The reader can immediately question Lockwood's reliability as a conveyer of facts. A vain and somewhat
shallow man, he frequently makes amusing mistakes—he assumes, for instance, that Heathcliff is a
gentleman with a house full of servants, even though it is apparent that Heathcliff is a rough and cruel man
with a house full of dogs. Nelly Dean is more knowledgeable about events, as she has participated in many
of them first hand; yet while this makes her more trustworthy in some ways, it also makes her more biased in
others. Thus, for example, she frequently glosses over her own role in the story's developments, particularly
when she has behaved badly. Later in the novel, she describes how she took the young Linton to live with
his cruel father after the death of his mother. She lies to the boy on the journey, telling him that his father is
a kind man, and after his horrible meeting with Heathcliff, she tries to sneak out when he is not paying
attention. He notices her, and begs her not to leave him with Heathcliff. She ignores his entreaties, however,
and tells Lockwood that she simply had "no excuse for lingering longer." Nelly is generally a dependable
source of information, but moments such as this one—and there are many—remind the reader that the story
is told by a fallible human being.
Apart from establishing the manner and quality of narration, the most important function of these early
chapters is simply to pique the reader's curiosity about the strange histories of the denizens of Wuthering
Heights. The family relationships, including multiple Earnshaws, Catherines, Lintons, and Heathcliffs, seem
at this point in the novel to intertwine with baffling complexity, and the characters, because Lockwood first
encounters them late in their story, seem full of mysterious passions and ancient, hidden resentments. The
setting of this history seems to possess its own secrets: wild and desolate, full of eerie winds and forgotten
corners, the land has borne witness to its residents' nighttime walks, forbidden meetings, and graveyard
visits. Indeed, the mysteries of the land cannot be separated from the mysteries of the characters, and the
physical landscape of the novel is often used to reflect the mental and emotional landscapes of those who
live there.
While the odd characters and wild setting contribute to a certain sense of mystery, this sense is most
definitively established by the appearance of Catherine Earnshaw's ghost. This supernatural event firmly
confirms the novel as not only a mystery story, but indeed a Gothic tale. Yet while Lockwood's account of
the event to the reader greatly influences the feel of the novel, and while his subsequent account of it to
Heathcliff provokes a reaction that may offer us clues as to his relationship with the late Catherine, the
reader may choose not to assign his words any further significance. That is, because Lockwood has proved
flighty and emotional, and because he is still half asleep when he encounters the ghost, one could infer that
he never actually sees a ghost, but simply has an intense vision in the midst of his dream. It seems likely,
however, that Emily Brontë would have intended the ghost to seem real to her readers: such a supernatural
phenomenon would certainly be in keeping with the Gothic severity pervading the rest of the novel.
Moreover, Heathcliff refers to Catherine's ghost several times during the course of the novel; clearly he
joins Lockwood in believing that she haunts Wuthering Heights. Thus the ghost, whether objectively "real"
or not, attests to the way the characters remain haunted by a troubling and turbulent past.
2.1.1 Chapter VI
Hindley and his new wife, a simpering, silly woman named Frances return to Wuthering Heights in time for
Mr. Earnshaw 's funeral. Hindley immediately begins to take his revenge on Heathcliff , declaring that
Heathcliff will no longer be allowed an education, and instead will spend his days working in the fields like a
common laborer. But for the most part, Catherine and Heathcliff are able to escape Hindley's notice, and
spend Heathcliff's free time playing on the moors and ignoring their religious obligations, much to Joseph 's
disgust.
One evening, Heathcliff and Catherine disappear; Hindley orders that the doors be bolted and that the
children not be allowed into the house. But Nelly waits for them, and receives a shock when Heathcliff
returns alone. He tells her that he and Catherine made the trip to Thrushcross Grange to spy on and tease
Edgar and Isabella Linton , Mr. Linton 's children. But Skulker, the Lintons' guard dog, took them by surprise
and chased them, biting Catherine's ankle. Unable to return home, Catherine was taken inside Thrushcross
Grange by a servant, but the Lintons, repelled by Heathcliff's rough appearance, forbade her playmate to
stay with her. The following day, Mr. Linton pays a visit to Wuthering Heights to explain matters to
Hindley, and upbraids the young man for his mismanagement of his sister. After Mr. Linton leaves, the
humiliated Hindley furiously tells Heathcliff he may have no further contact with Catherine.
2.1.2 Chapter VII
Catherine spends five weeks recuperating at the Grange. Mrs. Linton determines to transform the girl into a
young lady, and spends her time educating Catherine in matters of social grace. Catherine returns to
Wuthering Heights at Christmastime, wearing a lovely dress. Hindley says that Heathcliff may greet
Catherine "like the other servants," and when he does so, she says he is dirty in comparison with the Linton
children, to whom she has grown accustomed. Heathcliff's feelings are wounded, and he storms out of the
room declaring that he will be as dirty as he likes. The Linton children come for dinner at Wuthering Heights
the next day. Nelly helps Heathcliff to wash himself and put on suitable clothes after the boy declares his
intention to be "good," but Mrs. Linton has allowed Edgar and Isabella to attend only under the condition
that Heathcliff be kept away from them. Accordingly, Hindley orders that Heathcliff be locked in the attic
until the end of dinner. Before the boy can be locked away, however, Edgar makes a comment about
Heathcliff's hair, and Heathcliff angrily flings hot applesauce in his face. Catherine appears clearly unhappy
with Hindley's treatment of Heathcliff, and after dinner she goes up to see him. Nelly frees the boy and gives
him some supper in the kitchen. Heathcliff confides to her that he intends to seek revenge on Hindley.
At this point, Nelly interrupts her narrative and rises to go, remarking that the night is growing late.
Lockwood says that he intends to sleep late the next day, and wishes to hear the rest of her story now. He
urges her to continue in minute detail.
2.1.3 Chapter VIII
Nelly skips ahead a bit in her story, to the summer of 1778, several months after the Lintons' visit and
twenty-three years before Lockwood's arrival at the Grange. Frances gives birth to a baby boy, Hareton but
she dies not long afterwards, the strain of childbirth having aggravated her chronic consumption. Hindley
assigns Nelly the task of raising the baby, as he takes no interest in the child. Miserable at Frances's death,
Hindley begins to drink excessively and behave abusively toward his servants—especially toward
Heathcliff, who takes great pleasure in Hindley's steady decline. Catherine continues to spend time with
Edgar Linton, and behaves like a proper lady while with him; but when she is with Heathcliff, she acts as she
always has. One afternoon, when Hindley is out of the house, Heathcliff declares that he will stay home from
the fields and spend the day with Catherine. She tells him ruefully that Edgar and Isabella are planning to
visit. He confronts her about the amount of time she spends with Edgar; she retorts that she finds Heathcliff
ignorant and dull. At that moment, Edgar enters—without Isabella—and Heathcliff storms away.
Catherine asks Nelly to leave the room, but Nelly refuses, having been instructed by Hindley to act as
Catherine's chaperone in Edgar's presence. Catherine pinches her and then slaps her, and when Hareton
begins to cry, she shakes him. Edgar, appalled at Catherine's behavior, attempts to restore order, and
Catherine boxes his ears. Edgar is unable to cope with Catherine's unladylike temper, and hurries out of the
house. On the way out, however, he catches a last glimpse of Catherine through the window; lured by her
beauty, he comes back inside. Nelly now leaves them alone, and interrupts them only to tell them that
Hindley has arrived home, drunk and in a foul temper. When she next enters the room, she can tell that
Catherine and Edgar have confessed their love for one another. Edgar hurries home to avoid Hindley, and
Catherine goes to her chamber. Nelly goes to hide little Hareton, and takes the shot out of Hindley's gun,
which he is fond of playing with in his drunken rages.
2.1.4 Chapter IX
…Heathcliff &133; shall never know how I love him …he's more myself
than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same …
Nelly is in the midst of hiding Hareton from Hindley when Hindley bolts in and seizes the boy.
Stumbling drunkenly, he accidentally drops Hareton over the banister; Heathcliff is there to
catch him at the bottom of the stairs.
Later that evening, Catherine seeks out Nelly in the kitchen and confides to her that Edgar has
asked her to marry him, and that she has accepted. Unnoticed by the two women, Heathcliff
listens to their conversation: Catherine tells Nelly that she cannot marry Heathcliff, because
Hindley has cast him down so low; to marry him now would be to degrade herself. Heathcliff
withdraws in a rage of shame, humiliation, and despair, and thus is not present to hear Catherine
say that she loves him more deeply than anything else in the world. She says that she and
Heathcliff are such kindred spirits that they are essentially the same person; nonetheless, she
insists, she must marry Edgar Linton instead.
That night, Heathcliff runs away from Wuthering Heights. Catherine spends the night outdoors in
the rain, sobbing and searching for Heathcliff. She catches a fever, and soon she nears death.
The Lintons take her to Thrushcross Grange to recuperate, and Catherine indeed recovers.
However, both Mr. and Mrs. Linton become infected, and soon die. Three years later,
Catherine and Edgar marry. Nelly transfers to Thrushcross Grange to serve Catherine, leaving
Hareton in the care of his drunken father and Joseph, the only servant now remaining at
Wuthering Heights.
Noticing the clock, Nelly again interrupts her narrative, saying that it is half past one, and that
she must get some sleep. Lockwood notes in his diary—the same book in which he has set
down Nelly's story—that he too will now go to bed.
2.2 Analysis
In this section, Nelly brings to conclusion the story of Heathcliff and Catherine's childhood, with
Heathcliff leaving Wuthering Heights the night Catherine decides to marry Edgar Linton. In the
climactic scene in which Catherine discusses with Nelly her decision to marry Edgar, Catherine
describes the conflict between her love for Heathcliff and her love for Linton. She says that she
loves Linton because he is handsome, rich, and graceful, and would make her the greatest lady
in the region, but states that she loves Heathcliff as though they shared the same soul, and that
she knows in her heart that she ought not marry the more superficially attractive man.
Nevertheless, her desire for a genteel and socially prominent lifestyle guides her decision-
making: Heathcliff's lowly status renders him an unviable match in her eyes. Wuthering Heights
recurrently explores issues surrounding class conflict and the injustices of social stratification; in
these few chapters, however, the motif emerges most clearly.
Indeed, questions of social class lie at the root of many of this section's main concerns.
Heathcliff's emotional turmoil owes in part to his ambiguous class station: Heathcliff begins as a
lower-class orphan, but enters into the house of a gentleman when Mr. Earnshaw adopts him;
he then suffers another reversal in status when Hindley forces him to work as a servant in the
very same household where he once enjoyed a life of luxury. The other characters, including the
Lintons and, to an extent, Catherine—all upper-class themselves—prove complicit in this
obliteration of Heathcliff's hopes, and The unbridgeable gap in Catherine's and Heathcliff's social
positions renders their fervent romance unrealizable on any practical level.
Nevertheless, the passion between the two lovers remains rooted in their hearts, impervious to
external contingencies. The text consistently treats the love between Catherine and Heathcliff as
an incontestable fact of nature; nothing can alter or lessen it, and the lovers know this to be true.
Thus Heathcliff and Catherine know that no matter how they hurt each other, they can be sure
of never losing their shared passion and ultimate mutual loyalty: Catherine can decide to marry
Edgar, certain that this outward act will have no effect on her and Heathcliff's inner feelings for
one another. Similarly, it is in the knowledge of their passion's durability that Heathcliff
undertakes his cruel revenge, seducing Catherine's sister-in-law and treating her daughter,
