-none of the characters are very nice —> even though catherine and heathcliff are very similar and appear to be "soulmates," they're really not any better off together. in fact, they're almost worse off. during the 1800's, especially in a secluded part of the country (like wuthering heights & thrushcross grange), servants were incredibly close to the ones they served. it's also infantilizing for the ones being served (catherine develops into quite the narcissist). nelly dean (servant) is the same age as hindley (catherine's brother) —> they used to be close as children until "class reared it's ugly head" and their relationship changed.
-later, it works into heathcliff's plans for isabella to fall for him, but one gets the sense he would have gotten her to like him if for no other reason than his own twisted satisfaction. heathcliff is jealous of catherine's marriage to edgar. he feels she should be his husband and not edgar's. "i have a right to kiss her, if she chooses, and you have no right to object—i'm not your husband, you needn't be jealous of me!" says heathcliff to catherine (ch. 11, pg. 99). heathcliff's marriage to isabella follows the logic of "you take my girl, i'll take yours" w/ regards to his competition w/ edgar for catherine's hand.
-hindley was the one who degraded heathcliff in catherine's eyes so she no longer saw it fit to marry heathcliff (although heathcliff made little to no effort to move up in class status) "i've no more business to marry edgar linton than i have to be in heaven," says catherine to nelly (ch. 9, pg. 71). heathcliff comes back 3 years later to wuthering heights and systematically takes back the estate from hindley thru gambling (unbeknownst to hindley). as for hareton, when he observes heathcliff abuse his father he takes pleasure from it, since hindley has always mistreated him as a child. heathcliff's desire to torture others stems from his being tortured by catherine—> he no longer takes pleasure in anything other than seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. heathcliff also hopes to take catherine's money (she would inherit hindley's remaining fortune)
-catherine dies after having her baby, but before she dies she goes insane (edgar isn't around, she hasn't eaten and hindley doesn't take care of her)—>heathcliff has taken away everything that is dear to her. to laura, a soulmate is someone who is very close to you but can disagree w/ you. the love between heathcliff and catherine is somewhat oppressive (neither can live w/o the other, in a certain way). that makes them not really true soulmates. after catherine dies, heathcliff feels his soul has gone into the grave (his hopes for happiness die w/ catherine).
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