Heathcliff is one of the male characters of the novel Wuthering Heights written by Emily Brontë. He is perceived as an antagonist hero who broke down his relationships with people who surrounded him. The author described his anger and jealousy in such a strong way that he is often claimed to be the archetype of the negative character. He decided to kill himself because he finished his plan of revenge. What is more, his heart suffered significantly because of his tragic love for Catherine Earnshaw.
Detailed answer:
It is possible to assume that the author consciously did not describe the moment of death of Heathcliff. He decided to stop eating and was starving from hunger. It can be observed that the man committed suicide. However, Bronte created a personage who is not perceived as an evil human. The reader can understand his motivation for revenge. This is why some people feel sorry for the man who experienced true love but could not be a part of it. Moreover, he did not have any friends or family members who could sincerely support him. That is why this person might seem sympathetic. He was lonely and could open his heart to anyone.
The archetypal qualities of the personage include the desire to destroy himself and everything around him. Heathcliff is a typical romantic hero who suffers from his actions and thoughts during the whole story. He could not afford what he wanted, which was one of the main reasons for his cruelty and evilness. It is crucial to mention that the description of the character changes depending on the part of the book. In the first chapters, he is illustrated as a person who was in love with Catherine and was ready for noble deeds in honor of the woman. In the second part of the story, his final aim is to avenge his enemies. This difference shows the complexity of the personage. It is very typical for the literary works of the Romantic Era. Writers studied human nature with its contradictions and flaws. It is also a source of demonstrating the cruelty of society. People do not communicate with someone who has unappreciated traits of character.
After Catherine’s death, the evilness and vindictiveness of Heathcliff reached its apogee. He wanted revenge not only for his enemies but also for their relatives and children. At the same time, he was becoming more and more depressed. He saw the phantom of his lover Catherine Earnshaw. In the final chapters of the book, the personage did not want revenge anymore. However, he lost his goal in life that made him feel stressed and sad. It is also necessary to mention the traumatic childhood of Heathcliff. It is possible to suggest that it affected him in a significant way. The humiliations made him cruel and violent. What is more, Catherine’s marriage, the only woman he loved, made him aggressive and jealous. Heathcliff decided to commit suicide because he could not imagine the future without his foster sister. He did not see the chance to be happy in this cruel and unequal world where he wanted to be the conqueror but was only a victim of circumstances. Death was the only path to find peace and calmness for this hero.
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