Cathy Linton

* 1978
* 1992
* 1998
* 2009

*Wuthering Heights* (Masterpiece Theatre, 2009)

Rebecca Night (2009)

Miss Linton

Nelly Dean (caregiver/mother-figure)

### Personalities

Young, beautiful, mischievous, wild, daring, lively, cold, stubborn, curious, loyal, rude (formerly), fiery, compassionate, loving, selfish (formerly), complicated, maternal, gentle, kind, caring, romantic, initiative

### Allies

Nelly Dean
Edgar Linton
Hareton Earnshaw

Linton Heathcliff

### Likes

Wandering around the moors, bird-hunting, visiting Wuthering Heights, writing secret love letters to Linton, teaching Hareton how to read

### Dislikes

When Linton asked to love and marry her the first time, Hareton's illiterate attitude and appearance, Nelly discovering her letters, when her father kept Wuthering Heights a secret from her

### Goal

To discover what Wuthering Heights really is
To forcibly marry Linton by Mr. Heathcliff as his act of revenge
 To see her dying father one more time and move back to Wuthering Heights
To marry Hareton and return home with him to Thrushcross Grange (all succeeded)

### Fate

After Heathcliff's death, Cathy and Hareton arrange to be married and move back to Thrushcross Grange

> "*Till she reached the age of thirteen she had not once been beyond the range of the park by herself. Mr. Linton would take her with him a mile or so outside, on rare occasions; but he trusted her to no one else. Gimmerton was an unsubstantial name in her ears; the chapel, the only building she had approached or entered, except her own home. Wuthering Heights and Mr. Heathcliff did not exist for her: she was a perfect recluse; and, apparently, perfectly contented.*"
> ― Chapter 18
>
>

Catherine "Cathy" Linton is a major character in Emily Brontë's *Wuthering Heights*. She is the daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton, and cousin to Hareton Earnshaw and Linton Heathcliff.

Named after her mother, Cathy is Heathcliff’s passionate target by using her as his quest for his revenge and makes her one of his own. She was forced into a relationship to Linton and marries him for Heathcliff to claim inheritance of her home Thrushcross Grange, and ends up being among his servants.

## Description

Cathy Linton is a young woman born and raised in a new generation already dominated by abuse and revenge. In addition, it was all caught up with her, as she changed from being a pretty girl to a selfish woman once she is held under Heathcliff's control. Her connection to her parents is reliving the past of what had went wrong.

It is also noted that being the daughter of an Earnshaw and a Linton, and becoming the last born member of the Linton family, Cathy would continue to carry on her surname but until she marries her cousin Hareton, she would become Cathy Earnshaw, or Catherine Earnshaw II, and the Linton family dynasty would end; given the fact that Edgar had wanted his only child to be a son and would be able to carry on his family name. This may be revealed why she was ignored and neglected at birth, mainly because she had no mother to care for her and that she turned out to be female instead.

It's revealed that she was the other characters in the novel who grew up motherless. Cathy's birth resulted in her mother's death and without her presence, she was forced to fend for herself, with only Nelly Dean being served as the mother-figure that she never had. She also had free roam of the property, wanting to explore new areas she has never been to before and even makes up fantasies when she is out adventuring. Her adventurous behaviour would result in her eventually discovering Wuthering Heights and its dark family history.

## Storyline

### Early Years at Thrushcross Grange

Cathy Linton was born in 1784 at Thrushcross Grange in Yorkshire. She was born two months prematurely at midnight, but her mother, Catherine, fell into unconsciousness and died two hours later. Her father, Edgar, is devastated that he doesn't have a male heir. Catherine was later interred in the kirkyard. Edgar becomes a recluse soon after his wife's death and initially ignores his newborn daughter, but he later loves and dotes on her. She was never called by her full name, Catherine, as her mother wasn't called Cathy.

While she endured many illnesses in her early childhood, Cathy grew into a beautiful young girl with blue eyes, pale skin, and curly blonde hair. She shares similar traits to her late mother, such as being gentle and lively, but is also fiery and quick-tempered. She always threatens to tell on her father when a servant bothers her and is a quick learner. Edgar is hardly harsh to his daughter, and he tutors her himself.

At age 13, Cathy hasn't stepped foot anywhere outside Thrushcross Grange alone. Edgar would take her for a walk a mile on some occasions outside the property, but he hasn't entrusted her with anyone else. She has only been to the Gimmerton chapel but doesn't know about Wuthering Heights or its troublesome owner, Heathcliff. Whenever she views the moors outside the nursery window, she asks her caregiver and servant, Nelly, how long until she gets to see what's on the other side of the hills. She assumes it's the sea, but Nelly assures her it's just more hills. Another time, Cathy asks about the golden rocks, and the mention of the Penistone Crags immediately catches her interest, but Nelly explains they are just bare rocks with barely enough dirt to nourish a tree. Cathy then asks why they are still bright after dark, and Nelly replies that they are higher and would be too steep and dangerous to climb. Cathy wants to go there when she's grown up, but Nelly tells her they aren't worth visiting as the moors are better. Cathy murmurs that she will still look for them with her pony, Minny.

## Personality/Appearance

Cathy is described as having blonde curly hair and blue eyes.

## Relationships

### Edgar Linton

Cathy’s father. She was raised by him at the Grange and is a dutiful daughter to him. She would be confronted and scolded by him whenever she is at the Heights or interacts with anyone living there, but is still caring to him. She accepts his offer to finally marry her cousin if she wishes, and after she is held hostage by Heathcliff, she is worried of her dying father, but was able to escape and see him one more time, as well as letting him know she is safe and alright.

### Catherine Earnshaw

Cathy’s mother. She died after her birth and named after her. While Cathy never met her mother, she does share some traits from her and even has a strong resemblance of her towards Heathcliff.

### Nelly Dean

Cathy's guardian and mother-figure. She was also raised by her alongside Edgar, and she often looks up to her like a parent, although she sometimes doesn't listen to her rules and guidance and can be frustrated when reprimanded by Nelly and being like Edgar. In addition, Cathy is close to her and after she prepares to move in the Heights, she wants her caregiver to live with her but was on her own for awhile until Nelly takes a servant's place. She would confess her problems to Nelly, such as her secret visits to Linton and her regretting teasing Hareton.

### Heathcliff

Cathy's uncle, father-in-law and master. Originally fascinated by him and his home, she later sees him as a cruel man when she learns the way he treats his son and ends up falling underneath his shadow after she marries Linton and being his servant. She would later stand up to her master for the way he treated her and going after her inheritance and home.

### Linton Heathcliff

Cathy's cousin and husband. She was caring and loving towards her sickly cousin but would have arguments with him. After he was taken into his father's custody, Cathy started a secret correspondence with him through letters. Despite being a caregiver to him, she nearly had no idea he was being manipulated by Heathcliff to court and marry her. Her marriage to Linton was quickly short-lived after he died from his failing health.

### Hareton Earnshaw

Cathy's cousin and later her future husband. She meets him for the first time when she was 13 years old and develops an interest in him. Throughout some of the story, she makes fun of Hareton's illiteracy and would have constant arguments with him. But later on, she makes up with him and forms a romantic bond. After Heathcliff is laid to rest, Cathy and Hareton arrange plans to be married and live their new life at the Grange.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 16
2. ↑ Chapter 17
3. ↑ Chapter 18