Examine Heathcliff’s obsession with wealth and property
Examine Heathcliff’s obsession with wealth and property: (7). In Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff makes several observations about the role of wealth and property. These observations offer insights into the ways wealth and property shape relationships, create societal hierarchies, and contribute to characters’ motivationsHeathcliff’s observations about wealth and property in Wuthering Heights are often driven by his own experiences and the injustices he faces as an orphaned servant turned landowner. From the very beginning of the novel, Heathcliff is acutely aware of the social hierarchy that wealth and property create. His own lack of wealth and status as an orphan is contrasted with the privileged lives of the Earnshaw family. This disparity fuels his desire to gain wealth and power, which ultimately leads to tragic consequences.
Heathcliff views wealth and property as means to attain power and control over others. When Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights as a wealthy man, he uses his newfound financial status to seek revenge on those who he believes wronged him in the past. He acquires the property through questionable means, buying it from Hindley, who is drowning his sorrows in alcohol and gambling. This transaction highlights how wealth can be wielded as a tool of manipulation and control.
Furthermore, Heathcliff’s pursuit of wealth and property is driven by his desire to possess Catherine, his childhood love. He believes that by amassing wealth, he can elevate himself to Catherine’s social standing and win her affections. However, his relentless pursuit of wealth causes him to lose sight of the genuine love and connection they once shared. In this way, wealth and property become destructive forces that corrupt Heathcliff’s once pure motivations.
Heathcliff’s own experiences of wealth and property also shape his observations on the relationships between other characters. He observes how Hindley’s obsession with gambling and wealth ultimately leads to his downfall and the deterioration of his relationships with his family members. By contrast, Heathcliff sees how Edgar Linton’s wealth and property provide him with social standing and the ability to win Catherine’s hand in marriage. This observation fuels Heathcliff’s resentment and intensifies his desire for wealth as a means of asserting his dominance and reclaiming what he believes is rightfully his.
In conclusion, Heathcliff’s observations about wealth and property in Wuthering Heights offer insights into the ways in which they shape relationships, create societal hierarchies, and drive characters’ motivations. The pursuit of wealth and power is a central theme in the novel, and Heathcliff’s own experiences serve as a cautionary tale about the destructive nature of this pursuit. Through Heathcliff’s observations, Bronte explores the consequences of unchecked ambition and the ways in which wealth and property can corrupt and divide individuals and communities.