Wuthering Heights: Volume 1

Catherine and Nelly's Relationship
Ellen is very critical of Cathy and doesn't really understand or agree with her actions. She does nearly everything that Cathy asks of her but does not agree with her decisions. One would think that servant-served relationships would be fairly intimate because the person is so close to you every day. However, it seems that, as some philosophize about those being pampered like children on cruise ships, when things don't go her way, Catherine pulls the "social class card" and reminds Ellen as her place as a servant instead of a confidant.

Catherine on Heathcliff and Isabella:
Catherine was right to say that Heathcliff would crush Isabella like a sparrow's egg. It fits into his plan to have her fall for him but he might just do it for fun. He is open with Catherine and Ellen and Isabella that he has no use for her and is using her alone to get to her brother and to bother Cathy. He is retaliating against her for marrying someone else; he knows that she loves him more than Edgar but thought that he would degrade her social status. Heathcliff hates Isabella, but by marrying her it is a way of degrading her for degrading him and thinking he is less than a person, a servant, and treating him so poorly as a child.

Against who and why does Heathcliff want revenge?
Against Edgar because he ended up with Catherine and for him its a you take my girl, I'll take yours retaliatioin. He is also taking revenge against the Lintons and all members of the upper class who kept him down. In a way he is rubbing it in their faces that he has power over them despite the differences in social class. Finally, he is taking revenge against Hindley Earnshaw, for taking away his status as a legitimate child and made him a service. Even Catherine says that without Hindley degrading him so low, she never would have thought of marrying Edgar.

Why is Heathcliff back at Wuthering Heights?
Heathcliff goes back to play cards with Hindley, who assumes that he is rich, which he is. And slowly, he is getting Hindley to bet his property because he is losing and depriving him of his inheritance and wealth at Wuthering Heights. He is also changing Hareton because he is teaching him swear words, letting him run wild, and he beats Hindley, who beats him, Hareton.

Does Heathcliff live to inflict misery?
Maybe, certainly not on Catherine. But it is perhaps his only way of settling the score with the universe. Because he was so tortured and mistreated, he feels the only way to deal with it is to inflict equal misery on others.

Are Catherine and Heathcliff soulmates?
Yes, the literally cannot bear to live without each other. Catherine dies when she is forbidden to see Heathcliff and Heathcliff bashes his head against the wall and says that his soul leaves with her to the grave. Is it the greatest love story of all time? YES.