Narcissistic Personality Disorder, By Emily Bronte

The exclusive relationships in the novel depict the dangers of obsession. Throughout the novel, Heathcliff shows his love for Catherine through obsessive behavior patterns. After Catherine died of childbirth, Heathcliff mourns deeply over their childhood memories shared. He pays homage at her funeral and observes her perished body.

During his multiple visitations to her new residence, Thrushcross Grange, he meticulously tries to make her feel ashamed of her marriage to Edgar Linton. For example, in his second visit to Thrushcross Grange he states that “[she has] treated [him] infernally” and that she should expect “[his revenge] ... in a very [short] while” (105-106). Correspondingly, Catherine responds saying that she is in shock by “his [new phase of character]” and is curious as to how he will get his “[so called ‘revenge’] ... [on her supposed ‘infernal’ treatment]” (106). Infuriated by her calling his sense of judgment, and revenge a bluff, he starts his master plan by aiming his affections at Edgar’s sister, Isabella Linton. Wantonly, Heathcliff manages to win Isabella’s heart and as such “[takes her away on horseback]” for Catherine to find out (122). Once again at hearing the disappearance of Heathcliff, this time with another woman, Catherine slips into another round of hallucinations. Yet, unlike the last time, her condition becomes life threatening. Catherine, in the time of her ailment, believes that “[her old life, and self are gone because of how Heathcliff treats her now]” (151). At the same time of when Catherine thinks this, Heathcliff, returns once again, to inform that “[he has not changed in how he treats her, but she has changed in how

"What is it to you?" he growled. "I have a right to kiss her, if she chooses, and you have no right to object. I am not your husband: you needn't be jealous of me!"( Bronte’s Chapter 11). In this quote, Heathcliff has sought his revenge on Catherine, for snubbing him, and Edgar, for always dismissing him, by marrying Isabella. This act of revenge paves the way for future divisions between Heathcliff and the Lintons. It also further damages Catherine and Heathcliff as they adjust to life without each other. The deepening pain they experience adds intensity to their passionate fall out later in the

Heathcliff grows up as a trouble maker; he is now an evil man whose wrath ensnares everybody around him. The catalytic moment that sends Heathcliff over the boiling point is when the love of his life, Catherine Earnshaw, choses his biggest rival, Edgar, to marry her. After this key moment in the novel, Heathcliff is never the same character. Heathcliff obsession with Catherine Earnshaw turns into a potent wrath and it is clearly shows in this quote by Heathcliff, “I seek no revenge you … That’s not the plan – The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don’t turn against him, they crush those beneath them – You are

“We love with a love that was more than love” stated by a famous poet by the name of Edgar Allen Poe. True love can appear deeper than the surface. Repeatedly humans confide in their brain on who they are “infatuated” and make decisions based upon that. Emily Bronte depicts this well in her outstanding novel “Wuthering Heights.” In the story, two characters by the name of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw are constantly yearning for each throughout the novel but under certain circumstances can be wed together. As an adopted child, Heathcliff comes into the family and attaches himself to Catherine. However, another character by the name of Edgar Linton, similarly loves Catherine but is the complete contrast of Heathcliff. Coming from a well-off family, Linton is almost a picture perfect of what society wants in a male being wealthy, respectful, and highly intelligent. On the other hand, Heathcliff is a poor, uncivilized, and simple-minded child. Bronte indicates in her narrative in a “what-if” situation based on the love between them both. Creating scenario, she creates a blurry line in between wrong and right choice for love. Nonetheless, “logical choice” is not always the correct choice nor is it a clear-cut choice. The author asks a question of “If it is a choice between the rational and true love, which do you chose?” Because of this, Bronte makes readers

The culture of set societal rules and conventions urges Catherine to be with Edgar, compelling her to be ‘the greatest woman of the neighbourhood’ due to them being relatively firm in their gentry’s status. This suggests the importance of her social status against the nature of her love for Heathcliff stating, ‘we would be beggars’, through employing the word ‘beggars’ the reader crafts the idea of her belief that she won’t survive without her status. Catherine admits ‘It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him’ Thus implying a swelling sense of her vanity and pride; enough to enjoy the position she gains from being married to Edgar despite her admiration for Heathcliff, being ‘more than (herself) than (she is)’and

Heathcliff resents her scorn. He desires to regain her approval. He attempts to be “decent” and “good” for her sake (Brontë 40). However, his attempt to be decent fails miserably. He resents the attentions that Catherine gives to Edgar. Catherine would rather wear a “silly frock” and have dinner with “silly friends” than ramble about the moors with him (Brontë 50). Heathcliff keeps track of the evenings Catherine spends with Edgar and those that she spends with him. He desperately wants to be with Catherine. When Catherine announces to Nelly her engagement to Edgar, Heathcliff eavesdrops, but leaves the room when he “heard Catherine say it would degrade her to marry him” (Brontë 59). Catherine has spurned his love, choosing Edgar over him. Heathcliff cannot bear this rejection. The love he possesses for her transcends romantic and filial love (Mitchell 124). He feels that he is one with her (Mitchell 123).

Mr. Heathcliff progresses through his own type of personal revolution which he supports the culture of his enemies, to use them primarily against the future. Noticing the contradictions Catherine states, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff, now; so he shall never know I love him; and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am”(Bronte 70). Since Catherine’s brother, Hindley, has given Heathcliff the status of a servant, she cannot marry him. Here contradictions between both social classes, upper class has to be with the rich and lower class with the poor. Even though Catherine admits that she loves Heathcliff and finds him very handsome she still marries Edgar Linton, who has social position and money.

In Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Catherine Earnshaw is in love with Heathcliff, a poor orphan who has become her foster brother. Their inseparable bond helps them survive the harshness and cruelty of their lives. However, wealthy Edgar Linton is in love with her as well, and Catherine must choose between them. Cathy sacrifices her future with Heathcliff so that she can marry Edgar Linton. This reveals that she is selfish enough to want a comfortable life at the expense of her "true love", but that she is also pragmatic and knows that having more money will help Heathcliff into a better social situation.

While Catherine’s intention for marrying Edgar may be to help her true love, Heathcliff does not perceive it this way. He feels that Catherine has betrayed her own affections for him. By marrying Edgar, Catherine has compromised her undying love for Heathcliff. Her words of love mean nothing to Heathcliff if she cannot express them in action. As a result of this, Heathcliff swears revenge against Edgar, the one who has stolen his precious Catherine from him.

Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship shows how love and hate intertwine because they both love each other, but also betray each other many times and even marry other people. Bronte shows this concept when Heathcliff confesses his love to Catherine on her deathbed, and says, “'It is hard to forgive, and to look at those eyes, and feel those wasted hands,' he answered. 'Kiss me again; and don't let me see your

He wants to get revenge on him for taking Cathy away from him, so he uses violence. This further shows that violence is largely used to take vengeance on others, especially by Heathcliff. As the characters aged, Heathcliff exacts revenge on Edgar for marrying Cathy by marrying and then abusing his sister Isabella. He believes that since he cannot directly punish Edgar for marrying Cathy and making her ill, he will punish Isabella instead, “He told me of Catherine’s illness, and accuses my brother of causing it, promising that I should be Edgar’s proxy in suffering, till he could get a hold of him.” (Bronte 143) Heathcliff admits that the only reason he married Isabella is to indirectly take revenge on Edgar through her as a proxy.

Brontë’s Catherine loves the wild Heathcliff and desires defiance of rules and limitations. However, unlike Gretchen, Catherine conforms to social norms by marrying the dull Edgar Linton instead of Heathcliff. Isabella becomes passionate about diverging from societal norms and the ability to making her own decisions. With these desires in mind, she marries an abusive man – even when Catherine warns her about Heathcliff.

The confinement that characters within the texts experience can be translated into modern values based on equality. In the novel, Catherine Earnshaw is constantly controlled by the circumstances that control her; she’s ruled by her father and Hindley throughout her childhood, restricted by her injury at Thrushcross Grange, and forced to marry Edgar because of her isolation from the rest of the world. Even in her passionate relationship with Heathcliff, which reflects the spontaneous, exciting nature of the Romantic period, Heathcliff

Catherine also talks at length about how marrying Edgar would be the best thing for her, and even though this action is presumably for wealth and power should love not transcend wealth and power? Tytler also conveys how Catherine and Heathcliff “regard each other as alter ego’s” (173). If they see each other as alter ego’s they can’t love each other. They use each other more as something to lean on to balance themselves. They see themselves as friends working together not as passionate lovers live some scholars believe.