*Warning: This post contains spoilers about Emily Bronte’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights. Read at your own risk if you are unfamiliar with the either book or the various adaptations.
There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.
In this series of weekly blog posts, I will examine character using the characters from Wuthering Heights to explore how writers can create fully dimensional, human characters that audiences and readers can relate to.
Every protagonist needs an antagonist. Whether that antagonist is an internal or external antagonist, he or she is crucial to the development of the protagonist. In Wuthering Heights, that antagonist is Hindley Earnshaw. Hindley is Catherine’s older brother, his jealousy and anger over Heathcliff creates a lifetime of rage and abuse on his adopted brother. After Mr. Earnshaw dies and Hindley becomes master of Wuthering Heights, he takes pleasure in reminding Heathcliff of his low status. Hindley also absolves himself of any parental responsibility if his only son, Hareton, after the death of his wife, leaving his child in the path of the vengeful Heathcliff.
To sum it up: Not every character has to be likable or have redeeming qualities. Some characters are just nasty, rude, don’t give a sh*t, etc. But that’s fine. In creating an irredeemable character like Hindley, Bronte was able perfectly contrast her hero, Heathcliff. While Heathcliff has some goodness in him, Hindley has none. He is an arrogant angry man who fully takes advantage of his status in society, loses everything in the process and in the end pays for his wicked ways. When it comes to villains, that is how we like it.
Writergurlny 