Wuthering Heights - Social Structure: It Matters

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After Heathcliff gained his social status, he carried out all of the acts of revenge he had been plotting. In an act of retaliation against Hindley he degrades his son Hareton. Doing exactly what Hindley did to Heathcliff as a young boy. Heathcliff strips Hareton of an education and deprives him of what is rightfully his. Ellen describes Hareton’s predicament as so, “Hareton, who should now be the first gentleman in the neighborhood, was reduced to a state of complete dependence on his father’s inveterate enemy; and lives in his own house as a servant deprived of the advantage of wages” (Bronte 188). The action of depriving Hareton of his education, and forcing him to live a low class life validates the utmost effect class has on a person.

Almost all of Heathcliff’s actions regarding revenge on the people that wronged him can be traced back to his degradation to a servant. A question suggested by Przybylowicz is if these actions can be excused. Przybylowicz proposes that his initial behaviors can be excused, but his later actions of revenge cannot be sanctioned (10). Heathcliff destroys the life that Hareton could have had in spite of actions his father committed while they were younger. Heathcliff recognizes the importance of social stance, and puts Hareton at the bottom. Heathcliff likewise ruins Isabella’s life by making her miserable and live a life of seclusion.

In an essay by Jennifer Lodine-Chaffey it is suggested that Heathcliff is in a permanent ‘abject’ state after being degraded by Hindley. This event leads to Heathcliff being unable to remove himself from his obsessions and need for revenge. Heathcliff's low stance in society fuels his growing isolation, and developing anger. All which is leading up to his future plans. Once Heathcliff is educated and wealthy, he is quick to announce his plans to settle his score. Chaffey describes Heathcliff’s flourishing venture into madness and his eventual demise. All of which can be traced back to events that transpired while he was a child (208).

Additional observations regarding social class are mentioned in London’s article, Wuthering Heights and The Text Between The Lines. While Nelly is telling the one recalling the story of Heathcliff and Catherine it is being presented by Lockwood through his journal entries. “Her story is in the service of another; like Nelly herself, it is personal property that in the social world of the novel she cannot legitimately possess” (40). London is describing how although Nelly experienced the story first hand, she is simply a servant and therefore it cannot ‘belong’ to her.

An excellent overall depiction of the Wuthering Heights social class is described in Cory’s article, Out of my Brothers Power. Cory states that “the locality of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grande and many of its people — that is a microcosm of rebellion, a realm in which uprisings against figures in positions of power regularly occur, where the subordinate do not remain in their places” (6). Throughout Wuthering Heights readers witness characters fighting against the system and attempting to raise above their social status. Heathcliff’s entire situation occurred because he refused to remain a servant boy, and worked to become upperclass like his previous abuser Hindley.

A person’s place in society is the deciding factor in what their future is going to be, and how they are looked at. By simply hindering a persons ability to an education, and forcing them to live in the low class it can destroy a person. This is evident in the life of Heathcliff. Stripped of his place in a family, and society, Heathcliff turns to seclusion and revenge to satisfy his own personal agenda. The importance of class is proven when Heathcliff returns as an educated and wealthy man, leading to intimidation and attraction by those once opposed to him. Heathcliff uses his knowledge of how destructing stripping someones place in society by doing so to the son of the man who did the same to Heathcliff. All of the actions that took place, and destructive, horrid things are due to one mans place in society. Hierarchy will always play one of the most important roles in a persons role.