What is insanity? One might ask this question some time through out their life. Insanity is madness, the state of being insane. In Wuthering Heights, Bronte uses insanity to make many points throughout the novel. This theme of insanity will be used to discuss all the unconventional things that Heathcliff does in the novel Wuthering Heights. Also, the three main feelings that could drive oneself to insanity will be confabulated, Obsession, Grief, and Revenge. The Obsession Heathcliff has with Catherine, the Grief that Heathcliff had with Catherine's marriage to Edgar, and the Revenge that Heathcliff takes on Hindley. All three of these topics play a very important role to the outcome of t ...view middle of the document...
Earnshaw) always liked Heathcliff, and for this reason, Catherine will be one of the main reasons for Heathcliffs love, hate, and insanity, throughout the novel.The first feeling that may have led Heathcliff to insanity is Obsession. Heathcliff had a great obsession with Catherine. Ever since Catherine showed Heathcliff that she cared for him (41), Heathcliff seemed to cling to her, eventually, showing that he had great feelings for her. The insanity that Heathcliff showed for Catherine, was possible shown the most when Catherine died. When Catherine died, Heathcliff was greatly depressed, Heathcliff actually prays the Catherine's spirit will haunt him. "Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You say I killed you ? haunt me then (173)! Heathcliff is acting this was because of his great love for Catherine, that is driving him insane. However, Heathcliff could have been acting this was, because the only person who had loved him throughout his child hood, and the rest of his life had just died. Once again Heathcliff's insanity could refer back to his unloving childhood. "He seemed a sullen, patient child: hardened, perhaps, to ill-treatment: he would stand Hindley's blows without winking or shedding a tear, and my pinches moved him only to draw in a breath and open his eyes, as if he had hurt himself by accident and nobody was to blame"(37).The second feeling that may have led to Heathcliff to insanity was Grief. When Mr. Earnshaw died, and Hindley came home to demote Heathcliff to the rank of servant, Heathcliff dropped a little in the eyes of Catherine. However, there was a rich neighbor near by. Edgar Linton was the son of Mr. Linton. Mr. Linton owned the Grange (a large estate near by Wuthering Heights), and was a very wealthy man. When Catherine saw that her love Heathcliff had been demoted to the ranks of a servant, it wasn't socially impossible for her to be with him anymore. Therefore, she moved on to the honorable Lintons, and was married to Edgar. When Heathcliff realized that he had lost his love Catherine, he was extremely depressed and enraged. This is possibly w...
