In the three previous titles, each one consists of a hero who achieved greatness in different circumstances. Hamlet was a prince who had prestige and honor. He brought forth justice to the death of his father. Ender Wiggins was a child prodigy who saved the earth from the threat of bugger destruction. Oedipus Rex, sought justice and release the torment of the gods on his people.
However, none of these stories had a happy ending. Towards the end of each drama a twist is revealed to ironically shatter all of the greatness that each hero hoped to achieve. Hamlet does bring justice to his father s death, but in the process tastes death himself. Ender Wiggins destroys and entire species only to discover that they themselves were peaceful and resentful of their past deeds. Oedipus Rex finds that the blame for his people s suffering rests upon his shoulders, and in the process loses everything dear to him.
Heathcliff follows a similar ironic path. Possessed by love for Catherine, he becomes a relentless monster in an attempt to win back her favor. Then she dies. Heathcliff then realizes how hopeless his dream is now and focuses his anger on destroying anyone that is closely tied to her except himself. I n the end, he just about accomplishes this task. Then, he is struck with the realization that all of his work has not helped to bring Catherine back, but to only push her farther away. He realizes that he has made himself an unloved creature. He comes to this realization too late to change. He dies distant and alone when he could have embraced his children and with that achieved some of the love he had been hoping for his whole life.
In Brave New World, a young man,John, feels strong emotions towards a young woman,Lenina. However, the rules of the new world forbid such an emotion to exist. Therefore, the young manabandons his hopes and secludes himself in isolation. In the end John meets a bitter death as his only way of coping with the loss of Lenina.
In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff also feels a burning love for Catherine. Due to his social status, he is denied the right to live happily with her forever. Heathcliff then secludes himself from all other persons and their affections. In the end, Heathcliff's enduring love destroys him emotionally and physically.
Nora, in "A Doll's House", is the ideal picture of a woman of her time. She busies herself with the tasks of making a home, while looked down upon by her husband. She makes great sacrifices for his well being and loves him dearly.
This however is repaid only by scolding and punishment. Nora finally breaks free from her prison and leaves her husband. Isabella, in Wuthering Heights, give her heart and love to Heathcliff. She
remains obedient and loyal to him despite his cruel treatment and insults. Finally, Isabella has enough and summons enough courage to leave Heathcliff
and his cruelty. She strikes out to find a world of her own with courage and a hope for better days.
In the short play, "The Sandbox", the character of Grandma is portrayed as a dying being while her relatives look on uncaringly. This same idea of death appears in Wuthering Heights. The death of Hindley Earnshaw is considered of little importance and more of a convenience of having a burden lifted from the family's shoulders. His funeral is nothing more than a meaningless ritual and the only oration given about is life is one of insult. When Heathcliff dies he follows the same path. His passing gives releif to the remaining family members and servants.
The main character in Crime and Punishment exhibits eccentric qualities nad behavior throughout the novel. This is linked his dark past. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff himself becomes slightly eccentric as he relentlessly pursues Catherine. His love and past experiences drive him mad as he tries to reach his ultimate goal of having Catherine for himself, and crushing his rivals.
Within Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye , Holden Caulfied is an outcast in his society like Heathcliff is within the Victorian society. Both struggle to find their place in the world.
Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness provides an in depth look of evil that can possess a man's soul from greed and envy. The story of Mr. Kurtz shows how one man's greed turned him into a raving lunatic with godlike aspirations. Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, deals closely along the same topic in its own respects. Mr. Heathcliff becomes infactuated with Catherine and chases her his whole life. After his death he becomes greedy and envious of everything once possessed by his rival, Edgar. He succeeds in stealing everything he can and disgraces the Linton name. This pursuit doesn't leave him happy, instead he becomes a half crazed man who is starving for affection of others.
"...his life is not worth a fathing, and I won't spend a farthing on him..." (267)
"Living among clowns and misanthropists, she probably cannot appreciate a better class of people, when she meets them." (278)
These two passages from Wuthering Heights represent the "misanthropal" attitudes of Heathcliff.
Throughout both Tess and Wuthering Heights, incestual relationships occur. The branches of the familiy trees intertwine.