2018

The Brief Summary of Wuthering Heights

By Sajad A. N.

8/14/2018
PREFACE

I don't own the copyright. All the copyright goes to their respectful owners.
 A Brief Summary

Many people, generally those who have never read the book, consider Wuthering
Heights to be a straightforward, if intense, love story — Romeo and Juliet on the
Yorkshire Moors. But this is a mistake. Really the story is one of revenge. It follows the
life of Heathcliff, a mysterious gypsy-like person, from childhood (about seven years old)
to his death in his late thirties. Heathcliff rises in his adopted family and then is reduced
to the status of a servant, running away when the young woman he loves decides to marry
another. He returns later, rich and educated, and sets about gaining his revenge on the
two families that he believed ruined his life.

Prologue

Chapters 1 to 3

Mr Lockwood, a rich man from the south, has rented Thrushcross Grange in the north of
England for peace and recuperation. Soon after arrival, he visits his landlord, Mr
Heathcliff, who lives in the remote moorland farmhouse called "Wuthering Heights". He
finds the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights to be a strange group: Mr Heathcliff appears a
gentleman but his manners and speech suggest otherwise; the mistress of the house is in
her late teens, an attractive but reserved, even rude woman; and there is a young man
who appears to be one of the family although he dresses and talks like a servant.

Being snowed in, he has to stay the night and is shown to an unused chamber where he
finds books and graffiti from a former inhabitant of the farmhouse called "Catherine".
When he falls asleep, his dreams are prompted by this person and he has a nightmare
where he sees her as a ghost trying to get in through the window. He wakes and is unable
to return to sleep so, as soon as the sun rises, he is escorted back to Thrushcross Grange
by Heathcliff. There he asks his housekeeper, Ellen Dean, to tell him the story of the
family from the Heights.
 The Childhood of Heathcliff

Chapters 4 to 17

The story begins thirty years before when the Earnshaw family lived at Wuthering
Heights consisting of, as well as the mother and father, Hindley, a boy of fourteen, and
six-year-old Catherine, the same person that he had dreamt about and the mother of the
present mistress. In that year, Mr Earnshaw travels to Liverpool where he finds a
homeless, gypsy-like boy of about seven whom he decides to adopt as his son. He names
him "Heathcliff". Hindley, who finds himself excluded from his father's affections by this
newcomer, quickly learns to hate him but Catherine grows very attached to him. Soon
Heathcliff and Catherine are like twins, spending hours on the moors together and hating
every moment apart.

Because of this discord, Hindley is eventually sent to college but he returns, three years
later, when Mr Earnshaw dies. With a new wife, Frances, he becomes master of
Wuthering Heights and forces Heathcliff to become a servant instead of a member of the
family.

Heathcliff and Cathy continue to run wild and, in November, a few months after
Hindley's return, they make their way to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the inhabitants.
As they watch the childish behaviour of Edgar and Isabella Linton, the children of the
Grange, they are spotted and try to escape. Catherine, having been caught by a dog, is
brought inside and helped while Heathcliff is sent home.

Five weeks later, Catherine returns to Wuthering Heights but she has now changed,
looking and acting as a lady. She laughs at Heathcliff's unkempt appearance and, the next
day when the Lintons visit, he dresses up to impress her. It fails when Edgar makes fun of
him and they argue. Heathcliff is locked in the attic where, in the evening, Catherine
climbs over the roof to comfort him. He vows to get his revenge on Hindley.

In the summer of the next year, Frances gives birth to a child, Hareton, but she dies
before the year is out. This leads Hindley to descend into a life of drunkenness and waste.

Two years on and Catherine has become close friends with Edgar, growing more distant
from Heathcliff. One day in August, while Hindley is absent, Edgar comes to visit
Catherine . She has an argument with Ellen which then spreads to Edgar who tries to
leave. Catherine stops him and, before long, they declare themselves lovers.

Later, Catherine talks with Ellen, explaining that Edgar had asked her to marry him and
she had accepted. She says that she does not really love Edgar but Heathcliff.
Unfortunately she could never marry the latter because of his lack of status and
education. She therefore plans to marry Edgar and use that position to help raise
Heathcliff's standing. Unfortunately Heathcliff had overheard the first part about not
being able to marry him and flees from the farmhouse. He disappears without trace and,
after three years, Edgar and Catherine are married.
Six months after the marriage, Heathcliff returns as a gentleman, having grown stronger
and richer during his absence. Catherine is delighted to see him although Edgar is not so
keen. Isabella, now eighteen, falls madly in love with Heathcliff, seeing him as a romantic
hero. He despises her but encourages the infatuation, seeing it as a chance for revenge on
Edgar. When he embraces Isabella one day at the Grange, there is a argument with Edgar
which causes Catherine to lock herself in her room and fall ill.

Heathcliff has been staying at the Heights, gambling with Hindley and teaching Hareton
bad habits. Hindley is gradually losing his wealth, mortgaging the farmhouse to
Heathcliff to repay his debts.

While Catherine is ill, Heathcliff elopes with Isabella, causing Edgar to disown his sister.
The fugitives marry and return two months later to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff hears
that Catherine is ill and arranges with Ellen to visit her in secret. In the early hours of the
day after their meeting, Catherine gives birth to her daughter, Cathy, and then dies.

The day after Catherine's funeral, Isabella flees Heathcliff and escapes to the south of
England where she eventually gives birth to Linton, Heathcliff's son. Hindley dies six
months after his sister and Heathcliff finds himself the master of Wuthering Heights and
the guardian of Hareton.

The Maturity of Heathcliff

Chapters 18 to 31

Twelve years on, Cathy has grown into a beautiful, high-spirited girl who has rarely
passed outside the borders of the Grange. Edgar hears that Isabella is dying and leaves to
pick up her son with the intention of adopting him. While he is gone, Cathy meets
Hareton on the moors and learns of her cousin and Wuthering Heights' existence.

Edgar returns with Linton who is a weak and sickly boy. Although Cathy is attracted to
him, Heathcliff wants his son with him and insists on having him taken to the Heights.

Three years later, Ellen and Cathy are on the moors when they meet Heathcliff who takes
them to Wuthering Heights to see Linton and Hareton. His plans are for Linton and
Cathy to marry so that he would inherit Thrushcross Grange. Cathy and Linton begin a
secret and interrupted friendship.

In August of the next year, while Edgar is very ill, Ellen and Cathy visit Wuthering
Heights and are held captive by Heathcliff who wants to marry his son to Cathy and, at
the same time, prevent her from returning to her father before he dies. After five days,
Ellen is released and Cathy escapes with Linton's help just in time to see her father before
he dies.
With Heathcliff now the master of both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange,
Cathy has no choice but to leave Ellen and to go and live with Heathcliff and Hareton.
Linton dies soon afterwards and, although Hareton tries to be kind to her, she retreats
into herself. This is the point of the story at which Lockwood arrives.

After being ill with a cold for some time, Lockwood decides that he has had enough of the
moors and travels to Wuthering Heights to inform Heathcliff that he is returning to the
south.

Epilogue

Chapters 32 to 34

In September, eight months after leaving, Lockwood finds himself back in the area and
decides to stay at Thrushcross Grange (since his tenancy is still valid until October). He
finds that Ellen is now living at Wuthering Heights. He makes his way there and she fills
in the rest of the story.

Ellen had moved to the Heights soon after Lockwood had left to replace the housekeeper
who had departed. In March, Hareton had had an accident and been confined to the
farmhouse. During this time, a friendship had developed between Cathy and Hareton.
This continues into April when Heathcliff begins to act very strangely, seeing visions of
Catherine. After not eating for four days, he is found dead in his room. He is buried next
to Catherine.

Lockwood departs but, before he leaves, he hears that Hareton and Cathy plan to marry
on New Year's Day.
 FAMOUS SCENES AND LIST OF
NARRATORS

Wuthering Heights has many famous scenes so you may need to know where in the novel
they happened. In the table, the right hand column indicates roughly where in the
chapter the scene begins, useful if you have a printed copy. The page icon in the left
column will take you directly to it in the online version.

Famous Scenes

Catherine's ghost Catherine's ghost appears at a window and Ch 3, halfway

begs to be let in

Heathcliff's arrival Heathcliff's first appearance as a child, Ch 4, halfway

brought from Liverpool by Mr Earnshaw.

Catherine and Catherine and Heathcliff visit Thrushcross Ch 6, halfway

Heathcliff at Grange for the first time and Catherine
Thrushcross Grange remains there.

Heathcliff runs away Catherine accepts Edgar's proposal and pours Ch 9,

out her heart to Ellen. Heathcliff overhears one quarter
and runs away from Wuthering Heights.

Heathcliff returns Heathcliff returns after three years away. Ch 10,

one quarter

Edgar and Heathcliff Edgar finds Heathcliff at Thrushcross Grange Ch 11,

fight and they briefly fight. halfway

Catherine in delirium Catherine tears her pillow apart in delirium Ch 12,

and then wishes to be back at Wuthering one quarter
Heights.

The final meeting Heathcliff meets Catherine for the final time Ch 15,
before she dies. one third

Catherine's death Catherine dies and her daughter is born. Ch 16,

beginning

Heathcliff visits Heathcliff visits Catherine's body before the Ch 16, end
funeral and intertwines his hair with hers in a
 Catherine's body locket.

The clash at Heathcliff fights with Hindley, and Isabella Ch 17,

Wuthering Heights flees. one third

Meeting on the road Cathy meets Heathcliff on the road at the edge Ch 22,
of the park. two thirds

Cathy held captive Cathy and Ellen are held captive by Heathcliff Ch 27,
where the former tries to take the key from his halfway
hand.

Heathcliff removes the Before Edgar's funeral, Heathcliff pays the Ch 29,
side of Catherine's sexton to uncover Catherine's grave where he halfway
coffin removes the side of her coffin.

Heathcliff digs up Heathcliff digs down to Catherine's coffin to Ch 29,

Catherine's coffin embrace her body but, note, he doesn't two thirds
actually reach her.

Cathy and Hareton Cathy decides that she wants to be friends Ch 32,
become friends with Hareton and he accepts a book as a gift. two thirds

Death of Heathcliff Heathcliff is found dead in his chamber. Ch 34,

two thirds

Heathcliff and A shepherd boy sees Heathcliff and 'a woman' Ch 34, near
Catherine as ghosts as ghosts. the end

List of Narrators

To help you understand the multiple narrators in Wuthering Heights, here is a list of who
is describing the story and when. Names in (brackets) indicate minor narration.

Chap Narrators Chap Narrators

1 Lockwood 18 Ellen

2 Lockwood 19 Ellen

3 Lockwood 20 Ellen

4 Lockwood, Ellen 21 Ellen

5 Ellen 22 Ellen

6 Ellen, Heathcliff 23 Ellen

7 Ellen 24 Ellen, Cathy

8 Ellen 25 Ellen, (Lockwood)

9 Ellen (Lockwood) 26 Ellen

10 (Lockwood), Ellen 27 Ellen

11 Ellen 28 Ellen

12 Ellen 29 Ellen, Heathcliff

13 Ellen, Isabella 30 Ellen, Zillah, (Lockwood)

14 Ellen, (Lockwood) 31 Lockwood

15 (Lockwood), Ellen 32 Lockwood, Ellen

16 Ellen 33 Ellen

17 Ellen, Isabella 34 Ellen, Lockwood