List of Main Characters

Heathcliff

He is the main character of Wuthering Heights around whom the story is woven. He was orphaned as a child and brought from the city of Liverpool to the bleak North English moors.  The one love of his life was Catherine (Cathy) Earnshaw and although they agreed that they were soul mates, Cathy wished to improve herself socially, and married Edgar Linton.  As a result of this betrayal, Heathcliff spends the majority of his life seeking revenge on those that have wronged him. Cathy’s ghost is instrumental in bringing about Heathcliff’s madness and death towards the end of the book.

Catherine (Cathy) Earnshaw

As a child Cathy was wild and headstrong and her determination enables her to get everything that she wants.  Although she only loves Heathcliff, she has a choice between him and Edgar Linton, as he too loves her. She chooses Edgar because of his status, but ends up hurting both him and Heathcliff. She dies prematurely after the birth of her daughter Catherine, and it is reputed that her ghost haunted Heathcliff for over eighteen years.

Edgar Linton

He is the son of a wealthy and respected family and he falls in love with and marries Cathy. On Cathy’s death, he brings up Catherine, their daughter, in a protective atmosphere.

Linton Heathcliff

He is the son of Heathcliff and Isabella, Edgar’s sister.  He is a sickly child and is manipulated by his father as part of his plan for revenge on the Linton family. He marries Catherine Linton at Heathcliff’s insistence.

Catherine Linton

Catherine is the daughter of Cathy and Edgar Linton and she possesses many of her mother’s characteristics including a rebellious spirit.  She does obtain happiness at the end of the novel, thanks to the good upbringing she obtained from Edgar Linton.

Hareton Earnshaw

He is the son of Hindley, Cathy’s brother and Frances and is, therefore, Cathy’s nephew and rightful heir to Wuthering Heights. Although circumstances meant that he did not receive a proper education, he is nevertheless an honorable person, despite being bullied by Heathcliff. He eventually recognizes Heathcliff’s failings, but is able to forgive him and is actually the only character to mourn Heathcliff’s death.  He eventually feels guilty regarding his behavior and is able to love Catherine and they marry at the end of the story.

Hindley Earnshaw

He is Cathy’s older brother, extremely jealous of Heathcliff who has usurped him in the Earnshaw household. After the death of his father he treats Heathcliff badly obtaining revenge on this interloper. On his wife, Frances’ death, he becomes an alcoholic and gambler and loses control over Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff in exchange for payment of his debts.

Frances Earnshaw

She is Hindley’s sickly wife who dies soon after Hareton is born.

Isabella Linton

She becomes infatuated with Heathcliff who marries her in order to eventually inherit Thrushcross Grange, the Linton family home. She flees from Heathcliff’s brutality to London, where she lives with their son, Linton, until her death.

Ellen (Nelly) Dean

Nelly is the main narrator of Wuthering Heights, servant to Cathy and later nursemaid to Catherine.  She is able to tell the majority of the story, not without bias.

Lockwood

He becomes the tenant of Thrushcross Grange when Heathcliff gains control over this house. As an outsider, he becomes instrumental in bringing the story to a climax, as he is the only other character apart from Heathcliff to encounter Cathy’s ghost. 

Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw

Mr. Earnshaw, Cathy and Hindley’s father, brings Heathcliff into the family and soon favors the orphan over his own son.  Mrs. Earnshaw favors her own son to Heathcliff.

Mr. and Mrs. Linton

These are Edgar and Isabella’s parents and are instrumental in introducing Cathy to life in the upper circles of society. They die soon after nursing Cathy back to health.

Zillah

She is Nelly’s source of information at Wuthering Heights, being Heathcliff’s housekeeper.