The motif of Revenge throughout the novel and its impact on each character of the story.

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Chapter 5-8
The motif of revenge becomes apparent in chapters five through eight. Revenge is first seen due to Hindley's resentment toward Heathcliff from their childhood. Once Hindley becomes the master of Wuthering Heights because of Mr. Earnshaw's death, he makes it his mission to make Heathcliff's life miserable. Hindley reveals his plan on page 48,

“A few words from her, evincing a dislike to Heathcliff, were enough to rouse in him all his old hatred of the boy. He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of doors instead; compelling him to do so as hard as any other lad on the farm.” However, Heathcliff did not sit back and let Hindley ruin his life at Wuthering Heights. Revenge against Hindley is brought up two times by Heathcliff. This foreshadows a struggle between Heathcliff and Hindley in the near future.

“At least the minute they had contrived some naughty plan of revenge; and many a “time I’ve cried to myself to watch them growing more reckless daily” (Brontë 49).

“I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do!” (Brontë 63).

At the end of chapter eight Hindley once again seeks revenge on the household because he grieves for his wife's death.

“He neither wept nor prayed; he cursed and defied: execrated God and man, and gave himself up to reckless dissipation” (Brontë 67).

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 9-12
In chapter 9 through 12, Heathcliff's plans of revenge are exposed. His corruption is first seen when Hareton confesses to Nelly that Heathcliff was the one to teach him to swear at his father. This hate that Heathcliff sparked creates more trouble and heartache in Hindley's life, which is exactly what he wanted to happen.

Heathcliff's revenge on Hindley continues when he tells Catherine his motives for returning was purely to take revenge on his enemy. Heathcliff announces upon his return, “I meditated this plan—just to have one glimpse of your face, a stare of surprise, perhaps, and pretended pleasure; afterwards settle my score with Hindley; and then prevent the law by doing execution on myself” (Brontë 103). His return has shaken up not only Wuthering Heights, but also Thrushcross Grange. Although it could seem that Heathcliff has returned for Catherine, he makes it known that his only plan is to take revenge on Hindley and be gone forever. However this return of Heathcliff makes Catherine's life more confusing and complicated.

Meanwhile, Heathcliff also seeks revenge on Catherine for marrying Edgar. This becomes a success when Catherine reveals, “Quarrel with Edgar, if you please, Heathcliff, and deceive his sister: you’ll hit on exactly the most efficient method of revenging yourself on me” (Brontë 121). Heathcliff creates pain within Thrushcross Grange to make up for the pain he experienced when Catherine left him.

Because of Heathcliff's actions, Catherine must choose between Edgar or Heathcliff. She experiences heartache, and therefore wishes everyone else to have heartache too. She does this by concluding, “Well, if I cannot keep Heathcliff for my friend—if Edgar will be mean and jealous, I’ll try to break their hearts by breaking my own" (Brontë 128). Her revenge shakes the whole house into chaos.

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 13-16
Aside from Catherine and Heathcliff, Hindley also seeks revenge on someone. His revenge, however is over pure greed. He warns Isabella that if he ever gets the chance, he will kill Heathcliff in order to get his fortune. He confesses, “That’s a great tempter to a desperate man, is it not? I cannot resist going up with this every night, and trying his door. If once I find it open he’s done for; I do it invariably, even though the minute before I have been recalling a hundred reasons that should make me refrain: it is some devil that urges me to thwart my own schemes by killing him” (Brontë 151).

Heathcliff continues to create turmoil in his relationship with Isabella. He takes revenge on her in the place of Edgar. She recalls, “He told me of Catherine’s illness, and accused my brother of causing it promising that I should be Edgar’s proxy in suffering, till he could get hold of him” (Brontë 156). Although Isabella did not make Katherine ill, Heathcliff chooses to find fulfillment in his anger through torturing her. This makes Isabella's new life at Wuthering Heights unbearable.

After Catherine's death, Heathcliff practically wishes revenge on himself. He prays, “Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you—haunt me, then!” (Brontë 180). He is not only asking for Catherine's ghost to haunt him, but he is also not letting her soul rest. This explains the dream that Lockwood experienced his night at Wuthering Heights.

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 17-20
Through chapters 17 to 20, Heathcliff's anger continues to affect lives around him. Because he possess so much hate, he obtains revenge on anyone who crosses his path. In chapter 17, Isabella becomes his prisoner when she realizes, “Do you think he could bear to see me grow fat and merry—could bear to think that we were tranquil, and not resolve on poisoning our comfort" (Brontë 186)? Isabella sees that because of Heathcliff's never ending anger, she will never bee free from his violence until she flees.

Once Hindley dies, Heathcliff continues to seek revenge on the Earnshaw family through Hareton. Nelly describes his situation, “In that manner Hareton, who should now be the first gentleman in the neighbourhood, was reduced to a state of complete dependence on his father’s inveterate enemy; and lives in his own house as a servant” (Brontë 202). Again, Heathcliff is taking revenge on someone who did not wrong him, but still goes on to ease his anger.

By the end of chapter 20, Heathcliff takes back his "property" or his son, Linton. He sarcastically promises, “I’ll be very kind to him, you needn’t fear,’ he said, laughing” (Brontë 225). The end of the chapter foreshadows Linton being abused by Heathcliff and everyone in Wuthering Heights.

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 21-24
In chapter 21, Heathcliff continues to point out his success in revenge over Hindley. He notes, “You’ll own that I’ve outmatched Hindley there. If the dead villain could rise from his grave to abuse me for his offspring’s wrongs, I should have the fun of seeing the said offspring fight him back again” (Brontë 238)! Heathcliff is still living in the past and still requires old bitterness to be justified.

Also in chapter 21, Heathcliff forms a new plan to set up Linton and Cathy to be married. He reveals his plan when he says, “My design is as honest as possible. I’ll inform you of its whole scope,’ he said. ‘That the two cousins may fall in love, and get married. I’m acting generously to your master: his young chit has no expectations, and should she second my wishes she’ll be provided for at once as joint successor with Linton” (Brontë 233). Although he says that his action are honest, there seems to be another motive behind creating a relationship between the two cousins. The "love" between the two stirs up chaos in the Linton household.

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 25-28
Heathcliff's desire for revenge continues as he manipulates the relationship of Catherine and Linton. His plan to take Edgar's property ends up hurting Catherine more than Edgar. However, he first terrorizes Linton. The weak boy reveals Heathcliff's wrongdoing when he states, “I can never re-enter that house,’ he answered. ‘I’m not to re-enter it without you” (Brontë 291). He is already sick, but now Heathcliff's revenge has now worsened Linton's life.

Heathcliff continues to repeat making other's lives miserable. He makes it his goal, and in these chapter he only wishes to seek revenge on Edgar. He does not try to hide his evil when he confesses, “Miss Linton, I shall enjoy myself remarkably in thinking your father will be miserable: I shall not sleep for satisfaction. You could have hit on no surer way of fixing your residence under my roof for the next twenty-four hours than informing me that such an event would follow. As to your promise to marry Linton, I’ll take care you shall keep it; for you shall not quit this place till it is fulfilled” (Brontë 297).

Lizzie Adams

Chapter 29-31
Heathcliff continues on his daily routine of revenge as he disturbs the dead. He tells Nelly of his doing when he states, “I got the sexton, who was digging Linton’s grave, to remove the earth off her coffin lid, and I opened it” (Brontë 311). However, this disturbance has caused Catherine's ghost to not visit him every night.

Heathcliff's revenge by taking Thrushcross Grange and all Catherine possesses begins to take a toll on her happiness. Once Linton dies, she has no one to live for. Lockwood notices her sorrow, “She does not seem so amiable,’ I thought, ‘as Mrs. Dean would persuade me to believe. She’s a beauty, it is true; but not an angel” (Brontë 323).

Heathcliff begins to get a response from the ones that he has taken revenge on. Catherine brings up the wound that, “Mr. Heathcliff you have nobody to love you; and, however miserable you make us, we shall still have the revenge of thinking that your cruelty arises from your greater misery” (Brontë 311).

He also appears to be haunted by the idea of the older Catherine when he confesses, “But when I look for his father in his face, I find her every day more! How the devil is he so like? I can hardly bear to see him” (Brontë 328). This is revenge from all his wrongdoing in his life.

Chapter 32-34
By the end of the novel, Heathcliff begins to lose the urge to take revenge. He confesses, “I don’t care for striking: I can’t take the trouble to raise my hand! That sounds as if I had been labouring the whole time only to exhibit a fine trait of magnanimity. It is far from being the case: I have lost the faculty of enjoying their destruction, and I am too idle to destroy for nothing” (Brontë 350). This lost need for payback comes directly from Catherine Earnshaw's presence as a ghost. He feels closer to her as he approaches death, and therefore has no need to seek revenge.

Before he dies, Heathcliff mentions that “I tell you I have nearly attained my heaven; and that of others is altogether unvalued and uncoveted by me.” (Brontë 362). Every sin he has committed does not matter to him because he is able to get back what he was fighting for, Catherine. He creates peace for himself once he dies as well as Cathy and Hareton, who plan to be married and live in Thrushcross Grange.

The ending of Heathcliff is also the end of revenge in Wuthering Heights.