Just wondering

[Parson]

I just finished reading Wuthering Heights and i was wondering if anyone else had the same views on Heathcliffe's death as i do. I believe that he gave up on life. He began to think about Catherine more and more. After he saw Cathy and Hareton together is when he really gave up on life. I think that Cathy and Hareton are what Catherine and Heathcliffe could have been if Catherine didnt think she needed to 'better' herself. I believe that after Heathcliffe saw this, he gave up on life. Does anyone else feel this way? If not anyother views are welcome.

[belinda]

That's an interesting angle, I hadn't thought of that. I prefer to believe in the supernatural elements in the story, and personally felt that Heathcliff simply reached his goals. His treatment by Hindley, the disdain shown him by the Lintons, and his passionate love rejected by Cathering, he sought revenge. His goal was to rise above those who placed him below themselves, which he did by way of making Hareton all but his own child, taking over ownership of the Heights, and using his own son, Linton, and Catherine's daughter's marriage to claim ownership of the Grange. With all the original Lintons dead, as well as the Earnshaws, all he had now to focus on was his ever burning longing for his lost love, Catherine. Having had Lockwood inform him of her haunting the room that once meant so much to them both, he began taking up residence in there, hoping, wishing, and pleading with her to return and take his soul into her embrace for eternity. I like to romanticise that he stayed alive for years to exact his revenge, only find that it was all meaningless, and empty because he was still without Catherine. Finally finding her Heathcliff ready for her to return to him, she made regular visits to him in his mind, before coming and reuniting with him for the last time. They are now forever to inhabit the moors together, unrestful souls due to their many flaws in life, yet perfectly at rest with each other.

[downing]

Wow, belinda, I love your review! You do good reviews! Especially the end of this one
They are now forever to inhabit the moors together, unrestful souls due to their many flaws in life, yet perfectly at rest with each other.. I really like this imagery!
Now I should go back to Parson's question: I agree with you Parson, I had the same view on Heathcliff's death; I think he was haunted by Catherine's memory and he longed for her, just like Belinda said, yet he couldn't have her. Remember that impressive depiction he makes when he says he went to her grave and began ''search'' for her and almost heard her? I think that was one passage whoch showed very clearly the way in which he was tormented.
I believe that Heatchliff suffered a lot when he was little and then he wanted revenge and made the others suffer. I guess that God had sent him this pain which finally destroys him. What do you think?

[saperelli]

I agree half with both Belinda and Parson- I think that Heathcliff had seen his goals come together eventually but also the coupling of Hareton and Cathy allowed him time to finally accept and seek Catherine again in death. The interesting thing about Wuthering Heights for me is Bronte breaks down barriers which we, as humans, take for granted. This includes death, which still interacts with the living, and vice versa. It's unstable, like Heathcliff himself, and a fitting end for Heathcliff who is reunited wholly with Cathy in death, his Hell being alive and tortured by her soul who couldn't find him.