Wuthering Heights Reading Journal: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Nelly, the servant from Thrushcross Grange heads over to Wuthering Heights hoping to talk to Hindley, Heathcliff’s ultimate enemy but cannot. The next day at the Grange she, along with Catherine see Heathcliff with his new “lover” Isabella. Catherine, who loves Heathcliff but is married to Edgar Linton, confronts him asking for her true feelings and offers to allow the marriage if their love is true. Heathcliff becomes disgusted at the idea of marrying Isabella, confessing his hate towards Catherine for marrying Edgar even though they were in love.

Nelly finds Edgar, notifying him of Heathcliff’s presence and kicks him out of the Grange. Catherine however locks herself and the two men in a room, allowing for Edgar and Heathcliff to work out their differences. There, Edgar makes Catherine choose between the two but she instead hides for two days. Isabella, Edgar’s sister, is not allowed to marry Heathcliff or else she will be cast out of the Linton family.

Revenge

“‘If you fancy I’ll suffer unrevenged, I’ll convince you on the contrary, in a very little while” (Bronte 112).
Heathcliff and Catherine were in love from the moment they met in their younger lives, however Catherine’s older brother Hindley despised Heathcliff, eventually forbidding Catherine to ever marry him. Upon this forbidding, Catherine met Edgar Linton whom she fancied, but never loved like Heathcliff, but married him anyways because she knew she could never Heathcliff. Heathcliff’s discovery of marriage turned him spiteful towards Edgar, for marrying the women he loved, but even more so towards Catherine who betrayed his heart, leaving him alone. To revenge his broken heart, he falsely loves Isabella, Catherine’s sister-in-law in hopes of getting closer to Catherine to eventually ruin her marriage and life as pay back for ruining Heathcliff’s.

Suffering

“‘Your bliss lies, like his, in inflicting misery – … Edgar is restored from the ill-temper he gave way to at your coming … you, relentless to know us at peace …quarrel with Edgar if you please and deceive his sister’” (Bronte 113).
Upon the discovery of Catherine’s marriage to Edgar, Heathcliff falls into a state of depression and suffering, knowing only that he loves Catherine but cannot have her. He takes his feelings of suffering and sorrow, turning it back onto Catherine, making her suffer as well through the revenge he seeks on her. Not only does Heathcliff suffer, but Edgar suffers as well. He loves his wife but suffers knowing he comes second in her love after Heathcliff, and knows his marriage is only successful because Catherine is forbidden to marry Heathcliff. As Heathcliff continues to plot revenge on Catherine, she further suffers as she sees her husband Edgar and sister-in-law Isabella being dragged through the fury that Heathcliff brings upon the Linton’s.

Simile

“Now, all is dashed wrong by the fool’s craving to hear evil of self that haunts some people like a demon” (Bronte 116).
Nelly describes Edgar’s approach to Heathcliff, calling him a fool as he takes his inner most evil thoughts towards Heathcliff and says them aloud as he attempts to assert a power front towards Heathcliff. Edgar made the situation worse by letting his personal negativity of Heathcliff get in the way of his decision making; even fueling his decision making his motives against Heathcliff the same as one of a demon’s or devil’s.

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