Chapter 3
“Come in! Come in!” he sobbed. “Cathy do come. Oh, do – once more! Oh! My
heart’s darling! Hear me this time, Catherine at last!”
Indication that Heathcliff has been waiting for many years. His love for Catherine is
the ruling passion – we discover later that his revenge has been sated.
“the snow and wind whirled wildly through”
Pathetic fallacy – the wild weather reflects Heathcliff’s emotional turmoil.
“you shall pay me for the plague of having you eternally in my sight”
Heathcliff’s reaction to Catherine Heathcliff – his daughter in law.
Her features remind him of Edgar Linton and the hatred he bears for the man who
stole his Cathy away.
Chapter 4
Establishes Nelly as a connection between Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering
Heights, she in contrast to Lockwood, knows the inhabitants intimately, and bridges
the gap between the social classes.
Nelly has been at Thrushcross Grange for 18years, since Cathy Earnshaw married
Edgar Linton.
“He has nobody knows what money and every year it increases.”
Nelly informs Lockwood that Heathcliff is rich so we learn that the neglected state of
WH is not on account of finance.
“It’s a cuckoo’s”
Imagery - Heathcliff has pushed his way in and pushed the others out of the nest.
Nelly describes Heathcliff’s arrival.
“Dirty ragged black-haired child”
“Repeated over and over again some gibberish that nobody could understand.”
“I was frightened and Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors”
Use of “it” suggests the child is a thing.
“Gipsy brat”
“Not a soul knew to whom it belonged”
“grinning and spitting at the stupid little thing” – Cathy’s initial reaction
“Miss Cathy and he were now very thick” – Heathcliff and Cathy’s close
relationship quickly established.
“He would stand Hindley’s blows without winking or shedding a tear, and my
pinches moved him only to draw in a breath and open his eyes,”
Nelly reveals her partiality as a narrator but admits how mean she was to Heathcliff.
This enables the reader to accept her story as honest because she does not gloss over
details that show her in an unfavourable light.
“Cathy, who was too mischievous and wayward for a favourite.”
Learn Cathy is wild.
Hindley Earnshaw’s relationship with his father is poisoned with Heathcliff’s
presence.
“learned to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend, and
Heathcliff as a usurper of his parents’ affections and his privileges”
“Heathcliff was dangerously sick;”
“he was the quietest child that ever nurse watched over”
The difference between him and the others forced me to be less partial.”
“I shall tell your father of the three thrashings you’ve given me this week”
Heathcliff used his position to manipulate Hindley and get what he wanted.
“take him and be damned you beggarly interloper! And wheedle my father out
of all he has: only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan.”
Sums up Hindley’s attitude to Heathcliff – his fear that he will lose his inheritance to
Heathcliff – prophetic
“I really thought him not vindictive: I was deceived as you will see.”
Nelly, skilled as a storyteller, drawing the reader into the penetralium. We what to
know how Heathcliff avenges the cruelty of his childhood.
Discussion Point – He would have been a beggar living on the streets – should he
accept this treatment, does he deserve friendship and kindness?
He is happy with Cathy.
Chapter 5
Mr Earnshaw - failing health
“Hindley’s manifestation of scorn, while his father was near roused the old man to a
fury: he seized his stick to strike him,”
Hindley sent away to school.
“the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee” – Joseph introduced.
Cathy’s high spirits. “her tongue always going - singing, laughing and plaguing
everybody would not do the same”
“A wild wicked slip”
“She was much too fond of Heathcliff. The greatest punishment we could invent
for her was to keep her separate from him.”
“the boy would do her bidding in anything”
Heathcliff devoted to Catherine.
“A high wind blustered round the house and roared in the chimney: it sounded
wild and stormy”
Pathetic fallacy – weather symbolises the turbulence brought about by Heathcliff’s
death.
“Oh he’s dead Heathcliff! He’s dead! And they both set up a heart-breaking cry”
“The little souls were comforting each other with better thoughts than I could
have hit on: no parson in the world pictured heaven so beautifully as they did in
their innocent talk.”
Romantic ideal – in contrast to the bible lead religion of Joseph, their spirituality is
child like, innocent and close to God. Reader can empathise with the genuine(?)
sorrow felt by the children. It could be possible that Heathcliff is more concerned
about his future now Earnshaw is dead.
Chapter 6
Hindley returns to WH for his father’s funeral bringing his new wife. As the family
have not been informed of the wedding we can assume that she brings no status or
money to the union.
“probably, she had neither money nor name to recommend her”
“she felt so afraid of dying”
Frances Earnshaw – fear of death – foreshadowing – Nelly’s narrative , with the
benefit of hindsight highlights her physical illness. Hindley is blind to this.
“mounting the stairs made her breathe very quick”
“coughed troublesomely sometimes”
“We don’t in general take to foreigners here, Mr Lockwood”
Frances friendly with the 12 year old Catherine Earnshaw
“He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the
instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of doors”
Barriers created between Heathcliff and the Earnshaws. Heathcliff forced to live in
servants’ accommodation – rougher manners, fewer social graces.
Deprived of education, which limits his powers in improving his prospects.
Forced to labour outdoors which will result in rougher features, tanned skin and he
will be judged as a labourer.
“Heathcliff bore his degradation well at first”
Cathy helps him to maintain his education by sharing what she has learnt. This limits
the divide between them, in fact the two conspire to thwart Hindley’s attempts to
deprive Heathcliff.
“They both promised fair to be as rude as savages”
Again reader encouraged to empathise with wish for freedom, ability to live without
the restraints of society and expectations of one’s family.
Suggestion that Bronte herself is naïve – she creates sympathetic characters yearning
for freedom when she herself was bound by strict conventions, death and illness in her
family including her own illness. She contracted TB and dies age 29.
I would argue that this is a novel that could only have been written by someone who
has never experienced marriage or long- term relationship. The lack of maturity in
the outpouring of emotion and passion is redolent of adolescent relationships.
“But it was one of their chief amusements to run away to the moors in the
morning and to remain there all day, and the after punishment became a mere
thing to laugh at.”
Symbolism of the moors-wild uncultivated land. Therefore reflecting the characters
of Cathy and Heathcliff. Their behaviour is wild, their passions – fiery tempers,
anger, hatred, as well as their love for one another are not tempered by social
restraint. They act according to their instincts and do not compromise.
Id – unconscious mind, instinctive impulses, basic drives, animalistic, child like,
contains the passions, immediate satisfaction of primitive needs
Ego – conscious mind, sense of self, judgements reason or common sense. Will act
on instinct if risk is minimal
Super-ego- critical moralising role – guilt, anxiety and inferiority, influenced by role
models e.g. parents and teachers
“Joseph might thrash Heathcliff until his arm ached”
“I’ve cried to myself to watch them growing more reckless daily.”
Harsh childhood environment.
“Hindley in a passion told us to bolt the doors”
In a fit of rage Wuthering Heights becomes a prison – they are locked outside.
Turning Point in novel – Cathy injured by dogs and now trapped at Thrushcross
Grange.
Contrast – description of Thrushcross Grange – very different to WH. Far more
comfortable, beautifully decorated, sparkling with light.
“carpeted with crimson”
“a pure white ceiling bordered by gold”
“a shower of glass drops hanging in silver chains from the centre, and
shimmering with soft little tapers”
“We would have thought ourselves in heaven”
Heathcliff and Cathy would have been happy. They are shocked by the petty
behaviour of Edgar and Isabella. Superficially they have everything, yet still they are
not content.
“Isabella – I believe she is eleven, a year younger than Cathy – lay screaming at
the far end of the room, shrieking as if witches were running red-hot needles into
her. Edgar stood on the hearth weeping silently.”
The children are fighting over a pet dog – reference to the Wisdom of Solomon –
almost tear the dog apart. So despite their wealth, they squabble.
“We laughed outright at the petted things; we did despise them!”
Heathcliff and Cathy see the children as dreadfully spoilt.
“We made frightful noises to terrify them still more”
“The devil had seized her ankle, Nelly: I heard his abominable snorting”
Imagery for dogs – Cathy trapped.
“Hold your tongue, you foul mouthed thief, you! You shall go to the gallows for
this.”
Instant response to Heathcliff prejudice based on appearance. Treated very
differently to Cathy who is recognised and brought inside – attitude to women?
Heathcliff looks dangerous and wild, perhaps his “gipsy” looks lead to distrust.
Heathcliff “vociferated curses enough to annihilate any fiend in Christendom”
His language emphasises social barrier and servant assume him to be a thief.
“What culpable carelessness in her brother!”
“he lets her grow up in absolute heathenism”
“A wicked boy at all events,” remarked the old lady, and quite unfit for a decent
house!”
Nelly is telling the story from Heathcliff’s perspective – he has to re-tell these awful
comments and attitudes.
“She is so immeasurably superior to them – to everybody on earth, is she not,
Nelly”
Hindley uses this separation to increase distance between Heathcliff and Cathy.
“The first word he spoke to Miss Catherine would ensure dismissal”
Heathcliff not treated as a servant that may be dismissed.
Chapter 7
Cathy stays 5 weeks at The Grange.
“Instead of a wild hatless little savage” “
“a very dignified person”
“You look like a lady now”
“displaying fingers wonderfully whitened with doing nothing and staying
indoors”
Description is socially acceptable – pale skin, gloved hands, no hint of playing or
working outside as this would imply lower classes.
Bearing is dignified acknowledging social status and the proper way to behave.
Heathcliff contrasts with Cathy in looks and attitude.
“Why how very black and cross you look!”
Cathy comments on Heathcliff’s unkempt appearance. Is he jealous?
“Nelly, make me decent, I’m going to be good.”
Heathcliff prepared to ask for Nelly’s help.
“It looks as if you envied her because she is more thought of than you.
The notion of envying Catherine was incomprehensible to him,”
Nelly has to explain this to indicate that Heathcliff could never feel anything other
than devotion for Cathy.
“Edgar Linton shall look quite a doll beside you” – Heathcliff fits the Byronic
Hero. Tall, dark and handsome: Edgar is fair, blue-eyed and more delicate.
Nelly warns Heathcliff:
“Don’t get the expression of a vicious cur that appears to know the kicks it gets
are its deserts.”
“A good heart will help you to a bonny face my lad.”
The Lintons come to visit Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is banished to his quarters.
Linton comments on Heathcliff’s long hair and Heathcliff flings a pot of sauce at him.
He is then forcibly removed by Hindley, thrashed and locked in his room. The party
continues but Catherine is clearly upset by Heathcliff’s absence. During the dancing
she creeps upstairs to talk to Heathcliff and manages to climb out, along the garret
and into Heathcliff’s room through the window. Reminiscent of Lockwood’s dream.
More reference to barriers, exclusion.
Heathcliff’s response
“I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I have
to wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do!”
Nelly remonstrates
“It is for God to punish wicked people; we should learn to forgive.”
Break in the narrative – Lockwood compliments Nelly on her narrative and that she is
not what he expects of her class.
A theme running parallel to the main story – prejudice. Nelly explains that
“You could not open a book in this library I have not looked into”
Summer 1778 – 23 years ago
Chapter 8
Hareton Earnshaw, last of Earnshaw stock was born.
Frances has consumption and will be dead before winter.
“The servants could not bear his tyrannical and evil conduct long: Joseph and I
were the only two that would stay.”
Nelly describes how Wuthering Heights became increasingly inhospitable.
“The master’s bad ways and bad companions formed a pretty example for
Catherine and Heathcliff”
“enough to make a fiend of a saint”
Hindley “savage sullenness and ferocity”
“what an infernal house we had”
“The curate dropped calling”
Cathy is fifteen “a haughty, headstrong creature! I own I did not like her”
“She had a wondrous constancy to old attachments: even Heathcliff kept his hold
on her affections unalterably; and young Linton with all his superiority, found it
difficult to make an equally deep impression”
Nelly’s constant comparisons favour Heathcliff over Edgar. She admits to being fond
of Heathcliff. Does her partiality affect the reader’s judgement?
Lockwood comments on the similarity between Edgar Linton and his daughter, the
young widow; Catherine Heathcliff. This is significant in two ways – firstly it hints at
Edgar being quite feminine in looks – Lockwood describes the portrait –
“a soft featured face”
“long, light, curled hair”,
“eyes were large and serious”
“the figure almost too graceful”
“he wanted spirit in general” – he lacked spirit, energy, fight
In both looks and temperament he is completely opposite to Heathcliff. Nelly favours
Heathcliff over Edgar in looks and comments repeatedly on Cathy’s attachment and
loyalty to Heathcliff. This increases tension in the novel, drawing attention to the
love triangle developing. Cathy is wooed by the attractive, polite, wealthy and
socially acceptable Edgar Linton.
At the same time she has an immense loyalty for her childhood friend with whom she
has; grown up, plotted mischief, suffered and whom she loves deeply. Heathcliff is
dark, brooding, grudging, rude, wild, dangerous and poor; never the less utterly
devoted to Cathy.
Secondly, Catherine Heathcliff, now living at Wuthering Heights, is a daily reminder
to Heathcliff that he lost his Cathy to Edgar. Cathy and Edgar’s child looks just like
her father.
Cathy Earnshaw maintains her friendship with the Lintons.
“no temptation to show her rough side in their company”
“gained the admiration of Isabella, and the heart and soul of her brother;
acquisitions that flattered her from the first – she was full of ambition- and led
her to adopt a double character without exactly intending to deceive any one.”
The Lintons only see one side of Cathy. She still has a rough side as there is little
point in maintaining pleasant manners at Wuthering Heights if she is simply an object
of ridicule.
“he acquired a slouching gait and an ignoble look”
Heathcliff now aged 16 is described as a monster. The deprivation of education and
his inability to keep up with Cathy intellectually affects his confidence and he seems
to enjoy repulsing those around.
“Catherine and he were constant companions still at his seasons of respite from
labour; but he had ceased to express his fondness for her in words, and recoiled
with angry suspicion from her girlish caresses.”
He dotes on her but the relationship suggests imbalance, he is not worthy of her.
“The crosses are for the evenings you have spent with the Lintons, the dots for
those spent with me.”
Heathcliff seems jealous
““It’s no company at all when people know nothing and say nothing,” she
muttered.”
Cathy critical of Heathcliff’s moroseness but this is defensive as she has invited her
cousin, Edgar to visit and is embarrassed by Heathcliff’s unexpected presence.
Nelly comments on the difference between Edgar and Heathcliff“The contrast resembled what you see in exchanging a bleak, hilly coal country
for a beautiful fertile valley;”
Clever metaphor. Edgar’s beauty is apparent for all to see and refers to agricultural
wealth of traditional England, yet the bleak coal country reveals hidden depths. The
richness and beauty is hidden beneath the soil and needs to be mined. Then a
valuable source of fuel is produced implying fiery passion. Bronte is making a
contemporary reference to the industrial revolution driven by coal production. This
encapsulates changing attitudes to wealth. Heathcliff comes to represent new money;
unknown heritage, his money made from unknown sources but perhaps investment in
steam, factories etc.
Nelly remains in the presence of Cathy and Edgar as a chaperone on the orders of
Hindley. Cathy pinches Nelly when she refuses to leave them alone.
“She never had power to conceal her passion, it always set her whole complexion
in a blaze”
“Linton greatly shocked at the double fault of falsehood and violence which his
idol had committed”
Little Hareton cried “wicked aunt Cathy”
“she seized his shoulder, and shook him till the poor child waxed livid”
“the astonished young man felt it applied to his own ear in a way that could not
be mistaken for jest.”
Cathy is violent, aggressive and uncontrollable in a rage. She reveals her true nature
to Linton at Wuthering Heights.
“he possessed the power to depart as much as a cat possesses the power to leave a
mouse half killed, or a bird half eaten”
He is trapped – in Catherine’s power.
“The quarrel had merely effected a closer intimacy – had broken the outworks of
youthful timidity, and enabled them to forsake the disguise of friendship, and
confess themselves lovers.”
Hindley returns home in a drunken state. Edgar Linton leaves, Nelly takes the shot
out of Hindley’s gun and prepares to hide Hareton.
Chapter 9
Hindley threatens Nelly with a knife and takes hold of Hareton. In his drunken state
he carries his son upstairs kicking and screaming whilst berating him for not wanting
to kiss his father. Hindley leans over the bannister as he hears a sound and forgetting
he is holding Hareton, drops the child. Heathcliff passed by at just the right moment
and caught the child.
“by a natural impulse he arrested his descent”
Heathcliff is furious that he has saved Hareton’s life. He feels “the intensest anguish
at having made himself the instrument of thwarting his own revenge.”
Hindley continues to drink. Nelly takes Hareton away to the kitchen to soothe him.
Nelly thinks Heathcliff goes to the barn.
Catherine enters and asks Nelly for advice. Catherine reveals that Edgar Linton has
proposed to her. Nelly (at the age of 22) quizzes Cathy on whether or not she loves
Edgar. This implies that Nelly had expected Cathy to marry Heathcliff.
Cathy says she loves Edgar and acknowledges that
“he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighbourhood”
Nelly is disapproving, so Cathy continues:
“I love the ground under his feet, and the air over his head, and everything he
touches, and every word he says. I love all his looks and all his actions, and him
entirely and altogether.”
Cathy has accepted the proposal which at the time would be seen as a binding
agreement.
“In my soul and in my heart I’m convinced I’m wrong!”
Cathy then goes on to describe a strange dream. Immediately the reader connects this
with Lockwood’s strange visitation or nightmare when he stayed at Wuthering
Heights. Nelly adds to the Gothic horror elements with her superstitious fear of
dreams.
“I was only going to say that heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke
my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that
they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights;
where I woke sobbing for joy.”
This would be quite controversial for the time. In effect Cathy is rejecting the
perceived Christian Theology of Heaven in preference for the wilderness of the
moors. It also symbolises that heaven is her life of freedom with Heathcliff.
Cathy goes on to explain:
“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how
much I love him”
Unfortunately, Nelly detects a movement and realises that Heathcliff has overheard
talk of degradation and left. This literary device is called Dramatic Irony. We know
Heathcliff is listening, but he does not hear the truth of Cathy’s love for him.
Cathy’s love for Heathcliff is all consuming- beyond heaven and earth.
“he’s more myself than I am”
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Linton’s is as
different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.”
The word choice demonstrates the difference in passion, the similes uses for Edgar
connote coolness whilst fire and lightning have connotations of heat.
Nelly points out that marriage will separate Cathy from Heathcliff but Cathy imagines
that Edgar will understand how important Heathcliff is and tolerate him at least.
“did it never strike you that if Heathcliff and I married, we should be beggars?
whereas, if I marry Linton I can aid Heathcliff to rise, and place him out of my
brother’s power.”
Cathy in her naivety imagines that she can help Heathcliff with a small sacrifice of
her marriage to Edgar.
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well
aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal
rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary.”
“Nelly, I am Heathcliff – he’s always, always in my mind – not as a pleasure, any
more than I am always a pleasure to myself”
Nelly, Cathy and Joseph eat supper. Joseph goes to look for Heathcliff and Nelly
warns Cathy that Heathcliff may have overheard parts of their conversation.
Pathetic fallacy – a dark night for summer, storm clouds gathering. Cathy wanders
outside calling for Heathcliff. She is soaked to the skin but refuses to go to bed or
change her clothes.
In the morning, Hindley realises that Cathy is feverish. The doctor is summoned.
Joseph comments she has been
”lurking amang t’ fields, after twelve o’ t’ night, wi’ that fahl, flaysome divil of a
gipsy, Heathcliff!”
Nelly comments on Cathy’s behaviour:
“I shall never forget what a scene she acted when we reached her chamber: it
terrified me!”
The doctor pronounces Cathy dangerously ill and bled her (with leeches?)
Cathy is invited to convalesce at Thrushcross Grange. Unfortunately her fever is
passed to Mr and Mrs Linton who die within a few days of each other.
The doctor warns that Cathy should not be crossed as her health may suffer.
Edgar marries Cathy three years after his father’s death, Heathcliff’s disappearance
and Cathy’s fever. (Cathy age 17 Nelly and Hindley age 25 Hareton age 5)
Nelly – Ellen Dean – leaves Wuthering Heights and moves to Thrushcross Grange
with Cathy.
Here there is a change in narrative. Nelly can not provide a direct narrative of the
happenings at Wuthering Heights. We receive news from tertiary narratives –
Isabella’s letters, Zillah’s story and Nelly’s visit. This adds to the sense of isolation
of Wuthering Heights as it sinks further into degradation and despair.