Wuthering Heights Revenge Analysis

Revenge and the Vicious Cycle of Abuse in Wuthering Heights

The desolate cliffs of Wuthering Heights serve as backdrop to a story that mimics the harsh conditions the characters face.With only two places of lodging and frequently inclimate weather, characters are isolated and maintain consistent interaction with each other. Bronte establishes a cycle of misery through a juxtaposition of setting and character interactions, which serves to further the motif of vengeance.

As Mr. Earnshaw adopts Heathcliff, Heathcliff immediately becomes an outsider and a target for abuse from other characters in the novel. When Mr. Earnshaw passes away, Hindley takes over as guardian for Heathcliff. This change begins the cycle of abuse in Wuthering Heights.

Heathcliff gaines wealth and connections and now is in a place of immense power. Hareton comes to live with Heathcliff and immediately serves as a whipping board for Heathcliff. This attitude shown by Heathcliff in the quote “he had the hypocrisy to represent a mourner: and previous to following with Hareton, he lifted the unfortunate child on to the table and muttered, with peculiar gusto, Now, my bonny lad, you are mine! And we 'll see if one tree won 't grow as crooked as another, with the same wind to twist it!" exemplifies the cycle of abuse in Wuthering Heights (Bronte 116). Heathcliff wants to treat Hareton in the same manner in which he was treated. This corrupt view of a guardian relationship is a product of the character interactions and the utter isolation Heathcliff feels. Heathcliff is duplicating his pain and hardships. Ilsley continues that the abuse of another fails to satisfy the abuser, only giving momentary satisfaction (Ilsley 2). In this context, Heathcliff only feels temporary enjoyment when he abuses Hareton, and will fail to gain permanent happiness. This causes a repetition of abuse and is just as harmful to Heathcliff as it is to Hareton’s mental state. Now that Hareton has been constantly reminded of his inferiority, he is more likely to enter into an abusive relationship in his adult future. Vargish refers to Heathcliff’s treatment of Hareton as “moral teething” which furthers the idea of the cycle of abuse (Vargish 14). Heathcliff’s soul is chapped from the torture he received from Hindley, and Hareton is his chew toy. Hareton is treated as subhuman and his interactions with Cathy reflect