Heathcliff
Orphan taken in by the Earnshaws who becomes a central figure driven by revenge and a consuming love for Catherine.
Core Belief
"Love and social status are intertwined, and their denial warrants any means of retribution."
Worldview
Sees the world as a battleground where social hierarchies are unjust and personal desires are paramount. He views society as a system to be manipulated for his own gain, fueled by his past mistreatment and exclusion.
Personality
Intense, brooding, and passionate, Heathcliff is initially vulnerable but hardens into a ruthless and vengeful man. He is driven by his thwarted love for Catherine and a desire for social and economic dominance, leading him to acts of cruelty and manipulation.
In Their Own Words
"“I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”"
"“If I had the power, I’d scatter her ashes on the wind, and mix hers with the earth, and consult the spirit of the moor, to discover where they roam. I’ll not leave a single token of her where she can haunt me.”"
"“You teach me now how cruel you've been—cruel and false. Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy?”"
Discussions with Heathcliff
Other Characters from Wuthering Heights
Catherine Earnshaw Linton
A central character torn between her passionate love for Heathcliff and her desire for social advancement through marriage to Edgar Linton.
Edgar Linton
Catherine's husband, representing social stability and refinement, and Heathcliff's rival.
Ellen (Nelly) Dean
The primary narrator, a housekeeper who provides a grounded perspective on the events at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
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