Wuthering Heights

By The Bronte Sisters

Chapter Summaries

VOLUME ONE

Chapter One

Lockwood informs us that he is about to visit his new landlord, Mr. Heathcliff. He is met with suspicion by the other characters and given a hostile reception not only by Heathcliff but also Heathcliff's servant, Joseph, and a female servant. However, this unwelcome reception does not deter our rather pompous narrator: he closes the chapter with an assertion that he will return the next day.

Chapter Two

Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights for a second time just as snow begins to fall. At first he cannot get in, and receives no help from Joseph. Hareton takes him round the back where he meets Cathy Heathcliff. Heathcliff explains that his wife and son are dead. Cathy is his daughter-in-law. Having been snowed in, Lockwood is forced to stay the night.

Chapter Three

Lockwood is shown to a forbidden room in which he finds the diary of Catherine. He experiences two disturbing dreams and meets the ghost of Catherine. His cries bring an agitated Heathcliff to the door. Lockwood returns to the Grange exhausted.

Chapter Four

Resting in bed, Lockwood asks his housekeeper Nelly Dean to recount the history of the inhabitants of the Heights. She begins with Heathcliff's arrival as a boy, and the impact this had upon the Earnshaw family.

Chapter Five

Nelly charts the development of these relationships as the health of Mr. Earnshaw declines. Hindley, his son, leaves for college. The intense bond between Heathcliff and Cathy is referred to with disapproval by Nelly, and evinced when they comfort each other on finding their father dead.

Chapter Six

A now married Hindley returns to the Heights as master, taking advantage of his power to seek revenge on Heathcliff. Catherine and Haethcliff grow ever more closer and rebellious, but are separated when Catherine is hurt in a scrape on the moors. She stays at the adjacent Thrushcross Grange until recovered.

Chapter Seven

Catherine returns to Wuthering Heights after five weeks. While she has been away, Hindley has further degraded Heathcliff, and coupled with Catherine's transformation into a lady, the boy feels depressed and isolated. H e proclaims his intention to get back at Hindley for his treatment by him. The chapter closes with a short conversation between Nelly and Lockwood which reminds us this story is not being told to us first-hand.

Chapter Eight

Hindley's son Hareton is born, but the death of Frances, his wife, propels him towards violence and self- destruction. Edgar Linton's relationship with Cathy is introduced. Heathcliff is resentful and the tension escalates between the two young men.

Chapter Nine

Heathcliff and Hindley's relationship becomes more and more aggressive. Catherine accepts Edgar's proposal of marriage, but not before she has told Nelly of her greater love for Heathcliff. However, she professes that her feelings are in spite of reason - it would degrade her to marry him, and Heathcliff, overhearing only this, disappears. Catherine become ill and leaves to rest at Thrushcross Grange once more. She marries Edgar three years later when he is master of the Grange, with Nelly reluctantly accompanying her mistress.

Chapter Ten

Nelly describes the luxury and peace of the Lintons' life, but this is unsettled by Heathcliff's return. Catherine is ecstatic to see him again, much to Edgar's disgust. Heathcliff stays at the Heights with Hindley. Isabella Linton becomes attracted to Heathcliff, and this is a cause of worry for both Edgar and Catherine. Catherine tells Heathcliff of this, but only serves to complicate matters - Heathcliff sees her fascination with him as an opportunity to revenge himself upon Edgar.

Chapter Eleven

Nelly recalls her childhood with Hindley. This urges her to visit the Heights but she is alarmed at how much things have deteriorated. Heathcliff has encouraged Hareton to be unruly. She leaves when Heathcliff returns. He later calls to the Grange, encouraging Isabella's partiality which angers both Catherine and Edgar. The three argue and overwhelmed, Catherine retreats to her bed.

Chapter Twelve

Catherine starves herself, and Nelly is contemptuous of her protestations of illness, refusing to tell Edgar and give him unnecessary worry. But Catherine deteriorates and Nelly grows anxious, recalling her mistress's earlier sickness. Isabella elopes with Heathcliff and Edgar disowns her.

Chapter Thirteen

Catherine is diagnosed with a brain fever, but slowly recovers under Edgar's care. Heathcliff and Isabella have remained absent for two months and a letter to Nelly from Isabella suggests she regrets her marriage. Both are now back at Wuthering Heights. Learning of Catherine's illness, Heathcliff lays all blame on Edgar, telling Isabella that she will be punished in his place. She begs Nelly to visit her.

Chapter Fourteen

Nelly tells Edgar of his sister's misery but he refuses to help. Her visit to see Isabella sees Heathcliff compel her to fix a meeting between him and Catherine. The narrative breaks as the doctor calls on Lockwood. He is repelled by Nelly's description of Cathy, and resolves not to fall in love with her daughter.

VOLUME TWO

Chapter One

Lockwood now takes over as narrator, recounting the story as told to him by Nelly Dean. Heathcliff visits Catherine. He is distraught on seeing her near death and they embrace with fierce passion. Nelly is anxious that Heathcliff leaves but Catherine begs him to stay. She faints as Edgar enters the room. Heathcliff departs but remains in the garden so Nelly can inform him of Catherine.

Chapter Two

Cathy dies in childbirth and her daughter is named after her. Nelly goes to tell Heathcliff of her death but he already knows. His grief is violent and wracks him as he declares he cannot live without her, his life and soul. The funeral takes place one week later.

Chapter Three

Isabella escapes to the Grange, telling Nelly that she is running away from Heathcliff. He later hears that she has given birth to a son, and Nelly interrupts the story to tell us that Isabella died when her son was twelve. Shortly after Catherine's death Hindley dies also. Wuthering Heights now belongs to Heathcliff, having been mortgaged to him because of gambling debts. The disinherited Hareton is now dependent on Heathcliff alone.

Chapter Four

p>The next twelve years are quickly passed over by Nelly. Young Catherine lives a happy but sheltered life at Thrushcross Grange. Isabella writes to Edgar telling him that she is dying, and asks for her son to be looked after by him. While away organizing this, Catherine ventures beyond the Grange to Wuthering Heights. She meets Hareton and learns that he is her cousin. Nelly tells her to keep this secret for it will put her job in jeopardy.

Chapter Five

The death of Isabella brings Edgar and Linton Heathcliff to the Grange. Joseph arrives soon after and orders Edgar to return Linton to Heathcliff. Edgar promises that Linton will arrive the next day.

Chapter Six

Nelly takes Linton to Wuthering Heights. Catherine doesn't know of her cousin's close proximity, only that his father has sent for him. Heathcliff is disappointed in his son, but outlines his wish for Linton to eventually control the property of the Lintons and Earnshaws.

Chapter Seven

Catherine is upset at Linton's departure. On her sixteenth birthday she meets Heathcliff and Hareton while wandering on the moors with Nelly. They return to the Heights against Nelly's will. Heathcliff tells Nelly he plans for Linton and Catherine to marry; he would therefore gain ownership of the Grange when his son dies. Catherine finds out how she is related to Heathcliff and Hareton and later confronts her father with this. Edgar tells her Heathcliff wants revenge. She agrees not to return to the Heights but secretly corresponds with Edgar instead. Nelly learns of this and Catherine ceases her letters for fear of her father finding out.

Chapter Eight

Edgar is confined indoors because of a chill. Catherine meets Heathcliff again and is told Linton is dying because she broke his heart. She goes with Nelly to visit him again the following day.

Chapter Nine

Catherine and Nelly visit the Heights. Catherine and Linton quarrel about marriage. She tells him his parents hated each other, he tells her that her mother hated her father and loved his. He has a fit of coughing which secures a promise from Catherine to visit again. She now has freedom because Nelly also falls ill.

Chapter Ten

Three weeks later Nelly is well again. She asks that Catherine read to her, hindering the girl's meetings with Linton. Nelly discovers this and Catherine confesses that they have not been enjoyable. She tells of an argument they had about the ideal heaven. She also recounts how she mocked Hareton's attempts to read, and Nelly reprehends her. Nelly tells Edgar of Cathy's disobedience but although the girl is forbidden to go to the Heights again, Linton is invited to visit the Grange.

Chapter Eleven

The narrative breaks. Nelly confronts Lockwood with his attraction to Catherine, but he asserts that this feeling is futile. Taking up the story once more, she tells how a now dying Edgar begins corresponding with Linton to reassure himself of Cathy's future security. Heathcliff controls his son's part in this, keeping Linton's own failing health a secret from the Grange - he wants the wedding to be arranged as soon as possible.

Chapter Twelve

Catherine and Nelly meet Linton on the moors and are horrified to see his deterioration. He asks her to keep this hidden from Edgar, a sentiment Nelly agrees to.

Chapter Thirteen

The following week, Catherine and Nelly meet Linton again. Heathcliff appears on the scene and tells Nelly that his only wish is for his son to survive Edgar. Persuaded to return to the Heights, Cathy and Nelly are taken captive - Heathcliff plans on marrying the cousins the next morning, an improvement in Linton betraying the boy's part in the plan.

Chapter Fourteen

Nelly and Catherine are still being detained after five days during which the two cousins have been married. Nelly is allowed to return to the Grange, and tells Edgar of Heathcliff's plans for revenge. While she sends people to rescue Catherine, Edgar attempts to change his will so that his property can be held in trust for his daughter. However the lawyer arrives too late, and Edgar dies with a dispossessed Catherine by his side. Afterwards Nelly tells us Heathcliff bribed the lawyer.

Chapter Fifteen

After the funeral Heathcliff demands that Catherine return to the Heights as he plans for the Grange to be let. He tells Nelly that he plans to be buried with Cathy, and describes how she has haunted him all this time. Nelly is left alone at Thrushcross Grange.

Chapter Sixteen

Cathy looks after the dying Linton. After his death, she refuses to come out of her room and rejects all offers of friendship from Hareton and Zillah. Nelly expresses little hope in Catherine's future and finishes her narration here. The story has now been brought up to the present moment. Lockwood tells us he intends to give up his tenancy of the Grange in October.

Chapter Seventeen

Lockwood is our narrator once more. He takes a note from Nelly to Catherine on a visit to the Heights, but she rebuffs it, believing it is a love note from him. The girl scorns Hareton's lack of learning, prompting him to throw his books on the fire. Heathcliff greets his guest amiably, and Lockwood tells him of his plans to leave.

Chapter Eighteen

We are told it is now 1802. Lockwood is back in the area again and decides to visit the Grange and the Heights. He peers in the window of Wuthering Heights and sees Catherine teaching a now-handsome Hareton how to read. Nelly greets Lockwood and tells him Heathcliff died three months earlier. She resumes the narration in order to relate the story of the young couple.

Chapter Nineteen

Nelly tells us of the tentative beginning of Catherine and Hareton's friendship, and how Heathcliff and Joseph reacted to it. She describes how Heathcliff's desire for revenge dwindled, and his growing fixation with dying so that he may be reunited with Cathy.

Chapter Twenty

Heathcliff's obsession with dying grows. His manic joyfulness disturbs a superstitious Nelly, and when he tells her of his plans to make out a will, she asks him to repent and turn to God. He says he will return to haunt her if she doesn't bury him according to his wishes; two days later she finds him dead. Only Hareton mourns his loss, and we are told of the local legend that their ghosts walk the moors together. The unimaginative Lockwood is unable to imagine anything of the sort.