Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte
Table of Contents
Chapter 7 to Chapter 12
Chapter 7
Catherine stays at Thrushcross for five weeks, and after her return to Wuthering Heights, she is altered. She has become friends with the Lintons and adopts a pleasing manner when in their company because she does not want to be seen as uncouth—but also because they do nothing to displease her. This is an important point, as Bronte shows that Catherine finds herself torn between two worlds: the pleasant and refined world of the Lintons, and the comfortable but rude world of Wuthering Heights. The two worlds, the former represented by Edgar, and the latter represented by Heathcliff, do not mix. Edgar is Heathcliff’s foil. He, too, has fallen in love with Catherine.
Heathcliff, however, does not respond well to the airs that Cathy puts on. Upon returning, Cathy laughs at Heathcliff to find him so dirty (just coming from the stable as he does). He is insulted by her laughter and refuses to shake hands.
As Cathy spends more time with her new friends, Heathcliff spends more time alone and mourns his loss of Cathy. One day, Nelly tries to draw him out of his solitude and lead him to a nobler way. Heathcliff asks her to make him decent so that Cathy will accept him once more. Nelly extols Heathcliff’s virtues—especially his strength—and draws attention to Edgar’s slightness and weakness, hoping to make the boy feel better.
However, their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Cathy with the Lintons, who have come for dinner. Edgar Linton condescendingly criticizes Heathcliff’s long hair, as though the latter were a beast to whom civilities were unnecessary. Heathcliff, in response, hurls a tureen of hot applesauce at Linton’s head.
Hindley punishes Heathcliff. Nelly later tells Heathcliff that he should forgive Hindley’s cruelty, but Heathcliff insists on harboring spite and plotting revenge.
Nelly interrupts her tale to Lockwood by asserting that she has rambled on for too long. Lockwood begs her to stay and tell more, so Mrs. Dean, after...
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