Wuthering Heights Summary

Introduction to Wuthering Heights

The novel begins in 1801 with Lockwood, a new tenant at Thrushcross Grange, visiting his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, at Wuthering Heights.

Lockwood finds the inhabitants, including Heathcliff, young Catherine Linton, and Hareton Earnshaw, to be cold and unwelcoming.

During his stay, Lockwood experiences a disturbing dream involving the ghost of Catherine Linton, which deeply affects him.

Upon returning to the Grange, Lockwood asks his housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to recount the history of Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights.

The Earnshaws and Heathcliff’s Arrival

Early Years at Wuthering Heights

Nelly begins her narrative in the 1770s, when she was a servant at Wuthering Heights for the Earnshaw family.

Mr. Earnshaw brings home a young, orphaned boy named Heathcliff from Liverpool, much to the dismay of his son, Hindley, but to the delight of his daughter, Catherine.

Catherine and Heathcliff form an intense, inseparable bond, spending their childhood exploring the moors together.

Hindley, however, resents Heathcliff, viewing him as an intruder and a rival for his father’s affection.

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Hindley’s Tyranny and Catherine’s Betrayal

After Mr. Earnshaw’s death, Hindley inherits Wuthering Heights and immediately demotes Heathcliff to a servant.

Hindley marries Frances, a frivolous woman, and their cruelty towards Heathcliff intensifies.

Catherine, despite her deep affection for Heathcliff, is drawn to the refined Linton family at Thrushcross Grange.

She is injured by their dog and spends five weeks recovering at the Grange, returning as a cultured young lady.

Her time with the Lintons, particularly Edgar Linton, begins to drive a wedge between her and Heathcliff.

Catherine’s Choice and Heathcliff’s Disappearance

The Proposal and its Aftermath

Catherine confesses to Nelly that she loves Heathcliff but plans to marry Edgar Linton for social standing.

She famously declares that she is Heathcliff, yet cannot marry him due to his low status.

Heathcliff overhears only part of this conversation and, heartbroken, flees Wuthering Heights.

His sudden disappearance devastates Catherine, who falls ill with grief.

Eventually, she recovers and marries Edgar Linton, moving to Thrushcross Grange.

Heathcliff’s Return and Revenge

A Transformed Man

Three years later, Heathcliff returns, having mysteriously acquired wealth and a gentlemanly demeanour.

His return throws both Catherine and Edgar into turmoil, reigniting Catherine’s passionate feelings for him.

Heathcliff immediately seeks revenge on Hindley, who has become a dissolute gambler after his wife Frances’s death.

He exploits Hindley’s weakness, gradually taking control of Wuthering Heights through gambling debts.

To further his revenge, Heathcliff marries Isabella Linton, Edgar’s impressionable younger sister, treating her cruelly.

Tragedy and Loss

The intense emotional conflict between Heathcliff, Catherine, and Edgar culminates in a violent confrontation.

Catherine, torn between the two men, becomes severely ill, eventually dying after giving birth to a daughter, Cathy.

Her death is a profound turning point, leaving Heathcliff consumed by grief and a desire for ongoing revenge.

Isabella flees Heathcliff’s abuse, giving birth to their son, Linton Heathcliff, away from Wuthering Heights.

The Second Generation and Continuing Vengeance

Heathcliff’s Cruelty to the Young

Hindley dies, leaving his son, Hareton, destitute and uneducated under Heathcliff’s care.

Heathcliff deliberately degrades Hareton, mirroring the abuse he suffered from Hindley.

Years later, Isabella dies, and Linton Heathcliff, a sickly and weak boy, comes to live with his father.

Heathcliff treats his son with contempt, using him solely as a tool in his scheme to acquire Thrushcross Grange.

Forced Marriages and Entrapment

Heathcliff manipulates young Cathy Linton and Linton Heathcliff into a relationship.

His ultimate goal is to force Cathy and Linton to marry, ensuring he inherits Thrushcross Grange upon Edgar’s death.

He achieves this, trapping Cathy at Wuthering Heights after her father Edgar dies.

Linton Heathcliff soon dies from his illness, leaving Cathy a widow, imprisoned by Heathcliff’s machinations.

Resolution and Hope

The End of the Cycle

Nelly’s narrative concludes, bringing the story up to Lockwood’s arrival.

Lockwood leaves Thrushcross Grange but returns months later, finding significant changes.

Heathcliff, increasingly tormented by Catherine’s ghost and his own isolation, loses his will to live.

He dies, seemingly having achieved a spiritual reunion with Catherine.

With Heathcliff gone, the tyranny at Wuthering Heights ends.

A New Beginning

Cathy Linton and Hareton Earnshaw, initially at odds, gradually develop affection for each other.

Cathy teaches Hareton to read, breaking the cycle of ignorance Heathcliff imposed.

Their love blossoms, symbolising a hopeful future, free from the past’s bitterness.

The novel concludes with Cathy and Hareton planning to marry and move to Thrushcross Grange, uniting the two houses.

Related Pages

• Wuthering Heights Study Guide
• Themes in Wuthering Heights
• Key Moments in Wuthering Heights
• Key Quotes in Wuthering Heights