Reading Guide for WutheringHeights by Emily Brontë

Introduction

  • Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights in 1846 and 1847 while her other two sisters wrote their novels. Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre and Anne wrote Agnes Grey. These three girls along with their brother Branwell grew up in a very isolated area of northern England in the small village of Haworth. Look on the Internet for pictures of the moors of surrounding Haworth called the Yorkshire moors. The Yorkshire moors are a rather desolate and bleak area. The weather there is very changeable. When I visited there, I experienced rain, wind, and beautiful sunshine all in the course of one day. I felt isolated and separated during my stay. I have some pictures that I will share with you. But I think understanding the setting of Wuthering Heights will help you understand how small Emily Brontë’s world was and why the setting of the novel is so restricted.
  • I would suggest that sometime while you read Wuthering Heights that you read the biographical information about Emily Brontë on pages 397-399 of your book. Pay close attention to the comments about the Angria and Gondal stories that the Brontë children created when they were very young. The novels of the Brontëchildren were born in these fantasies. See if you can find in your Internet research how a set of toy wooden soldiers fit into the creation of these stories. I also want you to locate pictures of the “little books” that the Brontë children wrote.
  • The novel explores the themes of love as a creative and nurturing force versus love as an all-consuming and destructive force. The destructive power of revenge and the consequences of passion that dominates reason are also key themes.
  • Enough said about background—I hope you will enjoy this novel. WutheringHeights has long been a favorite of mine from 19th century English literature. Some of you will consider it a bit too much like a “soap opera” from television, but I hope that you will give it a chance and recognize some of the literary merit the novel possesses as well.

Chapters I-III (pages 1-32)

  • The “I” in this chapter is Mr. Lockwood. He has recently rented (leased) Thrushcross Grange. Mr. Heathcliff who lives at WutheringHeights owns Thrushcross Grange. Look at the map on page of this handout. This is the whole setting of the novel. Thrushcross Grange is a much larger home, much like an estate. WutheringHeights is the name of a more rural house much like a farmhouse. All the characters in the novel will live at either of these houses and some will move from one place to the other and maybe even back again.
  • Notice the date of the novel is 1801—that is an important beginning. 1801 would be the beginning of a new century. Notice in this chapter, Mr. Lockwood calls this place the perfect “misanthropist’s heaven.” What could that possibly mean? Mr. Lockwood also tells us a little bit about himself—why has he come to this place so isolated from society? What happened to him in an encounter with a young lady at the seacoast? What does his impression of Heathcliff suggest to you about Mr. Lockwood and Heathcliff?
  • Pay close attention to the description of WutheringHeights—the interior and exterior. What date and name is written above the front door. You will meet a Hareton Earnshaw in the novel (not the one in 1500), but pay attention to the characters as they unfold and how the Earnshaws are connected to WutheringHeights. Emily Brontë loved dogs and animals. You will see many dogs throughout the novel.
  • How would you describe this first visit of Mr. Lockwood with Heathcliff? Would you want to return? Why do you think Mr. Lockwood vows to return to the following day at the end of Chapter I?
  • Chapter II is confusing—but it should be. Lockwood is the narrator, but he is not a very observant person, or at least he jumps to conclusions about who is who and who is married to whom. When he tells us that the young woman Mrs. Heathcliff is Heathcliff’s wife, then we believe him. Brontë prepares us for these misconceptions when every observation that Lockwood makes (remember the dead rabbits he thought were cats) is incorrect. Part of the beauty of the beginning of the novel is piecing together the characters and understanding how they are related—so don’t be discouraged, you are supposed to be confused. But you should at least know that Heathcliff is about 40 years old, Catherine Heathcliff (Mrs. Heathcliff) is about 17, and Hareton Earnshaw is about 22 or 23—according to Mr. Lockwood (and he is right about the ages—just wrong about how these people are related.) Despite the confusion of characters, I think you should also see some humor in this chapter.
  • You are so fortunate to have Joseph’s Yorkshire dialect translated for you in the footnotes—one of the reasons I chose this text. Joseph is a religious fanatic—Emily Brontë’s father was a curate (priest) and somewhat fanatical also. Zillah is a servant woman at WutheringHeights. She isn’t a major character, but she does show compassion for Lockwood and his dilemma.
  • I love how Brontë introduces the mystery of this chapter. Zillah leads Lockwood to a room, but she tells him to be very quiet because Heathcliff doesn’t allow anyone in this room. When Lockwood asks her why, she replies she doesn’t know. That should spark your curiosity about this room because she will learn about it later. Lockwood enters the room and discovers an old bed. You need to understand or visualize this bed. It is similar to a huge cabinet—the bed is a box with sliding wooden doors that slide back to allow the occupant to enter the bed. Once the doors are closed, the occupant would be totally shut off from the rest of the room. The bed is next to the wall with the window of the room opening into this box-like enclosure (closet). I hope this makes sense. The window ledge served as a shelf or desktop for the person lying/sitting in the bed. These beds were common in colder climates—a person would take heated rocks wrapped in blankets or cloths to bed with them and these would help heat the bed and the enclosure would maintain the heat.
  • Once Lockwood is in this bed, he notices the books and papers on the shelf. Pay attention to the names—Catherine Linton, Catherine Earnshaw, and Catherine Heathcliff. Again part of the mystery—I should not tell you this, but these names are not the name of the young lady downstairs right now. Remember Lockwood said she was 17 years old—she is—and he reads on the cover of the New Testament the name Catherine Earnshaw with a date 25 years ago—so this is not the Catherine Heathcliff downstairs who was rude to Lockwood about tea. But who she is? Now, pay close attention to the two stories that Lockwood reads written in the margins of the books on the shelf. The stories are written by a Catherine, and the Heathcliff that she mentions is the Heathcliff that is downstairs now. The stories are enclosed within quotation marks that indicate Lockwood is reading them.
  • The break on page 22 indicates the end of Lockwood’s reading and the beginning of his dreams. His first dream is strange—but aren’t most dreams—the dream involves Lockwood going to a chapel with Joseph to hear the famous preacher Reverend Jabes Branderham. The sermon is on the 490 (70x7) sins of man that ends in a riot among the members of the congregation. In the second dream Lockwood breaks out the window to stop the beating of a branch on the window. When he does he touches the cold hand of a young girl who calls herself Catherine Linton and begs to be let in. Lockwood’s screams awaken Heathcliff—please pay close attention to Heathcliff’s response to Lockwood’s story of the ghost and what Heathcliff does when Lockwood leaves the room but stands in the hallway observing Heathcliff. This first section ends with Lockwood returning to Thrushcross Grange, escorted by Heathcliff to the front gate.

Chapters IV-IX (pages 32-92)

  • When Lockwood returns and after spending the afternoon alone, he asks for Mrs. Dean (the housekeeper) in to find out more information about the residents of WutheringHeights. He is especially interested in whom? Why does she say that Heathcliff prefers to live at WutheringHeights than the more comfortable Thrushcross Grange?
  • On page 33 and 34, Mrs. Dean tells Lockwood who the three characters are at WutheringHeights. Please consult the family trees of Lintons and Earnshaws two pages before page 1. You might want to mark this page because as Nell Dean begins to tell Lockwood the history of WutheringHeights and Thrushcross Grange you may need to reference that page.
  • Nelly Dean begins her history on page 35. When she begins, “Before I came to live here,”—the I is Nelly Dean—we have a shift in narrators. Please remember as you listen to this long history that she is telling her story to Mr. Lockwood. He will occasionally interrupt, and I will try to remind you when that happens.
  • When Mr. Earnshaw leaves for a journey to Liverpool, what does Hindley (his son) ask him to bring back as a present? What does Miss Cathy ask for? What does he promise to bring to Nelly? How long was Mr. Earnshaw gone?
  • How old was Hindley when Mr. Earnshaw brought Heathcliff home? What is Mr. Earnshaw’s explanation of why he brought Heathcliff home? How did Catherine and Hindley respond to him in light of their promised gifts? Where did the Earnshaws get the name Heathcliff?
  • When Nelly returns after being banished for three days, what does she discover concerning Hindley and Cathy’s disposition toward Heathcliff? How many years passes before Mrs. Earnshaw dies?
  • How do Hindley and Cathy differ as patients from Heathcliff when they all have the measles and Nelly cares for them? Nelly recounts an example of Heathcliff and Hindley’s animosity concerning two colts. Explain it
  • What are your feelings toward Heathcliff, Hindley, and Cathy by the end of Chapter IV? What about Nelly?
  • Why does Hindley go to college in Chapter V? What does Nelly suggest about Joseph and his influence on Mr. Earnshaw? What does Nelly conclude about the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff? What does Nelly hear at the door the night Mr. Earnshaw dies between Catherine and Heathcliff?
  • In Chapter VI, when Hindley comes home for his father’s funeral, whom does he bring with him? What is her name? How does Nelly describe her? How is Hindley changed and how does he now treat Joseph, Nelly, and Heathcliff?
  • Heathcliff tells Nelly about his and Catherine’s adventure at Thrushcross Grange. Be prepared to recount the events of how this adventure unfolds. Please note the description of Thrushcross Grange. How does it compare to WutheringHeights? How do Catherine and Heathcliff compare to Isabella and Edgar Linton?
  • In Chapter VII, Catherine returns to WutheringHeights from her 5-week stay at Thrushcross Grange. Describe how she has changed? What does she say to Heathcliff that infuriates him? What holiday will be celebrated the following day and who is coming to WutheringHeights to spend it with the Earnshaws? What does Heathcliff beg Ellen (another name for Nelly Dean) to do for him? What does Nelly tell Heathcliff that he should imagine concerning his birth? How does this make you feel about Heathcliff? When the Lintons arrive, what does Edgar say to Heathcliff that insults him? What does Heathcliff do in return? How does Hindley react and what does he do to Heathcliff? When Heathcliff finally comes downstairs, he cannot eat any of the dainties that Nelly prepares for him—instead he is most interested in getting what?
  • Nelly interrupts her story to Mr. Lockwood and suggests she continue some time later. Mr. Lockwood insists that she continue, and she agrees. But she skips how far ahead in the narrative of Heathcliff and the Earnshaws?
  • Who dies in Chapter VIII? How does she die? Who is born? Who takes care of little Hareton? How does Hindley respond to his wife’s death? Nelly reports that Heathcliff is pleased at Hindley’s demise. Catherine remains a constant companion to Heathcliff, but she also shares some of her time with whom? How does Heathcliff respond to Cathy’s attention to Edgar Linton? How has Heathcliff kept up with the number of days/nights that Catherine spends with the Lintons and how many she spends with him?
  • When Edgar arrives this rainy afternoon to spend some time with Cathy—why do they end up fighting? What upsets Cathy? What does she do to Nelly? What does she do to little Hareton? Why does she slap Edgar? When Nelly returns after Cathy and Edgar have made up, she is convinced that they have confessed what?
  • I think Chapter IX (begins on page 74) is the beginning of the part I like. Up until this point, we have learned basically background information—good stuff—but not much has happened. The book begins to get good for me from here until the end. I love this chapter because we see Emily Brontë’s concept of love. Lord Byron heavily influenced Emily Brontë—you might want to look the background notes to Lord Byron on pages 1604-1609 of the Norton Anthology and also on the pages in this handout. Byron writes in his famous epic-like poems Don Juan and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage of his hero’s search for the perfect love—that hero has come to be called the “Byronic hero”—and he embodies the following qualities—see the comments in this handout under Lord Byron for a description of the Byronic hero. The chapter begins with Hindley drunk (again), and he tries to make Nelly swallow the carving knife. What did you think of this violent scene? Remember Nelly is telling as a memory looking back. I doubt if Nelly would have been seen it as humorous had she narrated the scene as it happened. What did you think of Heathcliff’s saving Hareton as Hindley drops him from the stairs? You might want to remember this scene—Nelly will refer to it later when Hareton shows loyalty to Heathcliff. Does he owe him any? One of the major themes of this story is revenge and how destructive getting revenge can be? What is Heathcliff’s plan concerning revenge on Hindley? Do you think he will be successful?
  • Please note on pages 78ff. when Catherine tells Nelly about being asked to marry Edgar Linton that afternoon that Heathcliff is lying on a bench out of sight of the two women talking. You must understand how much Heathcliff hears and how much he doesn’t hear. Notice when he leaves!
  • What do you think of Catherine—do you think she is right in deciding to marry Edgar? Should she marry Heathcliff—would that be incest? What is a soul mate? Shelley—another Romantic poet—has a beautiful poem called “Epipsychidion” (soul of my soul) that embodies the idea of a soul mate—a love that is purely Platonic. What do you know about Platonic love relationships—do you believe in them? [I think Jerry Springer had a show on Platonic love relationships once—it was a hoot!]
  • So—at the end of the chapter Catherine Earnshaw marries Edgar Linton—where is Heathcliff? What are your thoughts on this marriage—will they make it? Will Heathcliff come back?

Chapters X-XVII (pages 93-194)

  • Chapter X begins with Lockwood informing us that he has been sick in bed for how many weeks? What is Lockwood’s assessment of Heathcliff at this point? [He has sent Lockwood a “brace of grouse” and has visited him once.] Lockwood asks Nelly to continue her story—as he is interested in what happened after Heathcliff ran off in Chapter IX.
  • Nelly begins her story again on page 94 with the break in the page—“I got Miss Catherine . . .” Explain the metaphor about the honeysuckles and the thorn at the end of that first paragraph of her narrative. Notice the abrupt end to this almost idyllic marriage on page 95 with the paragraph beginning, “It ended.” What caused an end to this wedded bliss? How does Catherine respond to Heathcliff’s absence? How long has he been gone? How does Edgar Linton respond to Heathcliff? What is your response to the welcome of Heathcliff by Catherine and Edgar?
  • How has Heathcliff “transformed” according to Nelly? Why does Heathcliff say he has come home? Does he tell where he has been or what he has been doing? Where is Heathcliff staying? Who invited him to stay there? Why? Do you agree with Nelly when he says on page 101, “You’re mistaken, Mrs. Linton”? Why?
  • Look closely at the last paragraph on page 103—it seems that Isabella Linton (Edgar’s sister) has become infatuated with Heathcliff. Why would this be of concern to Edgar—especially concerning inheritance? [Remember that England has laws of primogeniture—what does that mean?] What do you think of the quarrel between Catherine and Isabella concerning Heathcliff? Do you think that Catherine’s advice on page 105 (last paragraph) to Isabella is wise? What news of WutheringHeights does Nelly learn from Joseph? When Heathcliff visits Catherine and Isabella beginning on page 108—what did you think of Catherine’s comments about Isabella’s love of Heathcliff? Does Isabella deserve such embarrassment? Look closely at what Heathcliff says on page110 about Isabella being Edgar’s heir? What is Catherine’s response? What does this question suggest to you about Heathcliff’s motives?
  • Who is “him” in the first paragraph on page 112? Look at the map enclosed in this handout to see where the signpost is located that Nelly describes on this page.