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by Emily Brontë
Te a c h e r ’ s
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C O N T E N T S
TO THE TEACHER
P L O T S U M M A RY
The story starts when Mr Lockwood visits his landlord, Mr Heathcliff, at his house, Wuthering Heights.
Heathcliff is unpleasant and inhospitable, but due to a severe snowstorm, Mr Lockwood is forced to stay
overnight. He is awakened from his sleep by a tapping noise at the window. When he opens it, he discovers
a ghostly-looking young woman who begs to be let in. She says her name is Catherine Linton and that she
has been roaming the moors for twenty years. When Heathcliff hears the commotion, he rushes in and
shouts for Cathy to return. Later, Lockwood asks Nelly Dean, his housekeeper, who used to work at
Wuthering Heights, to tell him about the strange people who live there. She agrees, and her story begins.
One day, Mr Earnshaw, the owner of Wuthering Heights, brings home a poor gypsy boy. He names him
Heathcliff. To his dismay, both his wife and son, Hindley, reject the boy. Only his daughter, Cathy,
befriends him. Soon after, Mrs Earnshaw dies and the rivalry between Hindley and Heathcliff grows.
Hindley is sent to a boarding school and returns four years later when his father dies. Accompanied by
Frances, his new wife, Hindley becomes master of Wuthering Heights and continues to treat Heathcliff
cruelly.
One evening, Cathy and Heathcliff decide to go spy on their wealthy neighbours, the Lintons, at
Thrushcross Grange. However, the Lintons’ dogs attack them and Cathy’s foot is badly injured. She
remains there to recover and becomes friendly with the two Linton children, Isabella and Edgar.
The following summer, Hindley’s wife dies soon after giving birth to a son, Hareton. Heartbroken, Hindley
begins drinking heavily.
Cathy tells Nelly that Edgar Linton proposed to her. She explains that she really loves Heathcliff but won’t
marry him because he is poor. Overhearing this, Heathcliff runs away, causing Cathy to become ill. Soon
after, Edgar’s parents die. Edgar becomes master of Thrushcross Grange, and Cathy later agrees to marry
him. To her delight, Heathcliff returns six months after her marriage, looking like a gentleman, and goes to
live with Hindley at Wuthering Heights. There they gamble and play cards. Isabella, Edgar’s sister, falls in
love with Heathcliff and so Edgar forbids him to visit the house. Cathy becomes dangerously ill because
she can’t see Heathcliff, and it’s revealed that she’s expecting a child.
To Edgar’s disappointment, Isabella marries Heathcliff, but he treats her so badly that she runs away from
him and moves to London. There she has a baby whom she names Linton. Heathcliff manages to visit
Cathy one last time. That night, after giving birth to a little girl, she dies. Both Edgar and Heathcliff are
devastated. Edgar names his daughter Catherine.
Heathcliff becomes master of Wuthering Heights when Hindley dies. In London, Isabella also dies. Her son
is sent to Thrushcross Grange, but Heathcliff, having plans for Linton, immediately claims him. Years later,
Catherine meets Linton, and after being trapped at Wuthering Heights, she is forced to marry him. Once her
father dies, Catherine is brought to live with Linton at Wuthering Heights, but they are unhappy. Linton,
whose health has always been poor, soon dies. Catherine is left to live with Heathcliff and Hareton. This is
the situation Mr Lockwood finds at Wuthering Heights.
Months later, Heathcliff, behaving strangely, locks himself in his room where Nelly finds him dead the next
morning. The local people say he heard Cathy’s voice the night he died and that they’ve seen their ghosts
running on the moors at night. Catherine and Hareton fall in love and fix a date for their wedding.
3
Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë was born in 1818 in Yorkshire, England, the fifth of six children. Two years later, the Brontë
family moved to the village of Haworth, to a large stone house on the wild moors. Emily’s father was a
vicar and also a writer. Reverend Brontë had an arts degree from Cambridge University and was anxious
that his children also have a good education. He brought tutors for them, and he himself enriched their
minds with stories and legends. He taught them how to debate, and they were familiar with the political
events and personalities of the times. From an early age, the Brontë children were encouraged to write, and
they wrote poems, stories and plays, all in tiny handwriting in order to save paper.
In 1842, encouraged by their father, Charlotte and Emily took the bold step of going abroad to Brussels.
They attended a school for girls kept by Mme Heger and her husband. He was a professor of rhetoric at the
local university and also taught the students at his private school. The two girls were very good students.
All subjects were taught in French, and they quickly learned the language. Other subjects were German,
music and drawing. Both Emily and Charlotte received an excellent education.
Charlotte remained in Brussels for some time, taking up the post of governess. Emily, not in good health,
returned to Haworth and devoted herself to writing. When Charlotte returned, she was impressed by the
quality of Emily’s poems. Anne, another sister who had remained at home, had also written some poems.
Charlotte added her poems and decided that the collection should be published. This was not easy. At that
time in England, women were not admitted to university, not allowed to vote and the majority of women
could not even read or write. The Brontë sisters knew that no one would publish a book with their own
names, so they offered their work under the male aliases of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, keeping only the
first initials of their names, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë.
A year later, in 1847, the three sisters each succeeded in publishing their novels; Charlotte’s Jane Eyre,
Anne’s Agnes Grey and Emily’s only novel, Wuthering Heights. In the novels of the Brontë sisters, we see
the influence of their environment. Emily’s inspiration for Wuthering Heights undoubtedly came from the
bleak moors that surrounded their home, the isolated life, and the indomitable temperament of the people
who lived under such harsh conditions. We do not know if Emily’s passionate love story had its counterpart
in her short life or if it was the product of an educated mind and brilliant imagination. We can imagine that
the following lines, written by Emily, were the inspiration for the great love of Cathy and Heathcliff in
Wuthering Heights.
REMEMBRANCE
Cold in the earth and the deep snow piled about thee
Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!
Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,
Severed at last by Time’s all-severing wave?
When Emily died of tuberculosis at the age of 30, her sister Charlotte wrote of her, ‘Day by day, when I
saw with what a front she looked on suffering, I looked on her with an anguish of wonder and love. I have
seen nothing like it; but indeed, I have never seen her parallel in anything. Stronger than a man, simpler
than a child, her nature stood alone.’
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• Life Expectancy: In the early 1800s, most of England was very unhealthy. There was no piped water,
and there were no sanitation installations. Refuse was thrown out of cottage doors and left to rot. It is
no wonder that people became ill and died young. At a public enquiry held in 1850, it was stated that
the average life expectancy was 26 years and over 40% of children died before the age of six.
• The Fame of the Brontës: Every year, thousands of visitors go to the village of Haworth and visit the
Brontës’ house where the sisters wrote and lived. There, tourists can walk around the village and over
the very moors that Emily wrote about in Wuthering Heights.
4
Wuthering Heights
BEFORE READING
In pairs, students ask and answer the following questions. Alternatively, you can ask the questions and elicit
the answers from the whole class. (Some suggested answers are provided in italics.)
• What are the moors? (The moors are open areas of high land with poor soil which isn’t suitable for
farming. They’re mainly covered with grass or low bushes, and heather, a plant with small flowers that
grows wild on the moorlands. These plants don’t provide much protection from the fierce and bitter-
cold winds that blow over the moors.)
• How do you think the isolation affects the people who live on the moors? Do you think that the
location influenced the characters in the story? (People who live in isolated areas have to rely on
themselves and the few people around them. Isolation means being far from a town, a market or a
doctor. Before television or radio was invented, people had to create their own entertainment.)
• Why do you think people died young in the period during which the story took place? (unsanitary
conditions, malnutrition, etc.) Which diseases were prevalent at that time? (bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.)
Are they prevalent today? (Yes, in war zones, Third World countries, etc.) If not, why not? (Fatal
diseases are less prevalent in developed countries with modern equipment, medicine and improved
sanitary conditions.)
K E Y V O C A B U L A RY
1. Pre-teach the words in bold. They are presented in context for your convenience. You could also use the
passages as a dictation for your students.
A. When a black-haired gypsy boy is adopted by a kind man, it brings trouble to everyone. The
man’s wife is angry with him and thinks that her husband is foolish. The man’s son hates the boy
and thinks he is useless. Even the man’s ill-tempered servant curses the boy. Only his young
daughter accepts the boy into their home as a friend.
B. The boy was a good worker but very moody, for he noticed the cold atmosphere around him.
When the old man died, the boy was heartbroken. He realised that he was an orphan again.
2. In A, the bolded words are adjectives. Ask the students to write their opposites. In B, ask the students to
write sentences with the words in bold.
The Before Reading Activities in the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, pages
8-11, can be applied to Wuthering Heights.
In addition to the activities in the general leaflet, students can then answer the following questions.
1. Look at the picture on the front cover of the reader and the picture on page 35. Can you predict
something about the character of the girl? (wild, independent nature, etc.)
2. Describe the scene and atmosphere on page 11. (A traveller is walking towards an isolated house. It is
dark and windy, and it is snowing. The atmosphere is strange and mysterious.) What do you expect will
happen next?
3. Look at the family tree on pages 6 and 7. How many families are involved in the story? How many
generations? (two families, three generations)
4. Look at the picture on page 21. What kind of expressions do the people have on their faces? (shock,
anger, etc.)
5
Wuthering Heights
6
Wuthering Heights
TO THE TEACHER:
1. Hand out some of the following statements to the groups.
2. The groups discuss the statements and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F) and give reasons for
their answers.
3. The group spokesperson reports the group’s ideas to the whole class.
TO THE STUDENTS:
Discuss the following statements. Decide if each is true (T) or false (F). Support your opinions with
observations and details from the story.
See the Burlington Reader Series general information leaflet, pages 13-15, for more After Reading
activities.
7
Group Work
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
1. When Mr Earnshaw brought Heathcliff into his 7. Catherine and Linton were an unhappy couple.
family, things changed for the worse. True. They were married against her wishes,
True. From the moment Heathcliff entered the and the union was unsuccessful from the
family, there was trouble. Hindley hated start.
him from the start and shortly after, Mrs
Earnshaw died. Heathcliff did not respect 8. Heathcliff believed in ghosts.
his neighbour, Edgar Linton, and True. When Mr Lockwood spent the night at
interfered in his marriage to Cathy. He Wuthering Heights, he said he saw a
also married Isabella and made her young woman, a ghost. Heathcliff called
miserable. to her and asked her to return to him.
2. Edgar hated his sister, Isabella. 9. Joseph plays an important part in the story.
False. Edgar loved his sister and took care of False. He is not a central character, but he
her. He was only angry at her for running contributes to the atmosphere. Although
away with Heathcliff and for marrying he is a servant, he is outspoken. For
him. instance, when Mr Earnshaw first brings
Heathcliff to the house, it is Joseph who
3. Once Hindley’s wife died, he was a changed says, “He’s as dark as if he came from
man. the devil!”
True. Hindley was heartbroken and he began to
drink heavily. Because of this, he gambled
and lost his money and his estate. He died
a poor man. He was not a good father to
his son, whom he wrongly blamed for his
wife’s death.
8
Wuthering Heights
A. Circle the word in column II, III or IV that has the same meaning as the word in column I.
I II III IV
1. attempted tested tried advised
2. realised proved missed understood
3. ill-humoured sick bad-tempered foolish
4. rushed ran spoke fell
5. on her own in her mind in her room by herself
6. cheerful upset happy moody
B. In each of the following sentences, fill in one blank with the name of a character from the list.
Then fill in the other blank with the correct word from column I above.
C. Complete the passage using the correct form of the verbs from the list.
Heathcliff’s servant Zillah took Mr Lockwood upstairs to a room that 1. ............................... in the
house, warning him to be quiet. She 2. ............................... a candle and left him. Mr Lockwood
3. ............................... to himself, “If I 4. ............................... at home, this 5. ............................... . It
6. ...................................... when I left Thrushcross Grange. Why didn’t I listen to my housekeeper and
7. ............................... at home? I 8. ............................... that I 9. ............................... this miserable
house again. I am sorry because I thought that Mr Heathcliff and I 10. ............................... friendly
neighbours.”
9
Worksheet 1: Chapters 1-8
ANSWERS
A. 1. tried
2. understood
3. bad-tempered
4. ran
5. by herself
6. happy
D. 1. isolated
2. tenant
3. mourned
4. emotions
5. never
6. passionate
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Wuthering Heights
B. Use the correct words from the table above to complete the following sentences.
1. Isabella thought that Heathcliff would be good and kind to her. However, the ...............................
was very different.
2. When Nelly touched Heathcliff’s hand, it was ............................... .
3. Heathcliff loved Cathy ............................... and passionately.
4. Heathcliff often spoke ............................... to those around him.
5. It was Heathcliff’s ............................... that Catherine and Linton marry.
6. Edgar knew it wasn’t ............................... to leave his daughter alone without Nelly.
C. Fill in the correct preposition: in, on, to, at, after or into.
Nelly told Heathcliff that he could come to see Cathy 1. ............................... Sunday,
2. ............................... Edgar and the servants had gone 3. ............................... church. When Heathcliff
saw Cathy, he couldn’t look 4. ............................... her eyes. “Will you be happy when I am
5. ............................... my grave?” she asked. “Don’t be cruel 6. ............................... me!” Heathcliff
cried. “While you are 7. ............................... peace, I’ll be 8. ............................... Hell.”
11
Worksheet 2: Chapters 9-Epilogue
ANSWERS
B. 1. truth
2. icy
3. madly
4. scornfully
5. wish
6. safe
C. 1. on
2. after
3. to
4. into
5. in
6. to
7. at
8. in
D. 1. Mr Linton told Hindley that he had called Dr Kenneth and that he had come straight away.
2. Isabella told Cathy that she was in love with Heathcliff.
3. Edgar told Cathy that Heathcliff could not enter his house.
4. Edgar asked Cathy if she would give up Heathcliff or if she wanted to lose him.
5. Nelly told Cathy that she was ill and that she had to eat.
6. Nelly told Edgar that Isabella and Heathcliff had driven through Gimmerton that morning.
12
Wuthering Heights
FINAL TEST
C. Choose one topic and write a paragraph. Your paragraph should be at least 80 words long.
1. Compare the characters of Heathcliff and Edgar.
2. Write about the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff.
3. Did you like this story? If so, why? If not, why not?
30 points
13
Final Test
ANSWERS
A. 1. d 3. c 5. c 7. a 9. c
2. a 4. a 6. b 8. a 10. c
14
Wuthering Heights
These answers relate to the questions on pages 73-75 of the reader itself.
Chapter 1 Chapter 7
1. In order to meet his landlord who was also his 1. Frances, Hareton’s mother, died and Hindley,
nearest neighbour. Mr Lockwood was hoping his father, was devastated. He began drinking
they might become friends. and was often violent.
2. Mr Heathcliff was a handsome gentleman with 2. Cathy confessed that she loved Heathcliff but
a dark complexion. He seemed intelligent but that she would marry Edgar Linton to be a rich
was also very rude and unfriendly. lady.
Chapter 2 3. Heathcliff went away and nobody saw him for
a long time.
1. A young man called Hareton Earnshaw and a 4. Cathy went out in the rain to look for him and
young woman who was Heathcliff’s daughter- became dangerously ill.
in-law.
2. Heathcliff was very rude and acted as if he Chapter 8
hated them. 1. Cathy was taken to the Linton’s house,
Chapter 3 Thrushcross Grange.
2. Cathy and Edgar Linton were married.
1. Because it was too dark to find his way and the 3. Heathcliff appeared six months later.
moors were covered in deep snow. Mr 4. Cathy was very happy. Edgar called Heathcliff
Lockwood was afraid he’d get lost. a gypsy but reluctantly allowed Cathy to
2. Mr Lockwood heard strange noises outside, receive him.
and when he opened the window, a strange
young woman grabbed his hand and asked him Chapter 9
to let her in. He was terrified. 1. That she was in love with Heathcliff.
3. It was frightening. Heathcliff’s face was white 2. Cathy warned Isabella that Heathcliff was
and his hand trembled. He was full of anger cruel and Nelly told her to forget him.
and pain and told Mr Lockwood to leave that
Chapter 10
room at once.
1. At first, Heathcliff didn’t take Edgar seriously,
Chapter 4
but after the situation became violent, he
1. Nelly Dean was Mr Lockwood’s housekeeper. forced the door open and left.
She had formerly worked in Wuthering Heights 2. Cathy locked herself in her room. She refused
as a servant. to eat and became very ill.
2. Joseph thought the boy came from the devil. 3. Isabella had run away with Heathcliff to
He kicked him down the stairs and threw him Gimmerton.
into the stable.
Chapter 11
Chapter 5
1. That Nelly and Cathy were right about
1. To study at a boarding school. Heathcliff and that she was very unhappy. She
2. Mr Earnshaw died and Hindley returned home begged Nelly to visit her.
with his wife, Frances. 2. He asked Nelly to help him see Cathy.
3. Hindley hated Heathcliff more than ever. 3. Cathy’s expression was one of pure joy. She
4. Cathy was bitten by dogs when she and held him tight and refused to let him leave.
Heathcliff were looking into the Linton’s 4. Cathy gave birth to a baby girl, but her own
sitting-room. condition got worse and she died two hours
Chapter 6 later.
5. Isabella was wet and dirty, her hair was
1. Cathy was transformed into a lady. uncombed and she had blood on her face.
2. Because Edgar insulted him. 6. Isabella went to Gimmerton and then to
3. That one day he would get his revenge on London, and five months later, she gave birth
Hindley. to a boy.
15
Wuthering Heights
Chapter 12
1. Isabella, Linton’s mother, had died.
2. Linton only stayed a night at Thrushcross
Grange because his father, Heathcliff, wanted
the boy to be with him at Wuthering Heights.
3. Linton was the heir of Thrushcross Grange and
he would inherit it when Edgar Linton died.
Chapter 13
1. Heathcliff wanted Linton and Catherine to fall
in love and get married so that they would both
be the owners of the Grange.
2. Linton was sickly, unable to walk long
distances. He had a poetic and romantic nature -
writing love letters to Catherine.
3. Catherine met another cousin, Hareton.
4. No. Linton continued writing love letters to
Catherine.
Chapter 14
1. Heathcliff told Catherine to go there and
comfort young Linton who was dying from a
broken heart.
2. Heathcliff took them all to Wuthering Heights
and forced Catherine to marry Linton.
3. After Edgar’s death, Heathcliff wanted
Catherine to look after her husband at
Wuthering Heights and made Nelly stay to take
care of the Grange.
4. Linton was a sick man and died a few months
later.
Epilogue
1. Mr Lockwood was away for three months, and
when he returned, another housekeeper was at
the Grange. She told him Nelly was living at
Wuthering Heights, so he went to visit her.
2. Heathcliff had died.
3. Heathcliff had kept Catherine at Wuthering
Heights like a prisoner. She had no one to talk to
except for Hareton. Slowly, they began to get
closer and she offered to teach Hareton to read
and write.
4. The local people said Heathcliff had heard
Cathy’s voice and tried to let her in through the
window. They also said they’d seen the ghosts
of Heathcliff and Cathy running on the moors at
night.