Heathcliff

[erinshmerin]

Is Heathcliff supposed to be a Negro? He is described as as dark as if he were of the devil, and I think it is possible that he was abandoned in Liverpool as the unwanted son of a slave..? Just a thought. Lemme know what you think.

[Ranoo]

well I don't think he is a Negro , he is just a colored.For the british society Scorns any person who has just diffrent lyer of skin color . Also Nelly in a part of a novel ,when he was a child, told him his mother might be an indian queen .

[Shakira]

Even I thought that Heathcliff is portrayed as a Negro. However, recently I saw a film adaptation of the book & Heathcliff, there, was not a Negro. After watching the movie even I got thoroughly confused.

[13blackroses]

I always thought of him as having that sort of Latin type look. I think they do suggest somewhere in the book that he may have been from America.

[knowedly]

No, Heathcliff is not black. He is called a "gypsy" in the book. Gypsys are thought to have originated in India. So, Heathcliff has the dark skin, hair, and eyes of an Indian.

But what does it really matter what he is?

[jenniferrene313]

from chapter 7 Nelly talking to Heathcliff...


'A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad,' I continued, 'if you were a regular black*; and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly.'


*Blackamoor; a dark-skinned person

[miss tenderness]

I did n't get the sense of him being a negro,he is a gypsy.very big difference between the two.

[kate.ernshaw]

I agree with knowedly....he was a gipsy-light brown skin, black hair, dark eyes....maybe anybody of you read the book Heathcliff's return to WH...there is more about it...
as to answer the question i really dont think he was a negro

[miriel]

heatcliff is not black.he is stated to be dark(i guess at one of the first chapters when is brought from liverpool)but he is described as a gypsy then he must have a dark skin,i don't know if it is the exact word for it but a purpleish dark skin is what i meant.when the strict racialism of england back then is considered his complexion is what described as ugly(as devil)

[bricks_x]

I guess Heathcliff was of mixed raced - Liverpool was very much a port town in those days, and you would of had the brothels for sailors and travellers. It may be that Heathcliff was mixed race, and an unwanted child from a prostitute. Just an idea =]