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The Relationship Between Catherine and Heathcliff

The document discusses the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff from their youth until Catherine's death. It describes how Catherine discovered a new world and way of life at Thrushcross Grange that changed her permanently, making her capricious and rude to those outside this new world, including Heathcliff. At age 15, Catherine accepted a marriage proposal to Linton, thinking it was reasonable but not listening to her heart. On her deathbed, Catherine realized her love for Heathcliff was eternal like rocks, while her love for Linton was fleeting like foliage. Heathcliff was devastated by Catherine's death, begging her spirit to remain with him always as he could not live without her.

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SandraStojanović
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3K views2 pages

The Relationship Between Catherine and Heathcliff

The document discusses the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff from their youth until Catherine's death. It describes how Catherine discovered a new world and way of life at Thrushcross Grange that changed her permanently, making her capricious and rude to those outside this new world, including Heathcliff. At age 15, Catherine accepted a marriage proposal to Linton, thinking it was reasonable but not listening to her heart. On her deathbed, Catherine realized her love for Heathcliff was eternal like rocks, while her love for Linton was fleeting like foliage. Heathcliff was devastated by Catherine's death, begging her spirit to remain with him always as he could not live without her.

Uploaded by

SandraStojanović
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff

I believe that almost all great loves come (too) early. On the one hand, it is that that makes them
great openness, innocence and sincerity. On the other hand, they are hardly aware of what they
have; all the troubles begin when they discover the big coulourful world in all its varieties.
Unexpierenced, they may think something better is lurking somewhere over there or, just, they
want to explore the world. They become hungry for more, eager and impatient, rushing
wholeheartedly into the newly-discovered world unaware that all that glistens is not gold.
Same happened to Catherine. She discovered that world the moment she stepped across the
threshold of Thrushcross Grange. And nothing was same again. It altered her conscious
permanently. She was seduced by the way of life the Lintons led. She liked it. And she became
well aware of her beauty and uniqueness, she thought she deserved life like that. And it was not
the comfort only she had gone for, it was also their manners, conversations, habits a whole new
world.
''...And should I always be sitting with you? What good do I get? What do you talk about? You
might be a dumb, or a baby, for anything you say to amuse me, or anything you do, either!''
''You never told me before that I talked too little, or that you disliked my company, Cathy!
''It is no company at all, when people know nothing and say nothing.''
She became capricious, insolent and rude, degrading all the others who did not belong to this new
world of hers. She needed wisdom, that she was lack of, to discover all the hollowness of it. But
if we take in account that she was only 12, it is no wonder.
So, at 15 she received a marriage proposal which she accepted not so cautiously, thinking that it
was the right thing to do. She followed her reason instead of her heart. However, her reason
wasnt mature enough to make the right decision. She was warned by Ellen that she was ignorant
of the duties she was undertaking in marrying, but still, she remained consistent convinced that
her feelings would change.
''My love for Linton is like foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter
changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of
little visible delight, but necessary. ...I am Heathcliff.''
She overlooked one important thing: Foliage does not become greener over time, it dries out and
falls out eventually. But the rocks are permanent. So it was her love for Heathcliff.
Unfortunately, she discovered that on her deathbed when she asked Heathcliff to forgive her.
What all comes down to is concentrated in Heathcliff last words to her:

''...Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy?... You loved me then what right had you to
leave me? What right answer me for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery
and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or Satan would inflict would have parted us,
you, of your own will, did it...''
In the end, I must quote Heathcliffs words when Catherine dies, for they are so emotionally
charged and deep that I dare not try to rephrase them. I think they in the best way express the
strength of their relationship which was, in spite of everything they did or said, too special and
strong to stay in the frame of terrestrial life and its conventions, whether social or religious.
''May she wake in torment! Why, she's a liar to the end! Where is she? Not there - not in
Heaven - not perished - where? Oh! You said you cared nothing for my sufferings! And I pray
one prayer - I repeat it till my tongue stiffens - Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long
as I am living! You said I killed you - haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their
murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always - take any
form - drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It
is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!''

Sandra Stojanovi, B

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