How Does Heathcliff Change In Today's Society

Before the Industrial Age, it was not common for lower class citizens to become wealthy. Usually the common people married within their own class and there were not many opportunities for them to become moneyed. However, this all changed once this new era began. The Industrial Age gave the commoners a chance of living the opulent life the higher society lived. These wealthier people, who were once commoner, were called new money. Now there was a separation between the rich. There was old money, and then there was new money. The old money was people who gained their wealth from their ancestors. Their money was passed down from generation to generation. New money on the other hand, was people who recently became wealthy by making money on modern
During their first encounter, Catherine gets bitten by a dog and is carried into the Lintons’ home. Right when the family sees Heathcliff, they react by saying, “put him in the cellar,” and stereotypes him as a thief because of his lower status (Brontë 53). They also say that he is “quite unfit for a decent house” and then kicks Heathcliff out of their house (Brontë 53). They view him like a servant that is dirty and not worthy of anything. However, their treatment towards Catherine is completely different. They treat her like a princess by pampering her, and Heathcliff notices the “distinction between her treatment and [his]” (Brontë 54). As the novel continues, Catherine becomes conflicted between Heathcliff and Edgar. She does not know who she should marry. She loves Heathcliff but wants to marry Edgar for the materialistic things. She also says that it would degrade her to marry Heathcliff because of his low status in society. Heathcliff overhears the conversation but leaves before Catherine says that her love for Heathcliff is everlasting. Hearing those cruel words from Catherine triggers Heathcliff, motivates him to become rich and strengthens his revenge to get back at the people who put him