Catherine Linton (Cathy) - Edgar Linton's daughter
Physical: sixteen years old, has golden ringlets, bright cheek "soft and pure in its bloom as a wild rose," radiant eyes, has reached full height with a figure "both plump and slender, elastic as steel," sparkling with health and spirits
Present in scene, central character
Personality: eager, passionate, happy creature described as "an angel," but also willful, curious, and prone to disobedience
Actions: Goes on walk with Ellen, meets Heathcliff and Linton, begins secret correspondence with Linton
Relationships: Edgar Linton's daughter, Linton Heathcliff's cousin, niece to Heathcliff
Ellen Dean (Nelly) - Narrator and housekeeper at Thrushcross Grange
Present in scene, narrating
Actions: Accompanies Cathy on walk, discovers and burns the love letters
Relationships: Servant to the Lintons, trusted with Catherine's care
Edgar Linton - Catherine's father, master of Thrushcross Grange
Present in scene
Personality: protective, gentle, still grieving his wife's death
Actions: Spends birthday/death anniversary alone, explains Heathcliff's history to Catherine
Relationships: Catherine's father, Heathcliff's enemy, Isabella's brother
Linton Heathcliff - Heathcliff's sickly son
Physical: nearly sixteen (still wanting some months), grown tall for his age, features still pretty, bright eye and complexion but with "merely temporary lustre," looks and movements very languid, form extremely slight but with grace
Present in scene
Personality: weak, faint-hearted, demanding, always wanting warmth and comfort
Actions: Meets Catherine again, begins correspondence with her
Relationships: Heathcliff's son, Catherine's cousin, Isabella's son
Heathcliff - Master of Wuthering Heights
Present in scene
Actions: Encounters Catherine on his land, invites them to his house, reveals his plan for Catherine and Linton to marry
Relationships: Linton's father, Catherine's uncle by marriage, Edgar's enemy
Reveals his inheritance plan: if Linton dies, Catherine would not inherit as "There is no clause in the will to secure it so: his property would go to me"
Hareton Earnshaw
Physical: has gained "increased bulk and strength by the addition of two years to his age," seems "as awkward and rough as ever"
Present in scene
Personality: sensitive to slights, has "obviously a dim notion of his inferiority," cannot read
Actions: Accompanies Catherine around the farm, is mocked by Linton for his illiteracy and Yorkshire accent
Relationships: Hindley's son, raised by Heathcliff
The Wuthering Heights housekeeper (unnamed)
Mentioned, not present
Provides information about Linton's sickly condition and demanding nature
Left after two years, replaced by another
March 20th - Catherine's sixteenth birthday (also the anniversary of her mother's death)
Edgar spends the day alone in library and visits graveyard
Catherine asks for a walk on the moors with Ellen
They encounter Heathcliff and Hareton on Heathcliff's land
Catherine meets Linton Heathcliff for the first time in years
They visit Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff reveals his plan for Catherine and Linton to marry
That evening
Catherine doesn't mention the visit because Edgar is absent
Catherine is found crying in her room, worried about disappointing Linton
Next day
Catherine tells Edgar about the visit
Edgar explains Heathcliff's evil nature and history with Isabella
Catherine begins secret correspondence with Linton using a milk-fetcher as messenger
Weeks later
Ellen discovers the love letters in Catherine's drawer
Ellen burns the letters after confronting Catherine
Ellen sends a note ending the correspondence
Catherine's sixteenth birthday is March 20th
This is also the anniversary of her mother's (Catherine Earnshaw's) death
Edgar always spends this day alone and visits Gimmerton kirkyard, often staying past midnight
Linton is nearly sixteen, still "wanting some months"
The Grange park-fence is "a great way off" from where they encountered Heathcliff
Catherine was "two miles nearer Wuthering Heights than her own home" when caught
Wuthering Heights is Heathcliff's land
There is an inscription over the door at Wuthering Heights that Hareton cannot read
Catherine has a small drawer in a cabinet in the library where she keeps correspondence
The milk-fetcher serves as messenger between the houses
Catherine Linton: Exactly 16 years old (birthday March 20th)
Linton Heathcliff: Nearly 16, "still wanting some months" to reach sixteen
Time references:
The first housekeeper left "two years after he [Linton] came"
Hareton has had "the addition of two years to his age" since last described
Catherine was born on the same day her mother died
The correspondence continues for "weeks"
Linton's appearance: Described as looking better than Ellen remembered, "his features were pretty yet, and his eye and complexion brighter than I remembered them, though with merely temporary lustre borrowed from the salubrious air and genial sun"
No explanation for how the regular correspondence system was established so quickly
New threads introduced:
Catherine and Linton's romantic relationship beginning
Heathcliff's specific plan to marry Catherine and Linton for inheritance purposes
The question of inheritance rights if Linton dies
Existing threads advanced:
Catherine's growing independence and willfulness
The ongoing feud between Edgar and Heathcliff affecting the next generation
Hareton's degraded state becoming more apparent
Threads complicated:
Edgar's protective efforts are undermined by Catherine's secret defiance
The love correspondence creates new complications
Threads resolved:
The immediate correspondence is ended by Ellen's intervention
Catherine's temporary confusion about family relationships is clarified
Heathcliff's inheritance scheme: "There is no clause in the will to secure it so: his property would go to me; but, to prevent disputes, I desire their union, and am resolved to bring it about"
Linton's frail health: Multiple references suggest he may not live long - "We calculate it will scarcely last till it is eighteen"
Hareton's degradation vs. potential: Heathcliff's comparison between Hareton and Linton, calling Hareton "gold put to the use of paving-stones" while Linton is "tin polished to ape a service of silver"
Catherine's willfulness: Her defiance in maintaining correspondence despite prohibition suggests future conflicts
The inheritance question: The specific mention that Catherine would not inherit if Linton died sets up future legal/property conflicts
The inscription over Wuthering Heights' door that Hareton cannot read may be significant for future literacy/education themes.