This article has spoilers.
Is Heathcliff a character to love or to hate? Is he the epitome of passionate love and devotion, or is his affection for Cathy a rather terrifying and violent obsession? When Emily Brontë publishedWuthering Heights in 1847, readers were both astonished and fascinated by this unconventional character. Professors Maite Escudero Alías and Sonia Baelo Allué, from the Department of English Studies of the University of Zaragoza, share their views on the matter.
| On Heathcliff, by Maite Escudero Alías “I am Heathcliff! He’s always in my mind –not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself –, but as my own being”. (Catherine to Nelly, Vol. I, Ch. IX; original emphasis) “Be with me, always – take any form – drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God” It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!” (Heathcliff’s rhapsodic speech to Catherine, Vol. II, Ch. II; original emphasis) Heathcliff is described by most characters as an outcast: “dark-skinned gypsy”, “fierce, pitiless wolfish man”, “brute beast”, “black villain”, “devil daddy”, “hellish villain”, “lying fiend, a monster and not a human being” and, most significantly, as “an unreclaimed creature without refinement, without cultivation; an arid wilderness of furze and whinstone”. Such expressions attest to his rebellious and ruthless behaviour, once Catherine rejects him to marry Edgar. Catherine’s decision prompts a turning point in Heathcliff’s idiosyncrasy since, as she puts it, “marrying Heathcliff would degrade her”, thus signalling social class as the main obstacle to their happiness. This resolution must be seen in the context of a Victorian society in which social class was the kernel of one’s destiny. Heathcliff is, without a doubt, one of the best literary incarnations of the concept of the Sublime, a philosophical and aesthetic tradition that inspired the Romantics and Emily Bröntë in the depiction of local landscapes and passionate emotions. The Sublime is always already imbued by both beauty and terror, a duality inherent to life. Such paradoxical ingredients permeate Healthcliff’s soul: as a Romantic hero, he is full of passion, energy and will. Yet, when revengeinhabits his soul, he becomes violent and sadistic. The violence he exerts, mainly upon Isabella and Hareton –also against himself– must be properly contextualized because, otherwise, his character may fall into an easy classification as “evil”. It is my contention that Healthcliff’s social class, lack of education and affective ties in his upbringing trigger his subsequent behaviour. To this, we should add the fact that, as a child, he is mistreated and constantly humiliated and beaten up by Hindley, also by the Lintons, who mock at his unknown origins. As the saying goes: violence breeds violence. This is not to justify Heathcliff’s hatred and endless sense of revenge, but to consider that when a child lacks affection, they are very likely to repeat the cycle of violence that has trapped them, leading them to self-destruction and masochistic/sadistic drives, as happens to Heathcliff. If he becomes “a wicked man”, it is because he is deprived of his “soul” and of his “life” by a cruel society that pushes him into revenge as the only drive that alleviates his pain and keeps him alive after Catherine’s death. And this societal punishment, in turn, breeds more destruction and violence, fettering the individual’s happiness. I belong to a generation enchanted by the love story between Heathcliff and Catherine: the impossibility of their union, the loyal passions within their souls, the everlasting sense of joy when being together, and the promise of a better life beyond death, opened our hearts towards unknown territories of fear and freedom, both at once. Feeling such intense delight and passion towards somebody and being reciprocated would entail living in heaven, but as we know, Emily Bröntë portrayed, in an exquisite way, the entrance into hellish experiences too. Yet, like the furze when in bloom, Heathcliff’s harshness constitutes the bedrock from which spring the ambivalent passions of life, “both and”. | On Heathcliff, by Sonia Baelo Allué On Valentine’s Day weekend 2026, the latest film adaptation of Wuthering Heights was released, promoted as “The ultimate love story” on social media. Jacob Elordi, who plays Heathcliff, even said in a press interview that “you don’t need to search for your Heathcliff, your Heathcliff will find you.” He didn’t say it as a threat but to express the idea that true love eventually arrives. However, having Heathcliff find you is like saying Hannibal Lecter knows where you live. Yet, the character maintains a romantic halo based on his limitless love for Catherine. This distorted perception of Heathcliff may be the result of the many adaptations of the novel that focus on Heathcliff and Catherine’s tragic love story, ignoring the latter half of the novel where Heathcliff carries out his multi-generational revenge, turning from a romantic victim into a sociopathic victimizer. Heathcliff is a complex character with a traumatic past. The romantic and Gothic hero he represents must be understood in context. He was an orphan and outsider who arrived at Wuthering Heights at age 7. The death of Mr. Earnshaw when he was 13 marked the beginning of even more years of abuse at the hands of Hindley. His love for Catherine is eternal and passionate, but his thirst for revenge turns him into one of the most ruthless beings in literature. That love does not prevent him from mistreating other women. He is capable of deceiving and abusing Isabella; he even hangs her dog, a spaniel named Fanny, from a hook when fleeing with her. He strikes Cathy (his beloved Catherine’s daughter) with a “shower of terrific slaps” on both sides of her head, does not allow her to see her father, Edgar, before he dies, and forces her to marry Linton. His wickedness is especially harsh toward Hareton and Linton, whose potential is destroyed when they are still defenseless children. There are two moments that are especially cruel. One is when, upon Hindley’s death and Heathcliff taking possession of Wuthering Heights, he takes revenge on his oppressor by raising Hareton, Hindley’s son, to make him “a brute”. From age 5, he denies him an education, turning him into an illiterate servant. The same happens with his own son, Linton. After 12 years of being protected by his mother, he is forced to live with Heathcliff following Isabella’s death. He eventually dies at 17, not even receiving any medical attention. As a child, Linton spends one night at Thrushcross Grange where he briefly glimpses a peaceful life with his uncle and cousin, only to be forced the next morning to go live with his father at Wuthering Heights. Linton’s cries of “Don’t leave me! I’ll not stay here! I’ll not stay here!” as Nelly leaves are haunting. Wuthering Heights is a love story that overcomes all barriers and obstacles, but that story is not just Heathcliff and Catherine’s, but also Cathy and Hareton’s, who are capable of breaking the cycle of abuse through resilience and generosity. Humanity returns to Wuthering Heights when Cathy and Hareton find each other while reading a book together, with a warm love growing in the barren soil of the moor. This is a love against which even Heathcliff is unable to fight, confessing he is “too idle to destroy” their happiness and choosing instead to let himself die. Seen in this light, should a Heathcliff ever find us, let’s hope we gather the strength to lock him out. |
Want to discuss Wuthering Heights in greater detail?
Join us in the next session of our book club! On Tuesday 21 April, at 6.45pm, we will discuss this classic of English literature at the Sala Filo of our Faculty’s building. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts on this intriguing and memorable character in the comments.
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