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PLOT (STRUCTURE)
The structure of Wuthering Heights is not typical, for it is told as a flashback out of
chronological order. Emily Brontë, however, strives to tie all of the loose ends of the story
together by the last chapter. What was not understood by Lockwood or the reader in the
beginning chapter has been fully explained by the last one. In spite of the broad span of time
that passes in the book, the author also strives to weave the tale into a unified whole by a
repetition of theme, a small setting, and the constancy of character in the person of Heathcliff,
who dominates also the entire plot.

In actuality, the plot of the novel is divided into five different phases, which correspond to the
five stages in the plot of a classical drama. The brilliantly conceived first section of the novel
forms its exposition. It establishes the nature of the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, their
relationships to each other, and the strange atmosphere that surrounds them. Events in the
novel are set in motion by the arrival of Heathcliff, picked up as a waif of unknown parentage
on the streets of Liverpool by Mr. Earnshaw, who brings him home to raise as one of his own
children. This opening narrative, told by Nelly, deals mainly with the childhood and
personalities of Heathcliff, Catherine, and Hindley.

The real rising action of the novel's plot begins when Mr. Earnshaw passes away; his death
brings forth a quick succession of events that complicate the plot. Bullied and humiliated by
Hindley, Heathcliff develops a passionate and ferocious nature that finds its complement in
Earnshaw's daughter, Catherine. Their childhood affection develops into an increasingly
intense, though troubled, attachment to one another. Catherine, however, decides to marry
Edgar Linton, for he is wealthy and more polished than Heathcliff, her true love. Heathcliff
leaves Wuthering Heights before the marriage of Catherine and Edgar takes place.

There are several key incidents that lead to the climactic moment of the novel. Heathcliff
returns three years later and finds the married Catherine is still attracted to him, a fact that
devastates her husband, Edgar. Heathcliff is allowed to stay at Wuthering Heights with
Hindley, who is now widowed with a son, Hareton; he has become a hardened gambler and
loses everything to Heathcliff. As a result, Heathcliff becomes the master of Wuthering Heights
and brings Hindley and Hareton completely under his power. Ruled by a desire for vengeance,
Heathcliff makes the two of them suffer as he has previously suffered under Hindley's cruelty.
As part of his revenge, Heathcliff also marries Edgar Linton's sister, Isabella, and cruelly
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mistreats her. He also unintentionally hastens Catherine's death, which is the point of climax
for Heathcliff.

The unraveling of Heathcliff's revenge forms the falling action. He lures the young Cathy, the
daughter of Catherine and Edgar, to his house and forces a marriage between her and his son,
Linton. Since Linton is a sickly young man, Heathcliff knows he will soon die, putting Heathcliff
in a position to control both Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. After Linton's death,
he forces Cathy to stay on at the Heights, a situation that allows an affection to spring forth
between her and Hareton. She does her best to educate him and eventually falls in love with
him. Heathcliff's desire for revenge eventually wears out, and he allows Cathy and Hareton to
pursue their relationship. All Heathcliff longs for now is death, which will at last reunite him
with Catherine.

The denouement, or conclusion, of the novel is reached with the death of Heathcliff. In and
through Heathcliff's death there is the promise that the two contrasting worlds and moral
orders represented by the Heights and the Grange will be united in the next generation in the
union of Cathy and Hareton.

Plot Summary
Mr. Lockwood, a gentleman from the city, rented in Thrushcross Grange, an estate located in
rural Yorkshire in 1801. Lockwood went to meet his landlord, Heathcliff who resided in
Wuthering heights an estate past the moors. Mr. Lockwood was not pleased with the culture
of the residents in Wuthering Heights. The residents were indifferent to social customs. On
Lockwood return, he was forced to spend in a haunted bedroom that belonged to Cathy. Mr.
Lockwood screams attracted the attention of Mr. Heathcliff, surprisingly pleads for Cathy's
ghost to come inside the room. The story of Lockwood as a narrator makes a complete circle.
He comes renting and later completes the narration by reaching to clear his debt obligations
with Heathcliff. Lockwood had a chance of proposing and marrying Catherine; it was not to
be.

The next morning Mr. Lockwood returns to Thrushcross Grange feeling sick requiring bed rest.
Mrs. Dean a servant updates Mr. Lockwood about Wuthering Heights where she grew up. Mrs.
Dean narrates how Mr. Earnshaw, from a trip to Liverpool, picked a homeless boy from the
streets taking him with him to Wuthering Heights. Mr. Earnshaw named the boy Heathcliff,
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after a son who died earlier. Members of Mr. Earnshaw family despised Heathcliff. Cathy and
Hindley branded Heathcliff a gypsy because of his dark hair and unpleasant temperament. Mr.
Earnshaw's open favoritism of Heathcliff only intensified Hindley's hate and violence towards
Heathcliff. Cathy, Hindley's sister, befriended Heathcliff. Hindley went to college and returned
with a wife upon his father demise. Hindley became the new master of Wuthering Heights
forcing Heathcliff into servitude. Cathy liking for Heathcliff makes her teache him how to read
and write as they played in the moors. Women from privileged social circles take time to teach
men in their lives how to read and write. Cathy taught Heathcliff to read and write while
Catherine tutored Hareton.

Out of curiosity, one night Cathy and Heathcliff sneaked to Thrushcross to observe how the
wealthy, blond and blue-eyed Linton children, Isabella and Edgar lived. Accidentally a dog bites
Cathy, and the Lintons catch them. Cathy was received into the house while Heathcliff
suffered rejection being sent home because of the color of his hair representing a ‘gyps’
background. When Cathy returned after five weeks, she had acquired the mannerisms of the
upper class. Cathy demeanor changed as well as her dressing. Cathy dressed more elegantly
and started becoming distant to Heathcliff. Cathy accepted Edgar’s marriage proposal even
though she truly loved Heathcliff. Heathcliff felt humiliated and run away. Cathy felt hollow
and distraught by Heathcliff disappearance. Heathcliff returns after three years, a wealthy and
attractive gentleman. Heathcliff return is driven by revenge over violence meted on him in
childhood. Hindley’s wife had died leaving him to raise their son, Hareton. Hindley was
unhappy with God for allowing his wife to kill. He turned into alcoholic and abusive. Hindley
gambled with Heathcliff took control of Wuthering Heights and struck a loving relationship
with Hareton. The relationship between Hareton and Heathcliff was for convenience.

Old flames never die. Heathcliff visited Cathy at Thrushcross reigniting their friendship. Their
love returned though Heathcliff respected Cathy marriage to Edgar. Isabella developed a crush
on Heathcliff. Heathcliff manipulated Isabella to revenge childhood snobbery. Heathcliff
married Isabella out of vengeance. He mistreated Isabella, abusing and degrading her. Cathy
became severely unhappy and miserable when she learned that Heathcliff forbidden from
visiting after a fight between Heathcliff and Edgar. Cathy became sick and withdrawn during
her pregnancy. Cathy and Heathcliff managed to have one last meeting where they criticized
and scorned each other for not staying together. Cathy dies that night while giving birth to
Catherine. Isabella ran away from Heathcliff and raised her son, Linton in London alone. Edgar

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raises Catherine alone in Thrushcross Grange. Hindley died, and Heathcliff also lifted Hareton
alone in Wuthering Heights. Out of malice, Heathcliff raises Hareton as an uneducated servant
instead of his socialite status. Heathcliff used the opportunity to revenge Hindley's
mistreatment on Hareton.

Catherine met Hareton while they were playing in the moors during their dogfights. Catherine
discovers that Hareton is a cousin and a servant. Isabella died when Catherine approached
thirteen years. Linton came to live in Thrushcross Grange. Heathcliff insisted on raising his son
and thus forced Linton to come live in Wuthering Heights. Linton was sickly and pampered.
Heathcliff cleverly used Linton to gain hold of Thrushcross property as Edgar was dying.
Heathcliff engineered marriage between Linton and Catherine. Catherine then nursed Linton
until he died.

Catherine always despised Hareton. Out of loneliness, the two became friends. Heathcliff gives
up his revenge mission. Heathcliff losses the will to live and was found dead lying near a
window. Catherine and Hareton regain their inheritance. Catherine regained control of
Thrushcross Grange while Hareton recovered Wuthering heights estates. The two were now
free of the social burdens of the society free to fall in love and get married as they wished
according to Lockwood.

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