The Dual Personalities of Catherine Earnshaw
...chief and trying the patience of others. Clearly this shows her wild and independent nature. Heathcliff played a part in creating the personality of this character. Chapter six tells us, “But it was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors and remain there all day, and the after punishment grew a mere thing to laugh at. ...they forgot everything the minute they were together again”(41). Together Catherine and Heathcliff would spend the day. Often because of this they would be punished. However, the punishment was never remembered when they were together. Heathcliff is associated to this side of her personality because of their willingness to forget their punishments when they were together. Wuthering Heights nurtures this side of Catherine Earnshaw’s personality. Wuthering Heights is considered outside of the codes kept by society. The reader is told that “They both promised fair to grow up rude as savages: the young master being entirely negligent how they behaved, and what they did ...one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors” (40-41). Within the Victorian society children were expected to act prime and proper at all times and parents or guardians were expected to actively watch over children. It was because of this that Wuthering Heights was looked down upon and that Catherine Earnshaw’s personality was nurtured. Through this incidents Catherine Earnshaw’s personality is revealed to the reader. These incidents point to one side of Catherine Earnshaw’s personality being wild and free. The second side of Catherine Earnshaw’s personality that the reader is exposed to is one that would be accepted by the Victorian society. The second side of Catherine Earnshaw’s personality is reserved and proper, associated with Edgar Linton, and nurtured by Thrushcross Grange. In Victorian societies people were required to act reserve and proper. Furthermore they were not to be the company of people society regard as unacceptable. The reader is told that “In the place where she had heard Heathcliff termed ‘vulgar young ruffian,’ and ‘worse than a brute,’ she took care not to act like him” (60). By doing this Catherine would be acted as society regard her to (being reserve and proper). Around Edgar Linton, Catherine would act as society demanded. As is case on page 53 “I waited behind her chair, and was painted to behold Catherine, with dry eyes and an indifferent air, commence cutting up the wing of goose before her. ‘An unfeeling child,’ I thought to myself: ‘how lightly she dismisses her old playmate’s troubles.’” From Nelly’s own eye witness we told of Catherine actions around Edgar Linton. With him around, Cat...