![Picture](/uploads/2/6/8/8/26887643/5999890.jpg?275)
Heathcliff is a very complex character. It's hard to hate him given what he's gone through and the raw emotion he shows for Catherine, but it's also hard to like him with all the wicked things he does. This leads one to ask, is Heathcliff a vile man, with an endless grudge, or is he wounded and lonely and knows no other way. There's no doubt that Heathcliff does wicked things, he sneakily wiggles his way into the inheritance of both of his rivals in order to rob them of their lives work. Yea, that's low, but these were the same people that tortured him throughout his entire childhood and also who stole the chance he had with the one person who relieved him from this pain. "I've no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn't have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now;...". This quote truly shows the pain that Heathcliff experiences and captures the reasoning behind his revenge. He hears the love of his life say that she will never give him a chance because she's marrying a richer man for no other reason then that he was degraded by Hindley at a young and helpless age. Had it not been for the interference from Hindley or the intrusion of Edgar, Heathcliff would have lived a long happy life with the girl of his dreams. But the question still remains, is this tragic backstory enough of a reason to explain what he does or is this not a valid excuse for his ruthless pursuit of vengence..?