Chapter Eight
SparkNotes summary: Nelly skips ahead a bit in her story, to the
summer of 1778, several months after the Lintons’ visit and twenty-three
years before Lockwood’s arrival at the Grange. Frances gives birth to a
baby boy, Hareton, but she dies not long afterwards, the strain of
childbirth having aggravated her chronic consumption. Hindley assigns
Nelly the task of raising the baby, as he takes no interest in the child.
Miserable at Frances’s death, Hindley begins to drink excessively and
behaves abusively toward his servants—especially toward Heathcliff, who
takes great pleasure in Hindley’s steady decline. Catherine continues to
spend time with Edgar Linton, and she behaves like a proper lady while
with him. However, when she is with Heathcliff, she acts as she always
has. One afternoon, when Hindley is out of the house, Heathcliff declares
that he will stay home from the fields and spend the day with Catherine.
She tells him ruefully that Edgar and Isabella are planning to visit. When
Heathcliff confronts her about the amount of time she spends with Edgar,
she retorts that Heathcliff is ignorant and dull. At that moment, Edgar
enters—without Isabella—and Heathcliff storms away.
Catherine asks Nelly to leave the room, but Nelly refuses, having been
instructed by Hindley to act as Catherine’s chaperone in Edgar’s presence.
Catherine pinches her and then slaps her, and when Hareton begins to
cry, she shakes him. Edgar, appalled at Catherine’s behaviour, attempts
to restore order, and Catherine boxes his ears. Edgar is unable to cope
with Catherine’s unladylike temper and hurries out of the house. On his
way out, however, he catches a last glimpse of Catherine through the
window; lured by her beauty, he comes back inside. Nelly now leaves
them alone and interrupts them only to tell them that Hindley has arrived
home, drunk and in a foul temper. When she next enters the room, she
can tell that Catherine and Edgar have confessed their love for one
another. Edgar hurries home to avoid Hindley, and Catherine goes to her
chamber. Nelly goes to hide little Hareton and takes the shot out of
Hindley’s gun, which he is fond of playing with in his drunken rages.
Key events:
In June 1778 Hindley’s son Hareton is born
Francis dies of consumption suddenly
Catherine shows conflict between her relationships with the
Lintons and Heathclif
When Hindley is away, Catherine invites Edgar over, but
Heathclif asks to spend time with her
, When Edgar and Catherine are together, Catherine is violent
to both Nelly and Edgar, and even when he tries to leave; he
cannot and they confess their love
Key themes/ideas:
Death
Catherine’s transgression
Conflict in relationships
Obsession- Heathclif’s for Catherine
Heathclif:
Hindley’s treatment towards him made it seem he were
“possessed of something diabolical at that period”
suggesting evilness and a lack of control
He was “the age of sixteen”
Seemed to have a wish to be isolated- “he contrived to
convey an impression of inward and outward repulsiveness
He sufered both mentally and physically- “He struggled
long to keep up an equality with Catherine in her studies”
“Then personal appearance sympathised with mental
deterioration: he acquired a slouching gait”
He appears desperate to spend time with Catherine- “Cathy,
are you busy this afternoon?… Are you going anywhere?...
I’ll stay with you”
Appears obsessed- “Order Ellen to say you are engaged”
“The crosses are for the evenings you have spent with the
Lintons, the dots for those spent with me… I’ve marked
everyday”
Catherine:
She was “fifteen” and a “haughty, headstrong creature”
showing she is a strong woman
She has a desire to be accepted, and shows embarrassment
at her rough side- “she had no temptation to be rough in
their company” “led her to adopt a double character without
exactly intending to deceive anyone”
When alone, her first thought is to invite Edgar over- “she
managed, by some means, to inform Mr Edgar of her
brother’s absence, and was then preparing to receive him”
She lies to Heathclif about seeing Edgar- “No, it’s raining”
“Not that I know of”
