Original Text(~129 words)
About twelve o'clock that night was born the Catherine you saw at Wuthering Heights: a puny, seven-months' child; and two hours after the mother died, having never recovered sufficient consciousness to miss Heathcliff, or know Edgar. The latter's distraction at his bereavement is a subject too painful to be dwelt on; its after-effects showed how deep the sorrow sunk. Catherine Earnshaw dies giving birth to her daughter, also named Catherine, leaving behind a devastated Edgar Linton and an unwanted child. The narrator Nelly Dean reflects on the peaceful expression on Catherine's face in death, contrasting it with Edgar's anguish. This chapter marks the end of the first Catherine's tormented life and the beginning of the next generation's story, while showing how death affects different people in vastly different ways.
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Summary
Catherine Earnshaw dies giving birth to her daughter, also named Catherine, leaving behind a devastated Edgar Linton and an unwanted child. The narrator Nelly Dean reflects on the peaceful expression on Catherine's face in death, contrasting it with Edgar's anguish. This chapter marks the end of the first Catherine's tormented life and the beginning of the next generation's story, while showing how death affects different people in vastly different ways.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
bereavement
The state of having lost someone close to death; deep grief
Modern Usage:
Like when Heath's coworker lost his wife in a car accident and couldn't function at work for months
heir
A person who inherits property or position, traditionally male
Modern Usage:
Today it's whoever inherits the family business or house, regardless of gender
estate
All property and assets owned by someone, especially land and wealth
Modern Usage:
Everything someone owns when they die - house, savings, possessions - that gets passed down
Characters in This Chapter
Catherine Earnshaw Linton
Dies in childbirth, central figure whose death impacts everyone
Her death represents the end of passionate, destructive love and the beginning of a new cycle
Modern Equivalent:
The ex who dies young, leaving everyone to wonder 'what if' and deal with unresolved feelings
Edgar Linton
Catherine's grieving husband, devastated by her death
Shows how civilized people process grief - internally, quietly, but just as deeply
Modern Equivalent:
The stable partner who loses the love of his life and doesn't know how to go on
Young Catherine
Newborn daughter, born into tragedy
Represents hope for the future but also the burden of her parents' legacy
Modern Equivalent:
A child born into family drama who will grow up dealing with everyone else's baggage
Nelly Dean
Narrator and caretaker, observes and reflects on death
Provides practical wisdom about death and grief from working-class perspective
Modern Equivalent:
The nurse or caregiver who sees death regularly and develops philosophical acceptance
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Literature shows us different ways people handle death and loss, helping us understand our own reactions aren't wrong or unusual
Practice This Today
Next time you face loss, remember Nelly's practical acceptance versus Edgar's devastation - both are valid ways to grieve
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Her brow smooth, her lids closed, her lips wearing the expression of a smile; no angel in heaven could be more beautiful than she appeared."
Context: Describing Catherine's peaceful appearance in death
Death brings Catherine the peace that life never could - she's finally free from the torment of choosing between Edgar and Heathcliff
In Today's Words:
In death, she finally looked at peace - more beautiful than she ever did when she was struggling with all her problems
"An unwelcomed infant it was, poor thing! It might have wailed out of life, and nobody cared a morsel, during those first hours of existence."
Context: About baby Catherine being born into tragedy
The child pays the price for her parents' destructive relationship - unwanted and unloved from birth
In Today's Words:
Nobody wanted this baby - she could have died and no one would have cared, at least not at first
"I am seldom otherwise than happy while watching in the chamber of death, should no frenzied or despairing mourner share the duty with me."
Context: Reflecting on her comfort with death
Nelly finds peace in death because she sees it as natural and restful, unlike the chaos of life
In Today's Words:
I'm actually calm around death when there aren't hysterical people making it worse - death itself is peaceful
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
When Death Brings Peace
When someone's death ends a destructive pattern but leaves others to deal with the aftermath
Thematic Threads
Death as Liberation
In This Chapter
Catherine finally finds peace in death after a life of torment
Development
Her serene expression contrasts sharply with the chaos she created while alive
In Your Life:
Sometimes ending toxic relationships feels like death, but it can bring the same kind of peace Catherine found
Generational Impact
In This Chapter
Baby Catherine is born unwanted, already burdened by her parents' choices
Development
The sins of one generation are passed to the next through neglect and resentment
In Your Life:
Children always pay the price for their parents' drama - break the cycle or perpetuate it
Class and Grief
In This Chapter
Nelly's practical acceptance of death versus Edgar's aristocratic devastation
Development
Working-class Nelly sees death as natural; upper-class Edgar is unprepared for real loss
In Your Life:
Your background shapes how you handle crisis - some learn resilience, others are sheltered until reality hits
Modern Adaptation
The End of Everything
Following Heath's story...
Heath gets word that Sarah died in a car accident, leaving behind a newborn daughter. Her husband Marcus is completely broken, can't even look at the baby because she reminds him of Sarah. Heath feels nothing but emptiness - all his years of anger and revenge plans suddenly mean nothing. Sarah looked peaceful at the funeral, more at peace than he'd ever seen her alive. The baby has no one who really wants her - Marcus can't handle it, and Heath realizes his obsession died with Sarah.
The Road
Heath could let this be the end - let Sarah's death close the book on his revenge and bitterness. He could walk away and try to build something new, or he could let the emptiness consume him like it's consuming Marcus.
The Map
Death has a way of putting everything in perspective. Sometimes the thing we're fighting for isn't worth the fight. Sometimes the person we're obsessed with finds peace only when they're free from us entirely.
Amplification
This is about recognizing when your story with someone is truly over, and whether you'll let their ending become your beginning or your destruction too.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why does Catherine look peaceful in death when she never found peace in life?
analytical • Consider how her internal conflicts are finally resolved - 2
Is it fair that baby Catherine starts life unwanted because of her parents' choices?
ethical • Think about how family drama affects innocent children - 3
How does Nelly's attitude toward death differ from Edgar's, and why?
comparative • Examine how class and life experience shape responses to loss - 4
What would you do if you were Heath hearing about Sarah's death?
personal • Reflect on how death changes the meaning of long-held grudges
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Price of Toxic Love
Catherine's death ends her torment but devastates Edgar and leaves baby Catherine unwanted. Think about a toxic relationship in your life (romantic, family, friendship) that ended badly.
Consider:
- •Who got hurt when the relationship ended?
- •Did anyone find peace, even if others were devastated?
- •How did the toxic dynamic affect innocent people (children, friends, family)?
- •What patterns from that relationship are you still carrying?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when ending something toxic felt like death - scary and final, but ultimately freeing. What did you learn about yourself? What would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 17
The coming pages reveal dramatic weather changes mirror emotional upheaval in relationships, and teach us the desperation that drives people to run through storms when love turns toxic. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.