Monday, April 30, 2012

Wuthering Heights: Downfalls

"He says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; said he sha'n't obtain it-I'll die first! I just hope, I pray, that he may forget his diabolical prudence and kill me! The single pleasure I can imagine is to die, or to see him dead!" (151).

An emerging theme seems to be madness. These people are all affected by the sudden relationships and Isabella is one of them. She marries Heathcliff, thinking he's a charming young man, (right..) but Heathcliff really only uses her as a tool of revenge. The above quote shows Heathcliff's effect on Isabella. Basically, Heathcliff has ruined Isabella's life and she admits that she would prefer death over life. However, Isabella is partly to blame because she was rather naive going into the marriage and she barely knew Heathcliff anyway. At this point, it is obvious that Heathcliff's hubris is his longing for revenge. He's one of those characters that will not rest until he has sought some means of vengeance. Just like Iago, he doesn't mind if he breaks a few hearts along the way. This characterizes Heathcliff is a rather negative way and it causes the reader to view him as cruel and unforgiving. However, we know that beneath all of that need for vengeance lies a good intention: to win back his love Catherine. Aww. If only he would show that side more often.

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