The Monster Within Us: Heathcliff, Moral Monstrosity, and the Haunting of Contemporary Obsession
Chapter from the book: Öztürk, A. S. & Tekşen, İ. (eds.) 2025. Monster Image: Gothic Creatures in British Literature Contemporary Reinterpretations and Cultural Resonances.

Gökhan Tugay Köksal
Karabük University

Synopsis

This article analyses the main character, Heathcliff, in Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Brontë, and takes this character as an original figure of monstrosity paralleled to the British Gothic Tradition. Rather than his supernatural entities, Heathcliff’s monstrosity is defined in the crucible of human extremity, such as his strong emotional obsession, his meticulously executed revenge, and the profound social ostracism he withstands, while it is not a product of the otherworldly. This article discusses that Heathcliff symbolises a mode of moral monstrosity, in which his humanity is purposely eroded by a singular, all-consuming passion that defies societal and ethical boundaries. Moreover, the characters, Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and Joe Goldberg in You, are going to be analysed through the quintessential Gothic atmosphere of the novel, like isolated moors, old houses, and a pervasive sense of psychological horror that works as an external manifestation of his internal turmoil. The horror he inspires spreads through the fearful potential of unchecked human emotion, showing how love turns into a destructive force. Eventually, the article links this symbol between nineteenth-century figures to contemporary cultural phenomena, illustrating Heathcliff’s echo in modern narratives of toxic relationships, the glorification of obsession culture, and the cyclical nature of vengeance. Therefore, by deconstructing Heathcliff’s tragedy, this article shows how the anxieties surrounding and social transgression in Gothic literature keep going to resonate, offering a timeless, cautionary tale about the monstrous capabilities latent within the human heart.

How to cite this book

Köksal, G. T. (2025). The Monster Within Us: Heathcliff, Moral Monstrosity, and the Haunting of Contemporary Obsession. In: Öztürk, A. S. & Tekşen, İ. (eds.), Monster Image: Gothic Creatures in British Literature Contemporary Reinterpretations and Cultural Resonances. Özgür Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub1058.c4179

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Published

December 31, 2025

DOI