## Characters
**Catherine Heathcliff (Mrs. Linton/Mrs. Heathcliff)** - Present in flashback/Zillah's account
- Physical: Yellow curls combed back behind her ears "as plain as a Quaker," described as "chill as an icicle, and as high as a princess," white face and heavy eyes from exhaustion
- Personality: Haughty, contemptuous, proud, bitter, desperate when caring for dying Linton
- Key actions: Cared for dying Linton alone, announced his death, stayed upstairs for a fortnight, came down on Sunday dressed in black, rejected attempts at kindness from Hareton and Zillah
- Relationships: Widow of Linton Heathcliff (now deceased), daughter-in-law to Heathcliff, cousin to Hareton
**Linton Heathcliff** - Deceased during this chapter
- Physical: Described as dying, moaning night and day
- Actions: Dies during the chapter, had previously made a will bequeathing his moveable property to his father Heathcliff
- Relationships: Son of Heathcliff, husband of Catherine (now deceased), cousin of Hareton
**Heathcliff** - Present in flashback
- Actions: Refused to call doctor for dying Linton, visited Catherine once to show her Linton's will, claimed Catherine's inheritance through legal right
- Relationships: Father of deceased Linton, father-in-law to Catherine, master of Wuthering Heights
**Hareton Earnshaw** - Present in flashback
- Physical: Described as bashful, concerned about his appearance and cleanliness when Catherine comes down
- Personality: Awkward but well-meaning, attracted to Catherine, becomes angry when rejected
- Actions: Tried to help Catherine reach books, touched her hair gently, asked Zillah to request Catherine read to them, offered to help care for Linton previously
- Relationships: Cousin to Catherine, lives at Wuthering Heights
**Zillah** - Narrator of main account
- Personality: Narrow-minded, selfish, unwilling to disobey Heathcliff, resentful of Catherine's pride
- Actions: Refused to help Catherine care for Linton, visited Catherine twice daily during her fortnight upstairs, helped Hareton prepare for Catherine's visit
- Relationships: Housekeeper at Wuthering Heights, informant to Mrs. Dean
**Joseph** - Mentioned
- Actions: Held door against the narrator's visit, helped remove Linton's body, generally goes to chapel on Sundays
- Relationships: Servant at Wuthering Heights
**Mrs. Dean (Nelly)** - Present as listener and narrator
- Actions: Receives Zillah's account, considers leaving her situation to help Catherine, ultimately narrates the story
- Relationships: Former nurse to Catherine, current housekeeper at Thrushcross Grange
**Mr. Lockwood** - Present as final narrator
- Physical: Recovering strength from illness
- Actions: Plans to ride to Wuthering Heights, intends to spend six months in London, will inform Heathcliff about tenancy
- Relationships: Tenant at Thrushcross Grange, Heathcliff's landlord relationship
**Kenneth** - Mentioned
- Role: The doctor who Heathcliff refused to summon for Linton
## Timeline & Events
**Recent past (six weeks before present)**: Mrs. Dean meets Zillah on the moor and receives this account
**Earlier flashback - Catherine's arrival at Heights**: Catherine runs upstairs to Linton's room without greeting anyone, stays till morning
**Next morning**: Catherine asks for doctor to be called for sick cousin; Heathcliff refuses and tells her to nurse Linton herself or lock him up
**Extended period of Linton's illness**: Catherine cares for Linton alone, appears exhausted with white face and heavy eyes, sometimes sits crying on stairs
**Night of Linton's death**: Catherine enters Zillah's chamber saying Linton is dying; bell rings; Heathcliff examines Linton and confirms death; Joseph removes body
**Following morning**: Heathcliff tells Catherine to come to breakfast; she claims illness
**Fortnight period**: Catherine stays upstairs, visited twice daily by Zillah
**During the fortnight**: Heathcliff visits once to show Catherine Linton's will
**Sunday afternoon**: Catherine comes downstairs for first time, dressed in black; Heathcliff goes to Thrushcross Grange; Joseph goes to chapel; interaction between Catherine, Hareton, and Zillah occurs
**Present**: Mrs. Dean concludes her story; Lockwood plans to visit Heights and go to London
## Key Facts
- Wuthering Heights has only one bell, installed specifically for Linton
- Catherine's inheritance: Linton bequeathed all moveable property to Heathcliff; the lands Catherine cannot access as she was a minor; Heathcliff claims them through his wife's right
- The local kirk has no minister; locals attend Methodist or Baptist chapel at Gimmerton
- Catherine is now "destitute of cash and friends"
- It's the second week in January when Lockwood concludes the story
- Lockwood plans to spend the next six months in London
- Lockwood's tenancy at Thrushcross Grange ends in October
## Ages, Dates & Arithmetic
**Timeline references:**
- "About six weeks ago, a little before you came" - when Mrs. Dean spoke to Zillah
- "Second week in January" - when Lockwood narrates
- Catherine stayed upstairs "a fortnight" after Linton's death
- Linton made his will "during her week's absence, when his uncle died"
**No specific ages mentioned in this chapter**
## Unexplained Changes
- Catherine's legal and financial status has dramatically changed from being Edgar Linton's heir to being "destitute of cash and friends"
- Catherine's location change from Thrushcross Grange to Wuthering Heights is explained by her marriage to Linton
## Plot Developments
**New threads introduced:**
- Catherine's poverty and isolation at Wuthering Heights
- Tension between Catherine and Hareton, with hints of potential attraction on his part
**Existing threads advanced:**
- Linton Heathcliff dies, completing Heathcliff's revenge through inheritance manipulation
- Catherine is now completely under Heathcliff's control
**Threads complicated:**
- Catherine's pride prevents her from accepting help from Hareton or forming alliances
- Mrs. Dean cannot rescue Catherine due to Heathcliff's power
## Foreshadowing & Setups
- Hareton's attraction to Catherine and his attempts at kindness suggest a potential romantic development
- Catherine's isolation and bitterness set up either redemption or further tragedy
- Lockwood's plan to leave for London suggests the narrative may shift or conclude
- Mrs. Dean's consideration of leaving her position hints at potential changes in the household structure
- Catherine's youth and the mention that "she could marry again" suggests future romantic possibilities
**Key quote foreshadowing Catherine's future**: "I can see no remedy, at present, unless she could marry again; and that scheme it does not come within my province to arrange."