7/31/2019 1168_Wuthering Heights Plot

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Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Bronte (1818-1848)

Plot

The story of WH is framed by two narrators, Lockwood, who commences and concludes the

narrative, and Nelly Dean, who provides most of the narration.

The deferred passionate relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff is the single

dominant feature of WH. Its a dynastic novel which plots the intertwined fortunes of three

generations of the Earnshaws and the Lintons.

The first three chapters describe Lockwoods relationship with his landlord, H, and his experience of

a sequence of visionary and inexplicable dreams in Hs home, WH. The narrative then passes to ND,

who takes us back in time to Hs arrival at the Heights as a child.

C and H grow as siblings, after H is introduced into the Earnshaw household by Cs father as a

foundling and given the name of a dead son. Their relationship is one of intense identification. When

their father dies, Cs brother, Hindley, returns with WH with a wife, Frances, and becomes the masterof the house. Hindleys wish to sever the intimacy between C and H is given opportunity when C

spends 5 weeks at the neighbouring house, Thrushcross Grange, following a foot injury from their

guard dog. C returns to the Heights transformed into a lady, having made friends with Edgar and

Isabella. While C has been away, Hindley has systematically degraded H, refusing him education, and

insisting that he work as a labourer on the grounds. Hindley and Frances have a son Hareton, and

Frances dies shortly afterwards.

C chooses to marry Edgar instead of H and moves to TG. As a consequence H disappears for three

years. Cs marriage to Edgar is described as affectionate, if subdued. ND, the housekeeper, moves

with her to TG. When H returns he is quite transformed into an imposing and compelling figure of

man. He enraptures C, and captivates Isabella, much to the annoyance of Edgar.

H stays at WH, with his former enemy Hindley, with whom he gambles. Isabella falls in love with H,

who perceives that she might be his route to revenge upon Edgar for depriving him of C.

Edgar and H argue violently, precipitating illness in C. During the time that C is ill, H courts Isabella.

When they marry, Edgar disowns his sister.

For two months Edgar nurses C, and there is no word from Isabella and H. Then a letter from Isabella

to ND reveals that they are back to WH and that their marriage is unhappy. Isabella begs to visit C.

H visits C and perceives that her death is imminent. She dies that evening, giving birth to Cathy.

Isabella runs away from H and her oppressive marriage. She departs for the South of England, where

she gives birth to a son, Linton H. At about this time Hindley dies leaving H alone at WH with

Hareton, whom H treats as badly as Hindley had treated him.

When Isabella dies, Linton, now twelve and a sickly effeminate child, returns to TG with Edgar. Hsends for him immediately and he is returned to WH to live with his father.

H intends that Cathy and Linton should marry, so that he can gain control of both houses, WH and

TG. H forces the marriage between the two, because Linton is so sick.

Edgar dies, TG passes to Linton as the male progeny of Isabella, rather than to Cathy, as the female

progeny of Edgar. When Linton dies shortly afterwards, H inherits what would have reverted to Cathy

since she is now his daughter-in-law. Thus cruelly dispossessed, Cathy lives a miserable existence at

the Heights. At this point Lockwood arrives as tenant of TG, and introduces himself into the

household.

The final three chapters, mirroring the first three, restore the narrative to Lockwood, who returns to

the Heights a year later, to find that H has died and C and Hareton are enjoying a blissful courtship

before their marriage.