Even though a character might perform immoral acts, their past can sometimes justify their present actions. An example of this is the evil actions performed by Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. Even though the reader know that his actions are bad they can still sympathize for him because of how he was treated as a child in the Earnshaw household. Because Heathcliff was unloved by his family, harassed as a child from by Hindley, and his love declined by Catherine for his low social standard, the reader can empathize for him even though his becomes morally corrupt as he becomes an adult.
As Heathcliff was growing up he was extremely unloved by his family. This is shown when he is first brought home to Wuthering Heights. Nelly tells the reader that even she was unaffectionate towards Heathcliff when she tells Lockwood, yet when it was set on its feet, it only stared round, and repeated over and over some gibberish, that nobody could understand. I was frightened (Bront 33). The fact that even Nelly disliked him the first time she met shows how rudely his was treated as a child because it shows that even the servants thought Heathcliff was of lesser standard then they were. This lack of love almost excuses Heathcliff for all the bad he does in his adulthood.
In addition to not being loved by most of the members of his family Heathcliff was constantly harassed by his brother Hindley Earnshaw. While in most families a little sibling competition can motivate people to try their hardest, in the Earnshaw household, the hatred between Hindley and Heathcliff turns violent and extremely risky. After Heathcliff convinces Hindley to give him a healthy colt Hindley loses it. Take my colt, gypsy, thenAnd I pray he may break your neck: take him, and be damned, you beggarly interloper (36). The reason the reader can even think to justify the abuse of that Hareton by Heathcliff is because of how terribly Heathcliff is treated by Hindley early one in life.
