Revenge Glass Managery

Futility There are many major themes of the book, but revenge is the most imminent theme, the factor that leads the protagonists to their dismal fate. Bronte proves there is no peace in eternal vengeance, and in the end self-injury involved in serving revenge's purposes will be more damaging than the original wrong.

Heathcliff never finds peace through his revenge. In fact, the only time he truly finds happiness is when he gives up his plan for retaliation. Austin O'Malley states "Revenge is like biting a dog that bit you" (O'malley 1). O'Malley's quote reflects Heathcliff's immature need to propagate agony in those who have offended him. Heathcliff's plan for revenge on Edgar and Catherine is to marry Isabella, who is ignorant of love and of men because she has never experienced either. He wants to hurt Edgar because of his marriage to Catherine, and he wants to get revenge on Catherine by making her jealous. Catherine's death proves that this flawed plan of repayment helps nothing. Heathcliff, haunted by the ghost of Catherine because he is her "murderer," still is motivated by the need for revenge and tries to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton. Heathcliff never finds peace until he gives up his plan for revenge just before he dies. When Heathcliff gives up his plan for revenge, he meets Catherine in death and truly becomes happy once more.

Catherine's revenge does not make things better for her. Her revenge on Heathcliff by blaming him for her upcoming death does not meliorate her mind. Just before she dies, she ascribes Heathcliff for her "murder." "You have killed me, and thriven on it, I think" (Bronte 158). Catherine resembles what Oliver Goldsmith said, "When lovely woman stoops to folly, and finds too late that men betray, what charm can soothe her melancholy? What art can wash her guilt away? The only art her guilt to cover, To hide her shame from every eye, To give repentance to her lover, And wring his bosom, is-to die" (Oliver Goldsmith 1). Catherine's death is caused by her lack of emotional control and her dual personalities. She and Heathcliff "are" each other (Bronte 80), but her wants of social status and popularity draw her toward Edgar (Bronte 78). She does not love Edgar, but her selfish material wants control her. Catherine's revenge on Heathcliff does not assist her in finding happiness. She looks forward to dying and is "wearying to escape into that glorious world" (Bronte 160). Her death is, however, miserable as she wanders around the earth as a waif for 20 years occasionally visiting Heathcliff and torturing him.

Just as Heathcliff and Catherine's revenge make them miserable, Hindley's revenge on Heathcliff causes him to go bankrupt and eventually die. Hindley's attempt to kill Heathcliff only hurts himself in the process; it proves the point Isabella makes, "Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies" (Bronte 177). The fact that Hindley is mistreated as a child reflects the built up anger and resentment inside him and towards others. The hurt that Hindley feels is clearly understood, but sympathy for Hindley is only temporary because it is still his own fault for his predicaments. Hindley's loss of Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff and his mysterious death reflect how revenge does not make anything better, only worse.

Bronte corroborates that revenge is not only a harsh and rash way to live life, but is counter-productive and hurtful. Out of all of her major themes, revenge is the most imminent. The self-hurt involved with vengeance shows there are better ways to solve conflicts. Bronte sends a great message across by showing how negative revenge can be. There is no solution to obeying the spontaneous reaction of this negative reprisal.

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Revenge is the most dominant theme in the book, although at the end Heathcliff abandons his plan for revenge. For Heathcliff revenge started when Hindley used to abuse him when they were younger. He started to hate him and wanted to seek revenge. After he came back from his journey he made Hindley's life a living hell. Heathcliff got all of the property from gambling with Hindley. Heathcliff also wanted revenge on Edgar who married the woman Heathcliff loved. In the last chapter Heathcliff first believes that if he can avenge the death of Catherine that he will somehow grow closer to her. Though