Why does heathcliff return to wuthering heights

Inexplicably Edgar buries his wife neither with the Linton nor Earnshaw families, but on a slope in the corner of the churchyard, where significantly, in accord with her character, the "wall is so low that heath and bilberry plants have climbed over it from the moor.

Isabella escapes Wuthering Heights for a brief visit to Nellie before fleeing her husband. She recounts a violent scene in which Heathcliff had nearly killed Hindley, thrown her and Joseph to the floor, and hurled a knife at her. The scene had occurred when Hindley asked her to help him kill Heathcliff by remaining silent as he waited at the door to attack the latter; though she demurs and warns her husband, Hindley jumps outside, but is overpowered by Heathcliff, who beats him repeatedly even after he loses consciousness.

After abusing both Joseph and his wife, Heathcliff forces the latter to testify that he was assaulted still a legal case against him could be made, for battering an unconscious man.

Isabella later tells Hindley what transpired, while Heathcliff weeps obliviously at the fireside! Though relatively silent before, Isabella now taunts Heathcliff with Catherine's memory until he throws a knife at her. As she runs out the door, Hindley attacks Heathcliff to enable her to escape. Isabella bids Nellie farewell without visiting her estranged brother, and in accord with her temperament , flees south to live near London.

Soon thereafter Linton Heathcliff is born, creating a legal heir for Thrushcross Grange and Edgar's wealth; as a metaphor of the irreconcilable conflicts of the boy's origins, he is an "ailing, peevish creature. Meanwhile young Catherine grows to puberty in the care of an affectionate father and attentive Nellie. Hindley dies prematurely at 27, and though Nellie and Joseph suspect Heathcliff has hastened his death, no witnesses were present at the event.

Heathcliff raises Hareton to the same menial and uneducated life Hindley had forced on him. Astoundingly, Edgar sends Nellie to the lawyer, who declares Hareton has been left penniless but as we later learn, the lawyer is less than honest. She meets the now fully-grown, handsome and sturdy Hareton, whom she dismisses as a servant. In this book, first encounters are important, so it is important that she meets Hareton before Linton's arrival.

Nelly forces Catherine to promise she will make no more visits. Isabella's death brings the frail and hypochrondiacal Linton to Thrushcross Grange. On the night of his arrival, Heathcliff threatens to retrieve him the following day.

Nellie gives Linton a dishonestly sanguine account of his father's character to persuade him to accompany her to Wuthering Heights before Catherine has risen; there he is immediately treated as one might expect.

He begs not to be deserted, but Nellie leaves him to his fate. When Catherine rises, she regrets Linton's absence. While walking she encounters Heathcliff, who persuades her to visit Linton. Despite the latter's whiny frailty, Catherine is pleased by his relative education and his jokes at Hareton's expense.

On her return, Edgar forbids further visits, and Catherine begins a correspondence with Linton until Nellie intervenes and forces her to burn his letters. Catherine, now lonely, again encounters Heathcliff, who tells her that Linton is pining from her absence. Despite her former opposition, Nellie agrees to accompany her on a visit.

When Catherine visits Linton, after she disagrees with his account of their respective parents, he falls first into a paroxysm of coughing and later into a nervous fit. Though he blames her for their quarrel, pity and duty prompt her return as soon as Edgar and Nellie conveniently both fall ill.

Amazingly, as she lies sick, Nellie "never considered what [Catherine] did with herself after tea. Catherine tells Nellie of her visits to Linton. Catherine and Isabella often visit the Heights, and Heathcliff visits the Grange.

During these visits, Isabella becomes infatuated with Heathcliff. He is not interested in the young lady, but he is interested in the fact that she is her brother's heir. Nelly is concerned about Heathcliff's return, vowing to watch for any signs of impropriety.

Now the jealousy between Edgar and Heathcliff is out in the open. Catherine is clearly bored with Edgar and her life at the Grange, and her reaction to Heathcliff's arrival bothers Edgar as much as it pleases Heathcliff.

This chapter marks the end of the first generation and the first half of Wuthering Heights. The second half of the novel in many ways mirrors the first, with Heathcliff longing for revenge, and willing to destroy anyone who is in his way. Previous Chapter Next Chapter Removing book from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title.

Are you sure you want to remove bookConfirmation and any corresponding bookmarks? My Preferences My Reading List. Summary and Analysis Chapter For about six months after Catherine 's wedding, everything is peaceful at Thrushcross Grange, largely because the Lintons do whatever the imperious Catherine wants.

Catherine's willfulness and Edgar's passive love means that Catherine takes on the dominant i. Then one evening Heathcliff appears at the Grange. Catherine is almost frantic with excitement. Edgar is less pleased. He suggests they receive Heathcliff in the kitchen, but Catherine insists that they bring him into the parlor. Catherine's love for Heathcliff is immediately apparent.

Edgar tries to denigrate Heathcliff by receiving him in the kitchen, which is where one would meet with people of a lower class.

Love and Passion. As Heathcliff enters the parlor, Nelly notes that he looks imposing, mature, and dignified, in contrast to his youthful roughness. Yet he still retains a kind of "ferocity" in his eyes. Heathcliff has escaped the lower class "roughness" imposed on him by Hindley, but retains his wild nature. As Edgar , Heathcliff , and Catherine talk, Heathcliff says that he returned hoping only to catch a glimpse of Catherine, exact revenge on Hindley , and then kill himself. But Catherine's joy at seeing him has changed his mind.

Edgar, uncomfortable, interrupts to say that if they wait any longer the tea will get cold. As he leaves, Heathcliff shocks Nelly when he tells her that he is staying at Wuthering Heights at Hindley's invitation. Heathcliff is a man of grand, reckless, wild actions, such as revenge and suicide. Edgar is a civilized man of comfort, and when Heathcliff's wildness makes him uncomfortable he tries to impose civilization through the ritual of having tea.

Heathcliff staying at the Heights reminds the reader of his promise to get revenge on Hindley.