruntled childhood. However, even though Heathcliff was abused as a child, this does not allow him to act in these spiteful ways as an adult. He has far exceeded the hurt anyone had ever placed on him and takes pleasure in the pains of others. Heathcliff is deeply scared and misunderstood. He is no longer a victim in the book, but the victimizer.
