Revenge is the primary motivation in Alice Walker's "The Color Purple," and Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights." Explore how writers present the theme of revenge.
Response.
There are many major themes in the novel "Wuthering Heights," but revenge is one of the most obvious; leading the protagonists to their dismal fates. 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. 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 , is still motivated by the need for revenge and tries to get young Cathy away from Edgar by having her marry his son, Linton. Heathcliff does not find peace until he gives up his plan for revenge soon before he dies. When Heathcliff gives up his plan for revenge, he meets Catherine in death and truly becomes happy once more. This shows that although Heathcliff's primary motivation within the novel was revenge, Bronte makes it so that this does not become the ultimate way he finds peace. .
Catherine's need for revenge does not make things any better for her. Her revenge on Heathcliff, by blaming him for her imminent death, does not ameliorate her mind. Just before she dies, she ascribes Heathcliff for her "murder." "You have killed me, and thriven on it, I think." Catherine's death is caused by her lack of emotional control and her dual personalities.
