Chapter Sixteen
SparkNotes summary: At midnight, Catherine gives birth to young Catherine
two months prematurely. She dies within two hours of giving birth. Nelly solemnly
declares that her soul has gone home to God. When Nelly goes to tell Heathcliff
what has happened, he seems to know already. He curses Catherine for the pain
she has caused him, and pleads with her spirit to haunt him for the rest of his
life. She may take any form, he says, and even drive him mad—as long as she
stays with him. Edgar keeps a vigil over Catherine’s body. At night, Heathcliff
lurks in the garden outside. At one point, Edgar leaves, and Nelly permits
Heathcliff a moment alone with the body. Afterwards, Nelly finds that he has
opened the locket around her neck and replaced a lock of Edgar’s hair with a lock
of his own. Nelly twines Edgar’s lock around Heathcliff’s, and leaves them both in
the locket.
Hindley is invited to Catherine’s funeral but does not come, while Isabella
is not invited at all. To the surprise of the villagers, Catherine is not buried
in the Linton tomb, nor by the graves of her relatives. Instead, Edgar
orders that she be buried in a corner of the churchyard overlooking the
moors that she so loved. Nelly tells Lockwood that now, years later, Edgar
lies buried beside her
Key events:
Cathy is born and Catherine dies
Edgar is too upset to welcome his daughter
Heathcliff already knew when nelly approached and begged
for Catherine to haunt him
Catherine is buried beyond the plots of her families so
cannot reconnect with Heathcliff beyond the grave
Key themes/ideas:
Life and death
Grief
Love
Heathcliff:
Unable to say her name without breaking down- “He
endeavoured to pronounce the name, but could not manage
it; and compressing his mouth he held a silent combat with
his inward agony”
SparkNotes summary: At midnight, Catherine gives birth to young Catherine
two months prematurely. She dies within two hours of giving birth. Nelly solemnly
declares that her soul has gone home to God. When Nelly goes to tell Heathcliff
what has happened, he seems to know already. He curses Catherine for the pain
she has caused him, and pleads with her spirit to haunt him for the rest of his
life. She may take any form, he says, and even drive him mad—as long as she
stays with him. Edgar keeps a vigil over Catherine’s body. At night, Heathcliff
lurks in the garden outside. At one point, Edgar leaves, and Nelly permits
Heathcliff a moment alone with the body. Afterwards, Nelly finds that he has
opened the locket around her neck and replaced a lock of Edgar’s hair with a lock
of his own. Nelly twines Edgar’s lock around Heathcliff’s, and leaves them both in
the locket.
Hindley is invited to Catherine’s funeral but does not come, while Isabella
is not invited at all. To the surprise of the villagers, Catherine is not buried
in the Linton tomb, nor by the graves of her relatives. Instead, Edgar
orders that she be buried in a corner of the churchyard overlooking the
moors that she so loved. Nelly tells Lockwood that now, years later, Edgar
lies buried beside her
Key events:
Cathy is born and Catherine dies
Edgar is too upset to welcome his daughter
Heathcliff already knew when nelly approached and begged
for Catherine to haunt him
Catherine is buried beyond the plots of her families so
cannot reconnect with Heathcliff beyond the grave
Key themes/ideas:
Life and death
Grief
Love
Heathcliff:
Unable to say her name without breaking down- “He
endeavoured to pronounce the name, but could not manage
it; and compressing his mouth he held a silent combat with
his inward agony”
