By confessing “I am Heathcliff”, Catherine is revealing a deep part of her soul that has not been seen by the reader. She is implying that it is not that Heathcliff makes her happy, but that the two of them are so alike that they can understand each other better than anyone else. She loves him so strongly and feels so connected to him that it is as if they are the same person.
Catherine has entered into an agreement with Edgar because of the love she feels for Heathcliff. She predicts that if she were to spend the rest of her life with Heathcliff, both of them would lead a life of poverty and misfortune. If she were to marry Edgar, Catherine would be guaranteed a comfortable living filled with wealth. Her plan includes not only building a luxurious life for herself, but a life for Heathcliff that is free of hardship. She claims that she can “aid Heathcliff to rise” (Bronte 76) and remove him from under Hindley’s power. Viewing the situation from Catherine’s perspective, I can understand her reasoning. If I were in the same predicament, I would not marry someone who I was not in love with simply for security. A decision like Catherine’s is one that she may regret later on down the road. Living with remorse is not a worthy price to pay for a comfortable life. Since Catherine’s period is a time of change in where women stand in society, I would prefer to work hard with my husband to earn our family a life we can be proud and thankful for.
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