Nelly Dean: The novel’s principal narrator, although readers may at times doubt her reliability due to her involvement in the story. She grew up at Wuthering Heights with Catherine, Hindley and Heathcliff, and later works as the housekeeper both here and at Thrushcross Grange.
Catherine Earnshaw: the older of the two Catherines in the novel. Daughter of Mr and Mrs Earnshaw and sister to Hindley. She grows up with Heathcliff and, despite later marrying Edgar Linton, never forgets her attachment to him. Dies shortly after giving birth to her and Edgar’s daughter Catherine. Early in the novel, Lockwood dreams of her ghost demanding to be let in through the window at Wuthering Heights.
Frances Earnshaw: wife of Hindley. Dies soon after giving birth to their son Hareton.
Hareton Earnshaw: son of Hindley and Frances. After the death of both his parents, Hareton is raised by Heathcliff, who uses him as part of his revenge against Hindley by bringing him up to be illiterate and rough-mannered in the same way that he himself was treated by Hindley. Eventually he helps to thwart Heathcliff’s plans by improving himself and marrying Catherine Linton.
Hindley Earnshaw: brother of Catherine and brought up alongside Heathcliff, whom he resents. After the death of his father he becomes master of the estate and begins to treat Heathcliff as a farmhand. Never recovers from the death of his wife, and drinks himself to death. Tricked out of ownership of Wuthering Heights by Heathcliff.
Mr Earnshaw: owner of Wuthering Heights and father to Catherine and Hindley. He finds Heathcliff on the streets of Liverpool and brings him home to be brought up as one of his own, much to the delight of Catherine and the horror of Hindley.
Mrs Earnshaw: wife of Mr Earnshaw; dies soon after he brings Heathcliff to the house.
Heathcliff: an orphan found on the streets of Liverpool and brought to Wuthering Heights by Mr Earnshaw. Becomes passionately attached to Catherine and feels betrayed by her marriage to Edgar Linton. He disappears for three years and returns to exact vengeance on all who have hurt him. Marries Isabella and forces Catherine Linton to marry his son Linton Heathcliff. On his death he is buried alongside Catherine.
Linton Heathcliff: son of Isabella Linton and Heathcliff. A sickly, petulant boy brought up by Isabella until her death, and then forced to marry Catherine Linton by Heathcliff. Dies soon after the marriage.
Joseph: surly servant at Wuthering Heights.
Catherine Linton: daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton. Forced to marry Linton Heathcliff and then kept unhappily at Wuthering Heights by Heathcliff. The novel ends with her marriage to Hareton Earnshaw.
Edgar Linton: meets Catherine Earnshaw when they are both children. After their marriage they live together at Thrushcross Grange until she dies giving birth to their daughter. He shows himself to be a kindly and tender husband but ultimately proves weaker than Heathcliff and unable to prevent his plans for revenge.
Isabella Linton: sister to Edgar. Elopes with Heathcliff but leaves after violent treatment. Gives birth to their son Linton Heathcliff and brings him up without Heathcliff’s knowledge until her death when he is thirteen.
Lockwood: the novel’s other narrator. He is the story’s outsider, and hears the tale from Nelly Dean after he rents Thrushcross Grange from Heathcliff.
Read more about Wuthering Heights: plot & context.
