Catherine Earnshaw Linton
A central character torn between her passionate love for Heathcliff and her desire for social advancement through marriage to Edgar Linton.
Core Belief
"Personal fulfillment is possible only through a balance of passion and social acceptance, even if that balance proves ultimately unattainable."
Worldview
Sees the world as both a place of wild, untamed passion (represented by the moors and Heathcliff) and a structured, ordered society (represented by Thrushcross Grange and Edgar). She believes she can navigate both worlds, but ultimately fails.
Personality
Wild, headstrong, and charismatic, Catherine is fiercely independent but also deeply influenced by societal expectations. She possesses a passionate nature and a strong will, often leading to impulsive and destructive decisions.
In Their Own Words
"“Nelly, I _am_ Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”"
"“If all else perished, and _he_ remained, _I_ should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.”"
"“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him.”"
Discussions with Catherine Earnshaw Linton
Other Characters from Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff
Orphan taken in by the Earnshaws who becomes a central figure driven by revenge and a consuming love for Catherine.
Edgar Linton
Catherine's husband, representing social stability and refinement, and Heathcliff's rival.
Ellen (Nelly) Dean
The primary narrator, a housekeeper who provides a grounded perspective on the events at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
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