Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë & Emily Brontë
Contents
Wuthering Heights — CHAPTER VII
Overview
Catherine returns from the Grange polished, inadvertently humiliating the neglected Heathcliff and widening the social gulf between them. Hindley’s cruelty culminates in Heathcliff’s attack on Edgar and confinement. Catherine’s secret sympathy persists, while Heathcliff crystallizes a vow of revenge, steering the story toward future conflict.
Summary
Catherine returns from five weeks at Thrushcross Grange transformed in dress and manners, delighting Hindley and Frances. Expecting her old friend, Catherine laughs at Heathcliff’s dirty, neglected state, unintentionally shaming him. He flees, and Nelly later finds him brooding, resolved to be "good" for Catherine’s sake.
On Christmas Day, Nelly washes and encourages Heathcliff before the Lintons arrive. As Heathcliff tries to enter, Hindley shoves him out and orders him confined. Edgar makes an offhand remark about Heathcliff’s hair; Heathcliff angrily throws hot applesauce in Edgar’s face, and Hindley locks him in the garret.
During dinner and music, Catherine appears indifferent but secretly suffers for Heathcliff. That night, she slips via the skylight to speak with him and then, with Nelly’s help, brings him to the kitchen for food. He refuses cheer and broods on retaliation, declaring he will repay Hindley, no matter how long it takes.
Frame shift: Lockwood, rapt, urges Nelly to continue with full detail. Nelly agrees to proceed without skipping years, setting the story’s next phase in the summer of 1778.
Who Appears
- HeathcliffNeglected and shamed by Catherine’s refinement; attacks Edgar with applesauce; locked up; vows revenge on Hindley.
- Catherine EarnshawReturns from Thrushcross Grange polished; unintentionally humiliates Heathcliff; secretly comforts him and pleads for his release.
- Hindley EarnshawDelights in Catherine’s transformation; abuses and confines Heathcliff after the applesauce incident.
- Nelly (Ellen) DeanNarrates; tries to reconcile Catherine and Heathcliff; cleans and encourages Heathcliff; later sneaks him to the kitchen.
- Edgar LintonVisits on Christmas; makes a mild remark about Heathcliff; is doused with hot applesauce and consoled.
- Isabella LintonArrives with Edgar; cries to go home after the fracas; later dances during the festivities.
- Frances EarnshawPraises Catherine’s new manners and appearance; joins the Christmas hosting.
- JosephGrumbles about music as ‘devil’s psalmody’; prays upstairs and avoids festivities.
- Mr. LockwoodFrame listener; urges Nelly to continue the tale in detailed sequence.