Character Analysis (AQA A-Level English Literature A): Revision Notes
Character Analysis
Introduction to the novel
Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Brontë and first published in 1847, explores the destructive and redemptive power of love through its complex cast of characters. Set on the Yorkshire moors between 1771 and 1803, the novel presents an intricate web of relationships that span two generations. The story centres on passionate, obsessive connections that challenge conventional Victorian values and social expectations.
The novel's structure uses a frame narrative, where the story is told through multiple narrators, primarily Mr Lockwood and Mrs Ellen Dean (Nelly). This narrative technique allows readers to see characters from different perspectives and adds layers of interpretation to their actions and motivations.
Major characters
Heathcliff
Heathcliff stands as the novel's central figure, embodying both victim and villain. Described as having a dark complexion and intensely passionate nature, he arrives at Wuthering Heights as a foundling child brought home by Mr Earnshaw from Liverpool. His early years at the Earnshaw household are marked by severe emotional and physical cruelty, particularly from Hindley Earnshaw, who resents his father's obvious favouritism towards the adopted boy.
This childhood trauma fundamentally shapes Heathcliff's character. He endures his suffering with remarkable patience initially, compared to a badly treated animal that hardens under abuse. As he matures, however, his pain transforms into an all-consuming desire for revenge. His need for vengeance becomes almost supernatural in its intensity, leading some readers to interpret him as a demonic or fiend-like figure rather than a fully human character.
Heathcliff's relationship with Catherine Earnshaw defines his entire existence. Their connection transcends ordinary romantic love, reaching what both characters describe as a spiritual unity. This extraordinary bond makes Catherine's rejection of him in favour of Edgar Linton a devastating betrayal that fuels his vengeful schemes.
His revenge is methodical and devastating. He systematically destroys both the Earnshaw and Linton families, acquiring their properties and reducing their children to positions of dependence and misery. By the novel's end, Heathcliff dies emotionally and spiritually exhausted, having achieved his revenge but finding no satisfaction in it. The conventionalists—Cathy and Hareton—survive him, suggesting that his extreme passion ultimately proves self-destructive.
Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw embodies the novel's central conflict between passionate authenticity and social conformity. As a child, she is spirited, wild, and sometimes cruel, displaying fierce independence and disregard for convention. Her friendship with Heathcliff during childhood represents a pure, uncivilised connection to nature and authentic emotion.
However, as Catherine grows older and spends time with the Linton family at Thrushcross Grange, she becomes increasingly aware of social hierarchies and the limitations of her position. She develops a friendship with Edgar and Isabella Linton, absorbing their refined manners and cultivated behaviour. This exposure makes her haughty and arrogant, creating tension with her earlier, wilder self.
Catherine's tragic flaw lies in her attempt to reconcile these irreconcilable aspects of her identity. She loves Heathcliff with fierce, elemental passion but rejects marriage to him because it would degrade her socially. She explains that marrying Heathcliff would lower her status, revealing how deeply she has internalised class consciousness.
Instead, she accepts Edgar Linton's proposal, believing she can maintain her spiritual connection to Heathcliff whilst enjoying the social and material benefits of marriage to Edgar.
Catherine's decision proves catastrophic. After Heathcliff leaves following her rejection, she becomes dispirited, suggesting that she cannot truly live without him. Her marriage to Edgar is tolerably happy but incomplete. When Heathcliff returns, Catherine is torn between her domestic duties and her overwhelming feelings.
The psychological strain of living divided between two incompatible loves ultimately destroys her. She dies in childbirth, her mind broken and anguished, unable to reconcile the opposing forces within her.
Hindley Earnshaw
Hindley serves as Catherine's brother and Heathcliff's chief childhood tormentor. His character demonstrates how jealousy and resentment can lead to complete moral degradation. As a child, Hindley is intensely jealous of the attention his father shows Heathcliff, responding with cruelty towards the adopted boy.
After Mr Earnshaw's death, Hindley inherits Wuthering Heights and immediately begins to abuse his power over Heathcliff, reducing him to the status of a servant. This treatment directly contributes to Catherine's decision not to marry Heathcliff, as his degraded social position makes such a marriage unthinkable for her.
Hindley's character deteriorates rapidly after the death of his wife, Frances. He turns to alcohol, becoming increasingly reckless and violent. His decline mirrors Heathcliff's own destructive obsessions but lacks the dignity of passionate purpose.
Hindley dies in disgrace, heavily in debt and degraded, a victim of Heathcliff's calculated revenge scheme. His son, Hareton, is left vulnerable to Heathcliff's manipulation, completing the cycle of revenge.
Edgar Linton
Edgar Linton represents civilised, conventional society in stark contrast to Heathcliff's wildness. Described as polished and cultured, Edgar genuinely loves Catherine and provides her with a stable, comfortable home at Thrushcross Grange. He is patient, indulgent, and steady in his affections, embodying the qualities of a proper Victorian gentleman.
Edgar's character is often interpreted as weak or passive, particularly in his inability to control the situation when Heathcliff returns. However, this reading overlooks his genuine devotion to Catherine and his attempts to make her happy within the constraints of his understanding. He represents a different kind of love from Heathcliff's—one based on companionship, respect, and social compatibility rather than passionate intensity.
When Heathcliff returns to the area, Edgar's comfortable life is disrupted. He struggles to comprehend the depth of Catherine's connection to Heathcliff, viewing it through the lens of conventional morality. His inability to compete with Heathcliff's passionate intensity highlights the novel's critique of civilised society as emotionally constrained and inadequate for truly passionate natures.
Cathy Linton
Cathy, the daughter of Catherine and Edgar, represents hope for redemption and renewal. Born on the night of her mother's death, she inherits her mother's spirited nature and brightness but also her father's refinement and affection. Unlike her mother, however, Cathy ultimately learns to balance these opposing qualities.
Initially, Cathy's character development seems to repeat her mother's mistakes. Through Heathcliff's trickery and manipulation, she is forced to marry the sickly Linton Heathcliff, becoming trapped in Heathcliff's household after Linton's death. This experience is deeply degrading, and she becomes sullen and ill-tempered under Heathcliff's harsh treatment.
However, Cathy's story ends differently from her mother's. After Heathcliff's death, she befriends Hareton Earnshaw and takes on the task of educating and refining him. Their relationship develops into genuine love, uniting the Earnshaw and Linton families and healing the wounds created by the previous generation.
Cathy's ability to find happiness with Hareton suggests that the destructive patterns of obsessive love can be broken.
Hareton Earnshaw
Hareton, the son of Hindley and Frances Earnshaw, represents the ultimate victim of Heathcliff's revenge. Born into a position of privilege as heir to Wuthering Heights, Hareton is deliberately degraded by Heathcliff as part of his vengeance against Hindley. Under Heathcliff's neglect and poor instruction, Hareton grows into a crude, uneducated young man, barely recognisable as a gentleman's son.
Despite his degraded condition, Hareton retains an essential goodness and dignity. He remains loyal to Heathcliff, even defending him against criticism, showing a generosity of spirit that his upbringing should have destroyed. This resilience suggests that Hareton possesses an innate nobility that education and circumstances cannot entirely eliminate.
Character Transformation: Hareton's Redemption
Hareton's transformation occurs through his relationship with Cathy:
- Initial State: Crude, uneducated young man, barely recognisable as a gentleman's son
- Catalyst: Cathy begins teaching Hareton to read after Heathcliff's death
- Development: Hareton proves an eager student; shared learning becomes foundation for romantic love
- Outcome: Their eventual marriage represents redemption for both families
This transformation suggests that education, compassion, and genuine affection can overcome the damage caused by revenge and obsession.
Linton Heathcliff
Linton, the son of Heathcliff and Isabella, embodies the consequences of loveless union and inherited weakness. Described as selfish, spoiled, and weak-willed, Linton has been indulged by his mother until her death. When he returns to live with his father at Wuthering Heights, he finds no warmth or affection, only manipulation.
Heathcliff uses Linton as a tool in his revenge scheme, forcing him to marry Cathy to secure control of the Linton property. Linton is sickly from infancy and deteriorates rapidly in his father's harsh household. His character demonstrates how children suffer for their parents' choices and how toxic relationships produce damaged offspring.
Linton's death shortly after his marriage to Cathy completes Heathcliff's control over both estates. His brief, miserable existence serves as a warning about the destructive legacy of obsessive hatred.
Isabella Linton
Isabella, Edgar's sister, represents the dangers of romantic delusion and infatuation. Initially presented as reserved, spoiled, and often sulking, she becomes foolishly infatuated with Heathcliff, despite her family's opposition and warnings. Her romantic fantasy blinds her to Heathcliff's true nature and his obvious lack of interest in her.
Isabella's decision to run away with Heathcliff proves disastrous. She quickly discovers that he married her only to hurt Edgar and gain control of her property. Her life with Heathcliff is miserable, and she lives in fear of his violence. Eventually, she escapes and lives away from the area with her son Linton until her death.
Isabella's story serves as a cautionary tale about the difference between genuine passion and self-deluding infatuation. Unlike Catherine, whose love for Heathcliff represents a deep spiritual connection, Isabella's attraction is superficial and based on romantic fantasy rather than real understanding.
Supporting characters
Mrs Ellen Dean (Nelly)
Mrs Ellen Dean, called Nelly throughout the novel, serves as the primary narrator, relating Heathcliff's history to Mr Lockwood. As a long-serving housekeeper at Wuthering Heights, Nelly has witnessed the events of both generations firsthand. She moves between households, going with Catherine to Thrushcross Grange when Catherine marries Edgar, and later returning to Wuthering Heights to serve Heathcliff.
Nelly's character is essentially humble, solid, and conventional. She represents common sense and moral propriety, often expressing distress at the unnatural personalities and evil conduct she witnesses. However, critics have noted that Nelly sometimes lacks imagination and may not fully comprehend the extraordinary nature of the passions she describes. Despite her disapproval, she proves remarkably staunch and strong when confronting Heathcliff's vengeance, showing considerable moral courage.
As a narrator, Nelly's perspective is crucial but limited. Her conventional morality shapes how she interprets events, potentially influencing the reader's understanding of characters like Heathcliff and Catherine.
Mr Lockwood
Mr Lockwood serves as the frame narrator, the outsider who first visits Wuthering Heights and prompts Nelly to tell her story. Described as a fashionable visitor from the city, Lockwood is interested in his landlord Heathcliff and curious about the strange household. His misunderstanding of the relationships and dynamics at Wuthering Heights highlights how difficult it is for outsiders to comprehend the intense emotions that drive these characters.
Lockwood's perspective as an educated, conventional gentleman provides contrast to the wild passions of the main story. His inability to understand what he witnesses emphasises the extraordinary nature of the events Nelly relates.
Other minor characters
Frances Earnshaw is Hindley's wife who dies of consumption (tuberculosis), leaving him devastated and contributing to his moral decline.
Mr Earnshaw is Catherine and Hindley's father, who brings Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights after a business trip to Liverpool. His obvious partiality towards Heathcliff creates the initial conflict that drives much of the plot.
Mrs Earnshaw is Mr Earnshaw's wife and Catherine and Hindley's mother.
Joseph is a servant at Wuthering Heights known for his gloomy observations, stern moral judgements, and harsh religious views. He constantly criticises others for their impious behaviour, representing a narrow, judgemental form of religious belief.
Zillah is another servant at Wuthering Heights who serves during the later period of the novel.
Mr Green and Mr Kenneth are lawyers in the neighbouring village of Gimmerton who are involved in legal matters concerning the estates.
Key themes illustrated through character analysis
The characters in Wuthering Heights embody several crucial thematic concerns that are essential for understanding the novel's deeper meanings:
Passionate versus conventional love
The contrast between Heathcliff and Catherine's intense, destructive passion and the stable affection between Edgar and Catherine (and later Cathy and Hareton) explores different models of romantic relationship. The novel questions whether extreme passion or gentle companionship represents true love.
Social class and ambition
Catherine's rejection of Heathcliff due to his degraded social position demonstrates how class consciousness can destroy authentic emotion. The novel critiques Victorian society's rigid social hierarchies and shows how they prevent genuine human connection.
Revenge and its consequences
Heathcliff's systematic vengeance illustrates how the desire for retribution can consume one's entire existence, ultimately proving self-destructive and leaving the avenger empty. His revenge succeeds materially but fails spiritually.
Nature versus nurture
Characters like Hareton demonstrate the tension between innate qualities and environmental influences, suggesting that education and compassion can overcome degraded circumstances. The novel explores whether character is fixed or can be transformed.
Generational patterns and redemption
The second generation (Cathy and Hareton) offers hope that destructive patterns can be broken, suggesting possibilities for healing and renewal. Unlike their parents, they find love that is both passionate and sustainable.
Exam tips
Essential Exam Strategies
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Use character foils effectively: Compare and contrast characters like Heathcliff and Edgar, or Catherine and Cathy, to demonstrate your understanding of how Brontë uses contrasting characters to explore themes.
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Consider narrative perspective: Remember that we see most characters through Nelly Dean's conventional, moralistic lens. Consider how this shapes our interpretation and whether we should trust her judgements.
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Link characters to Gothic conventions: Heathcliff's almost demonic qualities and the novel's exploration of extreme emotions connect to Gothic literary traditions that would be familiar to contemporary readers.
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Explore generational parallels: The relationship between Catherine-Heathcliff and Cathy-Hareton offers rich opportunities for discussion about cycles of behaviour and the possibility of redemption.
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Remember historical context: Victorian attitudes towards social class, marriage, and proper behaviour inform characters' choices and the novel's critique of convention.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Heathcliff is the novel's tragic centre, driven by childhood trauma and rejected love to pursue destructive revenge, yet ultimately dying empty and exhausted despite achieving his material goals.
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Catherine Earnshaw's internal conflict between passionate authenticity and social ambition creates the novel's central tragedy—she cannot reconcile her spiritual unity with Heathcliff and her desire for social respectability with Edgar.
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The contrast between passionate and conventional love is embodied in Heathcliff versus Edgar, exploring whether intense romantic passion or stable companionate affection represents true love and lasting happiness.
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The second generation offers redemption: Cathy and Hareton's relationship heals the wounds created by their parents' generation, suggesting that education, compassion, and genuine affection can overcome destructive legacies.
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Multiple narrators shape interpretation: Nelly Dean's conventional morality and Mr Lockwood's outsider perspective influence how readers understand the extreme passions in the novel, reminding us that all stories are told from particular viewpoints with their own biases.