On the basis of his actions alone, Heathcliff, the leading male character of Wuthering Heights, might be considered evil. By presenting Heathcliff's immorality as effect of the actions of other characters, such as abandonment by his parents, abuse by Hindley, and loss of the woman he loves to marriage, Emily Bronte causes the reader to react more sympathetically than they might otherwise.
Heathcliff is an orphaned boy, taken in by the kind and well-off Mr. Earnshaw. From the moment he enters the house, he becomes two things: A catalyst for the sometimes tempestuous but ultimately peaceful relationship between the Lintons and the Earnshaws (violent especially among the Earshaws), and a piece of marble artfully being chipped and crafted into shape by the actions of those around him. The abandonment of his parents, for example, gives him a noticeable need to have others around him. As Catherine is the first kind person he meets (other than Earnshaw) he attaches himself to her. In their youths, a time of innocence and romanticism, they form bonds of love and friendship that last transcendentally forever. As such, it is possible to see that by abandoning him, his parents formed the foundation that would bring him both extreme happiness of time spent with Catherine, and the extreme desolation caused by her loss.
When Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley, Earnshaw's only son, inherits his estate and his fortune. This makes Hindley the head of Wuthering Heights, and gives him free reign over all who live within it's walls. This includes Catherine and Heathcliff. Hindley (who has always felt bitter hatred against Heathcliff by the reason that Earnshaw favored Heathcliff over his own true son) unleashes his anger and control against Heathcliff in violent spurts, violent verbal confrontations, and excessive punishments that work away at the civility underlining Heathcliff's nature. Hindley works Heathcliff to the point that Heathcliff cannot receive education, even from Catherine, because he is either too busy or too tired. Hindley's actions to punish Heathcliff and hinder his ability to work and build assets into his life, gives Heathcliff the need for revenge that becomes his compulsive purpose throughout the second part of the novel. Thus, Hindly, by making Heathcliff the instrument of destruction that he becomes, ultimately destroys himself and the people around him, becoming a victim and a murderer.
Catherine holds the most influence over Heathcliff's eventual hostility and destruction by one act: Betrayal. When they are young, Catherine and Heathcliff are best friends. When Hendley takes over, Catherine becomes Heathcliff's sanctuary. When Catherine chooses Edgar Linton as her husband over Heathcliff (Who she truly loves) and Heathcliff hears her state that she could not marry him, as it would be an embarrassment to her to marry someone of his status, Catherine becomes the creator of a destructive force almost as great as a bomb. The great betrayal becomes the turning point, from which the only place that Heathcliff's morality can go is down, and he ceases being solely wild and adventurous to become a hateful, maniacal crafter of destruction and misery. His tragic love for Catherine and his resentment at the world for taking her from him become his tragic flaw, and he ceases to be truly human. From that point, he uses all his wits and resources to destroy the Linton's, Hindley, and Catherine herself.
By his actions, Heathcliff can be perceived as evil or immoral. However, it is the abandonment , loss, abuse, and betrayal in his life that cause him to act so monstrously. Knowing this, the reader can only help but feel a few iotas of sympathy for the tragic character.
