Destructive Nature in "Wuthering Heights" by Emily
Destructive Nature in "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte
Destructive nature of relationships occurs not only because of jealous feelings. There are some other factors too, which directly turns good relationships to hurtful relationships, and these relationships never cause a good result. Unfortunately, It makes the situation worst, and uncontrollable. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte also plays with a theme of destructive relationships, and makes reader realize that the malevolence and jealousy take the society to the destruction. In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte majestically portrays the destructive nature of relationships through the presentation of jealous feelings, uncaring parents, and heartless mates.
In her novel, Emily Bronte establishes the theme of destructive relationship by portraying the concept of jealousy, for example when Mr. Earnshaw starts to favor Heathcliff (the orphan) over his son, Hindley. The recognition that Heathcliff gets instead of Hindley really makes Hindley angry and he starts getting jealous of Heathcliff. Hindley tries to get the father’s attention back by insulting Heathcliff. “…be damned you beggarly interloper! And wheedle my father out of all he has only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan” (Bronte 1995, 39). Here Hindley refers to Heathcliff as a beggar, intruder and imp of Satan. Not only that but also Hindley whips Heathcliff a lot of time. Nelly Dean, the second narrator, tells how Heathcliff ‘would stand Hindley’s blows without winking or shedding a tear’ (Bronte 1995, 38). Hindley does all of this to Heathcliff justbecause of the love and affection he receives from Earnshaw. The love from Hindley’s father for Heathcliff literally makes Hindley jealous. In fact, Hindley’s jealousy burst out one day, and Hindley throw him away from Wuthering Heights.It turns Heathcliff’s life into a nightmare and makes Heathcliff to turn back at Hindley for revenge. Hindley is not the only one to be jealous of Heathcliff, Edgar also plays a key role in revealing his inner most jealous feeling towards Heathcliff. Edgar shows his jealousy to Heathcliff, because he thinks Heathcliff may take his love, Catherine Earnshaw, away from him. Emily Bronte shows this predicament, when Heathcliff comes back to visit Catherine after three-year disappearance. Edgar says, “…Catherine, try to be glad, without being absurd! The whole household need not witness the sight of your welcoming a runaway servant as a brother” (Bronte 1995, 95). Firstly, this reveals that Edgar is not happy to see Heathcliff back,...