Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte (1818 – 1848)
Wuthering Heights is Emily Brontë's only novel, an impassioned, spellbinding
tale considered to be one of the greatest literary works of all time. The story
of doomed love and revenge, takes the reader to the North Yorkshire moors
to witness the drama of the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and the volatile, yet
spiritual, relationship of Catherine and Heathcliff.
Adapted from uk.penguinclassics.com
Mr & Mrs Earnshaw, Wuthering Heights
Mr & Mrs Linton, Thrushcross Grange
? + Hindley Earnshaw - Catherine Earnshaw + Edgar Linton – Isabella Linton + Heathcliff
Hareton Earnshaw
Catherine Linton
+
Linton Heathcliff
The Family Trees of the Earnshaws and Lintons
A Summary of the book
It is 1801 and Mr Lockwood has moved into Thrushcross Grange. He visits his neighbour and landlord, Mr.
Heathcliff, who lives at Wuthering Heights. Mr. Heathcliff is out, and his young relatives, Mrs. Heathcliff and
Hareton Earnshaw, are very disagreeable. It starts to snow, but no one is willing to help Mr. Lockwood get
home, or to let him stay. He is attacked by a dog while leaving, and in his bloody state, Mr. Heathcliff
begrudgingly allows him to stay.
Mr. Lockwood passes his time at Wuthering Heights reading a diary written by a young girl named Catherine.
He falls asleep. A tapping awakens him, and he breaks a window in his attempt to quiet it. He grabs the hand of a
ghost child, who calls herself Catherine Linton. Terrified, his scream awakens Heathcliff, who calls for the ghost
to come back.
Heathcliff takes Mr. Lockwood home over the snow-covered moors, but he still catches a bad cold. At home and
sick, Mr. Lockwood asks Nelly Dean, his housekeeper, to tell him about the people at Wuthering Heights. She
worked there once, and she has lots of stories to tell…
Heathcliff was an orphan Mr. Earnshaw found wandering the streets of Liverpool and brought home. Hindley
Earnshaw was very jealous of Heathcliff whilst his sister Catherine and Heathcliff became good friends. When
Mr. Earnshaw died two years later, Hindley made Heathcliff work outside in the fields.
One day, while spying on Thrushcross Grange, Heathcliff and Catherine saw two children, Isabella and Edgar
Linton, arguing over a puppy. One of the Linton's dogs attacked Catherine when they tried to run away. She
stayed for several weeks to heal, and when she returned from the Lintons, she was well mannered and nicely
dressed, which annoyed Heathcliff. Despite their differences, Edgar Linton and Catherine grew closer. Catherine
agreed to marry Edgar, telling Nelly that Heathcliff was too inferior to marry. Heathcliff heard this, and
disappeared without a word.
In 1778, Hindley's wife gave birth to Hareton, then died soon after. Hindley, crazed with grief, could not care for
his little son. He became a drunk and a gambler.
Catherine and Edgar married and moved to the Grange. The marriage went well until Heathcliff returned.
Edgar's sister Isabella fell in love with Heathcliff, but he despised her. Heathcliff kissed Isabella to hurt
Catherine, and they argued. During the fight, Edgar came in, demanding Heathcliff leave his house. Disgusted by
both of them, Catherine shut herself in her room for three days, becoming ill and mad.
Isabella Linton ran away and married Heathcliff, but she hated her new life at Wuthering Heights.
Catherine gave birth to Catherine Linton, and died. Soon after Catherine's death, Isabella escaped to the Grange.
She moved to London and had a child, named Linton, and died twelve years later. Hindley died six months after
his sister.
Upon Isabella's death, Edgar tried to keep his nephew Linton, but Heathcliff sent for him.
A few years later, when wandering near the Heights, little Cathy Linton met her cousin Linton. But Cathy's
father forbids the relationship. She starts a secret correspondence with Linton, and they think they are in love.
Heathcliff finally agreed the two cousins might meet. Linton coerced Nelly and Cathy to enter the house at
Wuthering Heights. Once inside, Heathcliff imprisoned them until Cathy agreed to marry Linton. With her father
dying and escape impossible, Cathy gave in and relented. Linton died soon after the wedding, and Catherine
befriended Hareton, teaching him to read.
The following year, 1802, Mr. Lockwood returns to Wuthering Heights. He learns that Heathcliff died
unexpectedly after becoming mad. He was buried next to Catherine, but several people believe they see him and
Catherine wandering the moors. Little Cathy and Hareton are in love and plan to marry and move into
Thrushcross Grange.
The Characters
Heathcliff
He is a bitter man tormented by the loss of his love Catherine and the abuse of his stepbrother,
Hindley. He seeks revenge and sets out to ruin Edgar Linton and gain the Earnshaw
inheritance.
Catherine Earnshaw
She falls passionately in love with Heathcliff, but marries Edgar Linton because of financial
and social advantages. She dies after giving birth to Catherine Linton.
Hindley Earnshaw
Hindley is the son and heir of Wuthering Heights and Catherine’s brother. He is jealous of
Heathcliff and abuses him and degrades him for winning the love of Mr. Earnshaw. Hindley
becomes a drunk and a gambler.
Hareton Earnshaw
He is the son of Hindley, yet cared for by Heathcliff. He becomes Heathcliff’s ally in the plot
to ruin Hindley and Edgar, Hareton becomes like Heathcliff but finally falls in love and plans
to marry Catherine Linton.
Isabella Linton
She is the naive sister of Edgar Linton from Thrushcross Grange and the wife of Heathcliff.
She later runs away to London and remains in hiding after Heathcliff throws a knife at her.
Linton Heathcliff
He was born in London but his mother, Isabella, died and he was given to his Uncle Edgar.
Later, however Heathcliff gets custody of him and marries him off to Little Cathy.
Ellen Dean
Ellen is the housekeeper at Wuthering Heights, and has also worked at Thrushcross Grange.
Mr. Lockwood
Mr. Lockwood is the new tenant at Thrushcross Grange. He narrates the story of the residents
of Wuthering Heights as told to him by Ellen Dean. He also relates his own experiences with
the characters.
Edgar Linton
Edgar is the master of Thrushcross Grange. He marries Catherine, and when she dies he finds
happiness with their daughter Catherine. He wants his daughter to stay away from Heathcliff,
but he does not want her to be alone after his death, so he allows her to spend time with
Linton, not realizing how ill and ill-tempered he is. When Edgar dies his property goes to
Linton, and Linton wills it to Heathcliff.
Catherine (Cathy) Linton
Catherine is the daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton. She tries to help her sick
cousin Linton, and realizes too late what a hateful man Heathcliff is. She is forced to marry
Linton and becomes sad and mean because of her treatment at the Heights. Eventually she
becomes friends with Hareton and in the end they are to be married.
The Main Settings
Wuthering Heights – A large house and farm on the edge of the moors. It was once the estate
of the Earnshaws but falls into the hands of Heathcliff. The state of the house reflects
Heathcliff’s cold and grim state of mind. This house symbolizes anger, hatred and jealousy.
Thrushcross Grange - It is the ostentatious home of the Lintons and impresses Catherine.
During her stay there she transforms into a lady. The appearance of this house also
symbolizes the feelings of the inhabitants. Like the house, the Lintons are materialistic and
superficial.
London - Isabella Heathcliff runs away to London after having a knife thrown at her head by
Heathcliff. There she gives birth to Linton Heathcliff.
About the author
Emily Brontë was born on July 30, 1818 in Yorkshire. Her father was a priest and the family
moved near the moors in Haworth, Yorkshire, two years later. Emily was the fifth of six
children. Two of her older sisters, Maria and Elizabeth, became ill while away at school and
died in 1824. Emily's mother had died when Emily was three years old. As an escape from
these hardships, the remainder of the family, Charlotte, Anne, and Branwell, wrote their own
stories and delved into the land of fantasy. They were all educated and encouraged to read and
write by their father.
Though she studied away from home several times, Emily hated being away from Haworth,
and she disliked the loss of privacy and writing time. She preferred to be at home, helping
around the house, caring for her father and doing the finances and housework. Wuthering
Heights was published in 1847 and Emily Bronte died in 1848.
Important Vocabulary
Passionate
To degrade
Revenge
Jealous
Death
To marry
Civilised/uncivilised
Cruel
Strong-willed
The moors
Loyal
Self-centred
Teaching Notes
Themes
Race/Class/Education
Throughout the novel characters are pre-judged by their race, class or education. For example
Heathcliff is described as a dark skinned boy with dark hair, and because of this people are
prejudiced against him.
There was a class hierarchy in Bronte's England, and this can be seen in the novel as well.
The residents of Wuthering Heights seem to be of a lower class than the Lintons at
Thrushcross Grange. Even though she loves him, Catherine will not marry Heathcliff after he
has been degraded, and instead marries into the rich Linton family, causing all of the major
conflict in the novel. The Lintons are of a higher class both because they have more money
and don’t seem to have to work, and because they are better educated.
Revenge - Revenge is a major theme of the novel. Early in the novel Heathcliff is described
as plotting revenge. The second half of the novel is dominated by Heathcliff's revenge against
Hindley and his descendants for his mistreatment of him and against Edgar and his
descendants for Catherine's death. Heathcliff's revenge affects everyone in the novel, and he
seems to think that if he can revenge Catherine's death, he can be with her. He has been
looking for her since her death, as he has been sensing her near him. However, it is only at
the end of the novel, when he has given up his plans for revenge, that he is able to see
Catherine and that he is reunited with her.
The Supernatural - Supernatural events happen in the very beginning of the novel and
continue until the very end. In chapter three Lockwood is grabbed and pleaded to by
Catherine's ghost through a window, and in the last chapter Ellen talks about people seeing
the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine walking on the moors. In between Heathcliff tells
Ellen about hearing Catherine sighing in the graveyard and sensing her nearby, and when he
gives up his plans of revenge he even seems to sees her ghost. Ellen also once sees Heathcliff
as a goblin, and wonders if he is a vampire or a ghoul, although she realizes she is being silly.
These themes and instances are tied to a spirituality and life-after-death theme in the novel.
Edgar and Heathcliff both want to be with Catherine after she has died. Edgar does not want
her to haunt him, but he does look forward to a time when they can be together again.
Heathcliff does want Catherine to haunt him, and she indeed seems to, and he also looks
forward to spending eternity with her after death.
Things to discuss
1) You have seen the subtitled film of Wuthering Heights. Is there a person in the film who is
the narrator? In the book, Emily Brontë chose to tell the story through Mr. Lockwood
reporting stories told by Ellen, the housekeeper and Catherine's diary. How would the story
have differed if it had been told chronologically? Can we trust the narrators' versions of the
events that took place?
2) Compare Catherine's love for Heathcliff with her love for Edgar: What are the
characteristics of each relationship? Do you think Catherine regrets her choice of husband?
3) When Heathcliff visits Catherine for the last time before she dies, she says to him, "You
have killed me, and thriven (kost deg, vokset på det) on it, I think." Nearly twenty years later,
when Heathcliff is dying, he says, "I have to remind myself to breathe--almost to remind my
heart to beat!" Did Heathcliff and Catherine believe the only way they could be together was
in death? Did they, somehow, will themselves to die?
4) The characters in the novel have a great capacity for violence and hatred. Revenge is one of
Heathcliff's greatest motivations. Is Heathcliff justified in the revenge he takes on Hindley?
Do you think Heathcliff's childhood experiences at Wuthering Heights contributed to his
terrible behaviour as an adult?
5) It is said that Wuthering Heights is "truly a novel without a hero or heroine." What do you
think of this statement? What does a hero usually do? Is Heathcliff a hero, a villain or a
victim?
6) Wuthering Heights is considered by many to be one of the greatest romances in literature.
Do you agree with this? What is your definition of a romantic novel? Must a great romance
have a happy ending?
Adapted from uk.penguinclassics.com
7) How does Heathcliff first come into the Earnshaw family? How does each of the various
members of the family respond to him? Discuss his early relationship with Mr. Earnshaw,
Catherine, or Hindley.
8) How do Heathcliff and Catherine, first see the Linton family? What do they observe the
Lintons doing, and how do they respond to the scene? How does the Linton's behaviour
change after Catherine is brought into the house? What are the implications of that shift?
www.ajdrake.com
Adapted from www.novelguide.com, www.teachit.co og www.bookrags.com
Activities
1. Before you see the film or read the book, print out a heart on red paper. Write what you
think love is. Save your work until after you have seen the film. Have you changed your
mind about what love is?
Love is …
See “love is…” website: www.comicspage.com
2. Working in pairs, discuss these descriptions and match them to characters from Wuthering
Heights:
Suffers after losing
Catherine, after her
death and prior to
his own death
Passionate, strong
willed
Bullied and
Brutal, cruel and
Will do anything to
degraded by Hindley sadistic to Isabella
get revenge
and the younger
generation
At home on the
Believes in union
Self-centred
moors of Yorkshire with Heathcliff after
death
Weak for not
protecting little
Cathy from
Heathcliff
Status-conscious
Rebellious and wild
Mystery surrounds Betrays her love for
where he came from Heathcliff by
marrying Edgar
Educated and
civilised
Important member
of society
Passionate
Violent and cruel
towards Heathcliff
Becomes a drunk
and gambler,
making it easy for
Heathcliff to
overcome him
Gentle and loving
husband and father
Loyal to Heathcliff
Jealous of Heathcliff
Timid and afraid of
Heathcliff
Loyal to Catherine’s Clever
memory, visits her
grave regularly
3. Draw a table and categorise the actions of the characters:
Name of the character from Wuthering Heights _____________________________________
What do you like about What do you dislike
this person?
about this person?
What do you pity this
person for?
4. Working in groups, write a script for a short play based on an episode from Wuthering
Heights. Focus upon the relationships between Heathcliff, Linton, Catherine, and Isabella that
encompasses the love, revenge, and betrayal present in the original novel. The play is set in
modern day England.
Include the following:
 A character description for each of the characters. This should include their
background, personality, specific mannerisms, hobbies, etc
 A description of the setting, where is the action taking place




A list of slang words or vocabulary exclusive to this period or group
Pictures, drawings, or written descriptions of the costumes for each of the characters
A description of world events occurring during the period that influence this play
The script of your scene
5. Draw two houses. Write descriptions of Wurthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange on
your drawings. Emily Bronte contrasts the two houses. What dissimilarities and contrasts can
you find in your descriptions? How do the houses reflect on the personalities and behaviour of
their inhabitants?
Adapted from www.teachit.co.uk
Wuthering Heights
Thrushcross Grange
6. Match these quotes from the book with the speaker and setting
Quotation
Speaker and setting
1. “Cathy, do come. Oh do - once more! Oh!
My heart’s darling! Hear me this time,
Catherine, at last!”
A. Isabella writes to Ellen.
2. “I’m trying to settle how I shall pay
Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if
I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die
before I do.”
B. Catherine acknowledges that her marriage
to Edgar cannot be one of love because she
knows that Heathcliff is her true love.
3. “Here! And here!” replied Catherine,
striking one hand on her forehead and the
other on her breast, “in which ever place the
soul lives. In my soul and in my heart, I’m
convinced I’m wrong!”
C. Heathcliff calls for Catherine after Mr.
Lockwood confessed he saw an apparition
outside his window.
4. “Is Mr. Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad?
And if not, is he a devil?”
D. Heathcliff swears revenge against Hindley
after Hindley had locked Heathcliff in the
attic.
Quotation
Speaker and setting
1
2
3
4
Adapted from Oncampus.Richmond.edu
7. Write a story where revenge plays a central role.
8. Get a copy of the summary of the book from your teacher. Cut the paragraphs out. Put the
story back together again in the right order.
9. There are many examples of prejudice in Wuthering Heights: about people’s race, class and
education. Write an essay about prejudice, using examples from Wuthering Heights and your
own opinions and experiences.
10. Today there is an UN resolution saying that all children are to receive an education by the
year 2015. Nearly all the countries in the world have agreed to this. However, some
handicapped children are being excluded. Write a text giving your opinions on the subject and
reasons for your answer.
11. Research into the 1840’s in England. How did middle-class and upper-class women and
men find their marriage partners? Did they marry for love or money? Why? Give a
presentation to the class of your findings.
12. Research the Yorkshire Moors using the Internet and the library: its geography, its nature,
what it is used for today etc. Make a poster presentation of your findings.
13. The supernatural plays an important part in Wuthering Heights. Write a text about the
supernatural and give your opinions on the subject.
14. Research into the history of the class system in England. Write a rapport of your findings.
15. Does a class-system exist in Norway today? Use this question as a title and write a text
giving your views on the subject.
A Wuthering Heights Quiz
1. Who is an orphan?
a) Catherine
b) Heathcliff
c) Hindley
2. Where do the Linton family live?
a) Thrushcross Grange
b) London
c) Wuthering Heights
3. What feelings does Hindley have for Heathcliff?
a) Love
b) Hate
c) Jealousy
4. What feelings does Catherine have for Heathcliff?
a) Love
b) Hate
c) Jealousy
5. Why does Catherine have to stay at Thrushcross Grange?
a) She has been hurt by a dog and must heal
b) She is on holiday
c) She is being held prisoner
6. Why does Catherine decide to marry Edgar Linton and not Heathcliff?
a) Edgar has lots of money and a nice house
b) She loves Edgar passionately
c) Edgar is good looking and strong
7. What does Heathcliff do when Catherine gets married to Edgar?
a) He says “Good luck!”
b) He buys them a present.
c) He disappears from Wuthering Heights
8. What does Heathcliff do when he returns to Wuthering Heights and Catherine dies?
a) He has a party for all his friends
b) He seeks revenge on Hindley and Edgar
c) He falls in love with Isabella
9. Finally Heathcliff feels..
a) happy that he has got his revenge
b) that he wants to die so that he can join Catherine
c) dissatisfied and wants more revenge
10. What do people see on the moors after Heathcliff’s death?
a) The ghosts of Catherine and Heathcliff
b) Catherine and Heathcliff
c) Cathy and Linton