Hareton Earnshaw
Encyclopedia
Hareton Earnshaw is a character in Emily Brontë
's novel Wuthering Heights
. He is the son of Hindley Earnshaw
and Hindley's wife Frances. At the end of the novel, he makes plans to wed Catherine Linton
, with whom he falls in love.
, so Hareton is cared for and nursed by Nelly Dean, the primary narrator of the story. When Nelly leaves to reside at Thrushcross Grange with Catherine Earnshaw
and Edgar Linton
, Heathcliff seeks revenge on Hindley and gains control of Wuthering Heights. Hindley dies shortly after the decease of Catherine Earnshaw, and Heathcliff sets out to treat Hareton as cruelly and unjustly as Hindley treated him: he reduces Hareton to servant-boy status at the Heights. Nevertheless, Heathcliff's impulsive paternal instincts towards Hareton are revealed when, during one fraught episode in which Hindley's alcoholism takes him too far, he saves the infant from a potentially fatal fall from the top of the Heights' staircase.
Because of the dark, savage environment in which he grows up, the boy becomes an ignorant, dirty and uneducated man, unable to read or write. When Cathy Linton comes to Wuthering Heights sixteen years later, Hareton has not changed, but it is apparent that he sees Heathcliff as his own father and loves him dearly. Heathcliff has a secret regard for Hareton as well, but he wishes him to feel the same pain that he himself experienced in childhood. Hareton forms an attraction to Cathy, but she dismisses it with disgust, insisting that he is a mindless, rude beast of a man. This only continues after Cathy's husband, Linton Heathcliff, dies, and Cathy becomes accustomed to the terror of Wuthering Heights. She grows just as rude and cold as its inhabitants, and, whenever Hareton expresses any amount of regard or tenderness towards her, she spurns it.
Cathy and Hareton's relationship changes when, eventually, Cathy decides to help him with his secret self-education by teaching him how to read and talk properly. At first Hareton is uneasy about this, suspecting some patronising trickery, but it soon comes to be that the two fall in love. Heathcliff thus allows his emotions to take him over, and, because of his secret regard for Hareton (who in many ways resembles him), his sudden indifference about his enemies' destruction and his increasingly overwhelming desire to be with his soul mate Catherine Earnshaw, he lets the two continue their romance. Hareton is deeply hurt by his subsequent death, because he views Heathcliff as his true father. He kisses his corpse relentlessly, digging the grave with tears spilling down his cheeks. As Nelly points out ironically, "poor Hareton, the most wronged, was the only one who really suffered much" for Heathcliff's demise:
At the close of Wuthering Heights, Cathy and Hareton plan to live in Thrushcross Grange and marry on New Year's Day, adding a sense of the happy ending to an otherwise dark story.
says that he has "a look of Catherine [Earnshaw] in his eyes", and indeed he and Cathy Linton both have the dark brown "Earnshaw eyes". He seems to carry Heathcliff's spirit, and the two have a strange regard for one another, in spite of the fact that Heathcliff has completely ruined his life. Heathcliff also sees Catherine Earnshaw in him, which would appear to make Hareton a source of pain. He sometimes tries to get along with Linton (Heathcliff's son), but didn't get well. His romance with Cathy Linton may partly explain why Heathcliff finally ends his life without taking any further revenge on anyone.
Emily Brontë
Emily Jane Brontë 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, now considered a classic of English literature. Emily was the third eldest of the four surviving Brontë siblings, between the youngest Anne and her brother...
's novel Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
. He is the son of Hindley Earnshaw
Hindley Earnshaw
Hindley Earnshaw is a fictional character in Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights. The brother of Catherine Earnshaw, father of Hareton Earnshaw, and sworn enemy of Heathcliff, he descends into a life of drunkenness, degradation, and misery after his wife Frances dies in childbirth, enabling...
and Hindley's wife Frances. At the end of the novel, he makes plans to wed Catherine Linton
Catherine Linton
Catherine Linton is a character in Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights...
, with whom he falls in love.
Story
Frances dies shortly after giving birth in June 1778 to Hareton, which results in Hindley's descent into a life of anguish and inebrietyAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, so Hareton is cared for and nursed by Nelly Dean, the primary narrator of the story. When Nelly leaves to reside at Thrushcross Grange with Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw
Catherine Earnshaw, known as Catherine Linton after her marriage, is the main female protagonist of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights....
and Edgar Linton
Edgar Linton
Edgar Linton is a character in Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights. His role in the story is that of Catherine Earnshaw's husband. He resides at Thrushcross Grange and falls prey to Heathcliff's schemes for revenge against his family....
, Heathcliff seeks revenge on Hindley and gains control of Wuthering Heights. Hindley dies shortly after the decease of Catherine Earnshaw, and Heathcliff sets out to treat Hareton as cruelly and unjustly as Hindley treated him: he reduces Hareton to servant-boy status at the Heights. Nevertheless, Heathcliff's impulsive paternal instincts towards Hareton are revealed when, during one fraught episode in which Hindley's alcoholism takes him too far, he saves the infant from a potentially fatal fall from the top of the Heights' staircase.
Because of the dark, savage environment in which he grows up, the boy becomes an ignorant, dirty and uneducated man, unable to read or write. When Cathy Linton comes to Wuthering Heights sixteen years later, Hareton has not changed, but it is apparent that he sees Heathcliff as his own father and loves him dearly. Heathcliff has a secret regard for Hareton as well, but he wishes him to feel the same pain that he himself experienced in childhood. Hareton forms an attraction to Cathy, but she dismisses it with disgust, insisting that he is a mindless, rude beast of a man. This only continues after Cathy's husband, Linton Heathcliff, dies, and Cathy becomes accustomed to the terror of Wuthering Heights. She grows just as rude and cold as its inhabitants, and, whenever Hareton expresses any amount of regard or tenderness towards her, she spurns it.
Cathy and Hareton's relationship changes when, eventually, Cathy decides to help him with his secret self-education by teaching him how to read and talk properly. At first Hareton is uneasy about this, suspecting some patronising trickery, but it soon comes to be that the two fall in love. Heathcliff thus allows his emotions to take him over, and, because of his secret regard for Hareton (who in many ways resembles him), his sudden indifference about his enemies' destruction and his increasingly overwhelming desire to be with his soul mate Catherine Earnshaw, he lets the two continue their romance. Hareton is deeply hurt by his subsequent death, because he views Heathcliff as his true father. He kisses his corpse relentlessly, digging the grave with tears spilling down his cheeks. As Nelly points out ironically, "poor Hareton, the most wronged, was the only one who really suffered much" for Heathcliff's demise:
He sat by the corpse all night, weeping in bitter earnest. He pressed its hand, and kissed the sarcastic, savage face that every one else shrank from contemplating; and bemoaned him with that strong grief which springs naturally from a generous heart, though it be tough as tempered steel.
At the close of Wuthering Heights, Cathy and Hareton plan to live in Thrushcross Grange and marry on New Year's Day, adding a sense of the happy ending to an otherwise dark story.
Description
Hareton is a broad-shouldered, strong man, with dark hair and dark skin, making him physically the character who most resembles Heathcliff. Isabella LintonIsabella Linton
Isabella Linton is a female character in Emily Brontë's only novel Wuthering Heights. She is the sister of Edgar Linton and the wife of Heathcliff.- Story :...
says that he has "a look of Catherine [Earnshaw] in his eyes", and indeed he and Cathy Linton both have the dark brown "Earnshaw eyes". He seems to carry Heathcliff's spirit, and the two have a strange regard for one another, in spite of the fact that Heathcliff has completely ruined his life. Heathcliff also sees Catherine Earnshaw in him, which would appear to make Hareton a source of pain. He sometimes tries to get along with Linton (Heathcliff's son), but didn't get well. His romance with Cathy Linton may partly explain why Heathcliff finally ends his life without taking any further revenge on anyone.