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At the beginning he is portrayed as a sorrowful character by the way he is described. As a more misunderstood character and seemingly mysterious at first. His personality is likable. Then we being to feel even worse for how he is being treated and described by the rest of the Earnshaw family. They call him a gypsy and then our pity only worsens when we see how Hindley treats Heathcliff. He is basically described as the under dog.
His treatment by Hindley at the beginning of the book is why most think his future cruelty is justified. Thus making him instead of a despicable character but more like a wounded man. Due to his mistreatment and troubled past. This is putting him on the front line for people thinking he is just being misjudged and his vengeful actions later on in the book are completely understandable.
But then again. His actions later on in the book are completely wrong. Very disturbing even. Even if he was mistreated as a child his actions are still ridiculously terrible. None the less even if he does have the motive and backing. From the beginning he was a seeming trouble maker always running off with Catherine. These actions are what causes her to have her accident with the dog. Thus meeting her future husband Edgar Linton. If that event had not occured. Heathcliff would have most likely been the first suitor for Catherine. Thus preventing all of the later incidents and terrible actions Heathcliff would commit.
This is relatable to a book I had read. 13 reasons why. A novel about a girl who commits suicide and sends a box of tapes to 13 different people with reasons each person being a singular reason why her actions to end her life were justified. The book follows one of the receivers and his story of how he knew her. It is a powerful book with a very powerful message. That everything that anyone does. Has a very good reason to why they did what they did. Everything is for a reason. Everything we do has a purpose. The girl from 13 reasons why had a powerful motive hence why she kills herself.
It works with Heathcliff because what he does. It's all for a reason. His hatred for everyone that wronged him is because of the fact that people wronged him. They made him feel unworthy and nothing like the other Earnshaw kids. He was reffered to as a Gypsy. That's it. Even his technical brother seemed to hate his guts the minute they met each other. Probably due to the fact that Mr. Earnshaw seemed to favour Heathcliff and not Hindley.
So to end it off his actions are valid, but then again he went to the extreme with his vengefulness.
So the big question is. Is Heathcliff wounded or just despicable. Although both sides have a very good reasons, Heathcliffs actions are justified. Or are they? His actions did have good reasons due to his mistreatment but it is evident in many ways that his actions weren't of a wounded man but of a spiteful, vengeful, and deceiving man. Who would do anything to see all the wrong things happen to the people who have wronged him. So maybe he is wounded. But his actions are in spite, not wound. He truly is despicable and shouldn't be portrayed ever as a good man.