Wuthering Heights & Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë & Emily Brontë
Contents
Wuthering Heights — CHAPTER XXII
Overview
Edgar Linton’s autumn illness deepens, leaving Catherine Linton anxious and subdued. Heathcliff intercepts Catherine and Nelly, claiming Linton is dying and weaponizing her old letters to coerce contact. Despite Nelly’s objections, Catherine resolves to visit Linton, and Nelly reluctantly agrees to escort her to Wuthering Heights.
Summary
As summer ends, Edgar Linton catches a severe chill during the late harvest and becomes housebound through winter. Deprived of her father’s companionship, Catherine Linton grows sad and listless. Nelly Dean tries to cheer her during a damp autumn walk, urging Catherine to remain steady for Edgar’s sake.
At a locked park door, Catherine drops outside the wall and cannot re-enter. Heathcliff arrives and confronts her, accusing Catherine of abandoning Linton Heathcliff, claiming to possess their letters, and insisting Linton is dying of grief without her. Nelly denounces the lies, but Heathcliff presses on, urging a visit while he is away, framing kindness to Linton as Catherine’s duty.
Nelly forces the door and leads Catherine home through the rain, but Heathcliff’s story unsettles Catherine, who silently weeps that evening. Nelly ridicules Heathcliff’s claims, yet Catherine remains convinced she must reassure Linton that her silence isn’t betrayal and that she still cares.
Though angered by Catherine’s credulity, Nelly yields to her visible misery. The next day, hoping reality will disprove Heathcliff’s tale, Nelly accompanies Catherine on the road to Wuthering Heights to visit Linton, setting aside Edgar’s prohibition in the face of Catherine’s distress.
Who Appears
- Catherine Linton (Cathy)Anxious over Edgar’s illness; confronted by Heathcliff; persuaded to visit Linton despite prior ban.
- Ellen (Nelly) DeanNarrator and caretaker; opposes Heathcliff’s manipulation; reluctantly agrees to escort Catherine to Wuthering Heights.
- HeathcliffIntercepts Catherine; claims Linton is dying; brandishes her letters; manipulates her into visiting.
- Edgar LintonFalls gravely ill after the harvest; his condition heightens Catherine’s fears and obedience.
- Linton HeathcliffOffstage but central; portrayed by Heathcliff as dying of grief and longing for Catherine.
- Hareton EarnshawMentioned as mocking Linton; part of the harsh environment at Wuthering Heights.
- JosephMentioned as unsympathetic; contributes to Linton’s harsh surroundings.