Gerardo Alvarado-Torres

Heathcliff: That is all

Despite being an integral character and major driving force for the plot in Wuthering

Heights, Heathcliff is still known to be the most morally ambiguous character of the novel. This

idea is formulated and crafted through Heathcliff’s environment, motives, and actions all

throughout his life in the novel.

Heathcliff’s environment, especially throughout his childhood, molded his moral

foundation as a character which adds to his overall moral ambiguity. His environment at

Wuthering Heights was the main source of influence, seen that Heathcliff lived for most of his

life there. Whether it be how he grew up or the people surrounding him, all of these factors

contributed to the character’s morality. Mr. Earnshaw found Heathcliff, a gypsy, “starving, and

houseless, as good as dumb on the streets of Liverpool” (36), and upon taking him to his estate at

Wuthering Heights, he was hated by everyone. Although Nelly, Hindley, and Mrs. Earnshaw had

a deep-seated aversion for the gypsy boy, he and Catherine Earnshaw were very close. On that

note, Mr. Earnshaw favored HC above even his own children, which only adds to Hindley’s

detestation of Heathcliff in the future. Heathcliff’s personality at a young age can be best

described as “sullen, patient: hardened, perhaps, to ill treatment” because he would stand

Hindley’s blows without any reaction as well as taking Nelly’s pinches as if they are nothing

(37). Despite showing a very submissive and forgiving nature, Mr. Earnshaw’s favoritism of HC

and the pity he had for him exposed a different side to the character, one that is conniving and

deceptive. However following the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley ruled Wuthering Heights and

seen that HC’s only source protection was gone, he was vulnerable to assault. Hindley’s

vengeance included ruining HC’s life by taking away his education, status in the family, and
most importantly, Catherine, who ends up marrying Edgar Linton. These things were meant to

break Heathcliff down, but in turn, fueled the patient boy’s desire for revenge for years to come,

however the ambiguity comes along when one tries to figure out if the motivation for revenge is

because of unrequited love or for the pleasure of vengeance.

Many motivations for