Is Revenge Worth it in the End?

            In Wuthering Heights, everything Heathcliff does is driven by revenge. He was so upset and angered by the fact that Edgar got Catherine and he did not that he let it control the rest of his life. Question number four of the Socratic Seminar questions for this novel asks “Is Heathcliff’s revenge monstrous? Or justified because of his childhood experiences at Wuthering Heights?” Revenge is always monstrous. In Heathcliff’s case, he dies alone. He was so wrapped up in getting back at Edgar at the expense of the relationships he had with everyone around him. It destroyed the things he did have by pushing him to become obsessive over what he did not have. Revenge always has a distinct motive, but I don’t think that makes it justified. Heathcliff had a rough childhood. He was brought to Wuthering Heights by Hareton but when he died HIndley was left in charge and was an abusive alcoholic who lived to make Heathcliff’s life difficult. When Catherine decides to marry Edgar, Heathcliff runs off and returns for the sole purpose of revenge. Revenge wouldn’t exist if the person trying to find it didn’t have an act of injustice, in their opinion, committed against them. Motive doesn’t make seeking revenge justifiable. Yes Heathcliff’s difficult childhood resulted in pent up anger that came out during his search for revenge when he couldn’t have Catherine. Not being able to be with the girl you love is not a good reason to get revenge on someone. If you truly love someone, you have to let them go. Yes, that is a cliché. However, it is true. You need to be able to be happy for other people to be happy in your own life. I don’t think revenge is every truly justifiable. The only thing it does is make you look like a bad person. In my own life, I try my best to rise above any wrong done to me. I don’t think revenge is worth it. Why spend your life focused on something that has already happened and you can’t change? There’s no point; move on. I feel like revenge is the reason for a lot of battles in history as well. Why must everything result to violence? If the situation is something that can be talked out, then use your words. I just feel like violence and revenge are very immature ways to handle situations. I’m not saying I’m perfect either. I don’t handle getting angry or upset at what someone else has done to me very well. I usually just let it go. In some cases, that can be good because I can get mad at silly things if I am in a bad mood. However, it is not good to never talk something out because all of those little things build up and can explode at any time. I feel like in Heathcliff’s situation, he had to be strong enough to remove himself from the situation. There was no other solution for him because Catherine married Edgar and then she died. She was not going to come back and him trying to make Edgar’s life difficult was not going to change anything. Heathcliff’s life can serve as an example of how revenge can destroy your life. It takes over your mentally and emotionally leading to an obsession over something that is most likely not going to change. If it can be changed, work it out. If not, forgive and forget. Don’t waste your life being mad about one thing. Life is too short to not be enjoyed.