Characters, Doubles, and Setting

The Love Triangles Catherine Heathcliff Edgar Young Catherine Linton Hareton

Catherine Earnshaw Linton  What do we know about her character? Appearance Temperament Interests and dislikes Goals and ambitions Death Afterlife?

Heathcliff  When and how does he first appear?  What is significant about his name?  What are his physical characteristics?  What factors contribute to his character development?  What personality traits does Heathcliff share with Catherine? What does she admire/dislike about him?  Describe the circumstances surrounding Heathcliff’s death.

Edgar Linton  Describe Edgar’s physical appearance. How is this tied to his character?  What is Edgar’s home life like?  What are his dominant personality traits? How is this tied to setting?  What does Catherine find desirable about Edgar? What does she not like?  What are the circumstances leading to Edgar’s death?

The Next Generation  How do young Catherine, Linton, and Hareton reflect the previous generation’s characters?  Absolve means “to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt or to remit a sin.” Does this generation find absolution? If so, how?  What do you think is the author’s intent in describing the placement of Catherine’s, Heathcliff’s, and Edgar’s graves?

Doubles: Opposites or Variations?  Character names: Catherine, Hareton (carving above door), Heathcliff, Earnshaw and Linton  Personality traits  Setting: houses, graves

Other Patterns  Weather: calm and storm  Windows, walls, and doors  Readers and book “scorners”  Strong willed and weak willed  Inside and outside  Love and hate  Civilized versus uncivilized/wild Names: Catherine, Ellen, Edgar, and Isabella versus Hindley, Hareton, and Heathcliff Places: the Grange versus the Heights

Heaven and Hell  Why are these two repeatedly mentioned, and how are they treated? “The Helmet of Salvation” and “The Broad Way to Destruction” Catherine: “What is heaven? Where is hell? If I were in heaven, Nelly, I should be extremely miserable…” (ch. 9) “that devil Heathcliff” Isabella: “Is Mr. Heathcliff a man? …is he not a devil?” (ch. 13) Nelly: “conscience turned his heart to an earthly hell” (ch. 33)

Setting

Heathcliff and the Houses “What is not connected with her to me? and what does not recall her? I cannot look down to this floor, but her features are shaped on the flags! In every cloud, in every tree—filling the air at night, and caught by glimpses in every object by day, I am surrounded by her image! The most ordinary faces of men and women—my own features mock me with a resemblance. The entire world is a dreadful collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her!”