Chapter Sixteen
SparkNotes summary: At midnight, Catherine gives birth to young Catherine
two months prematurely. She dies within two hours of giving birth. Nelly solemnly
declares that her soul has gone home to God. When Nelly goes to tell Heathcliff
what has happened, he seems to know already. He curses Catherine for the pain
she has caused him, and pleads with her spirit to haunt him for the rest of his
life. She may take any form, he says, and even drive him mad—as long as she
stays with him. Edgar keeps a vigil over Catherine’s body. At night, Heathcliff
lurks in the garden outside. At one point, Edgar leaves, and Nelly permits
Heathcliff a moment alone with the body. Afterwards, Nelly finds that he has
opened the locket around her neck and replaced a lock of Edgar’s hair with a lock
of his own. Nelly twines Edgar’s lock around Heathcliff’s, and leaves them both in
the locket.
Hindley is invited to Catherine’s funeral but does not come, while Isabella
is not invited at all. To the surprise of the villagers, Catherine is not buried
in the Linton tomb, nor by the graves of her relatives. Instead, Edgar
orders that she be buried in a corner of the churchyard overlooking the
moors that she so loved. Nelly tells Lockwood that now, years later, Edgar
lies buried beside her
Key events:
Cathy is born and Catherine dies
Edgar is too upset to welcome his daughter
Heathcliff already knew when nelly approached and begged
for Catherine to haunt him
Catherine is buried beyond the plots of her families so
cannot reconnect with Heathcliff beyond the grave
Key themes/ideas:
Life and death
Grief
Love
Heathcliff:
Unable to say her name without breaking down- “He
endeavoured to pronounce the name, but could not manage
it; and compressing his mouth he held a silent combat with
his inward agony”
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller annadiddle. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £3.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.