Wuthering Heights Conscience

A crisis of conscience is similar to a normal dilemma, but it is an internal conflict in which one has to make a decision for his or her own conscience. In Emily Brontë's Victorian novel, Wuthering Heights, two major characters struggle with a crisis of conscience. Chapters nine and ten convey crises of conscience as the turning point of the novel: the point in the story which a critical decision changes the plot and/or characters. Two of the major characters, Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, encounter a crisis of conscience which are significant to the plot.

Catherine Earnshaw suffers a major crisis of conscience between two men. Her heart tells her to do one thing, but her mind tells her another. At the start of chapter nine, Catherine accepts marriage to Edgar Linton. She really does love him, however, she knows that her heart belongs to Heathcliff. She begins describing herself as a sinner who does not belong in Heaven: "Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth..." Conversing with Nelly, the housewife, she confesses that Heathcliff is her soul, but he can ruin her reputation. She states that she is
The first internal conflict is Catherine's inability to choose between her two lovers, Edgar and Heathcliff. This conflict eventually leads to her death and the death of others around her. Heathcliff also suffers from a crisis of conscience because of his jealousy of Edgar and Catherine's love. When he hears the detrimental things said about him, he is hurt and ashamed, which results in him running away from Wuthering Heights. His love for Catherine causes him to despise everyone who has a connection with Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. His obsession has pushed him over the edge. Catherine and Heathcliff's crises of conscience cause them to never be able to overcome their conflicts and manifests how love and hate