Literary Criticism: Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff: A generous man saved his life and cared for him like a son. He became central to the life of his new family, evoking both love and hate. His personality was shaped by the abuse he suffered from his foster brother, Hindley, balanced by the deep love he received from Mr. Earnshaw and Catherine. Nevertheless, he ultimately transformed into a tyrant—an evil figure consumed by a thirst for revenge. The climax of his descent occurs when he becomes haunted by Catherine's phantom. Catherine Earnshaw : Though seemingly secondary to the plot early on, her main conflict was choosing between marrying the penniless Heathcliff or a wealthy man like Edgar Linton. After her death, however, she becomes the novel's central force. She haunts Heathcliff’s mind, gradually reshaping his thoughts and behaviors like a gentle drop of water eroding a rock—transforming him from persecutor to persecuted. Hindley Earnshaw : The arrival of Heathcliff awakened Hindley's bitter nature, driv...
