Solutions

4 Literature Worksheet Teaching Notes

Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
LESSON SUMMARY homesickness. In 1843, the sisters returned to Haworth after
the death of their aunt. Two years later, Charlotte discovered
• Reading: extract from the chapter ‘Catherine Earnshaw’s
room’ some poems written by Emily. Charlotte persuaded Emily
to publish them in a collection − together with her own
• Listening: extract from the chapter ‘Isabella’s story’
poems and some by Anne. The sisters used male pen names
• Speaking: analysing and discussing the text
for the publication because at the time it was very difficult
• Writing: a letter
for women to get their works published. The collection was
• Literary feature: Gothic novels
therefore entitled Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (1846).
• Internet project: plan a trip to Haworth
Although the collection sold only two copies, the sisters
continued to write. They each published a novel in 1847: Jane
WARM-UP EXERCISES
Eyre, by Charlotte; Agnes Grey, by Anne and Wuthering Heights,
• Ask students to look at the picture of the book cover and by Emily. Jane Eyre was immediately successful, but Wuthering
the illustration on page 2. Ask them to predict what kind of
Heights was less popular. Critics at the time felt that the
story Wuthering Heights is, based on the two pictures. What
characters in Wuthering Heights were too savage and wild.
do they think the two characters shown are like, and what is
Branwell Brontë died suddenly in September 1848,
their relationship?
and Emily became very ill after her brother’s funeral. She
• In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff and Catherine love each developed tuberculosis and died on 19 December. Sadly, all of
other − but they both marry other people. Ask students to
the Brontë siblings died young. Anne Brontë died a year after
think of other famous stories or films which feature unhappy
Emily, and Charlotte Brontë died in 1855.
or unlucky lovers. What prevents those couples from being
together? Are there any common themes?
EXERCISE 1  BEFORE YOU READ MORE CULTURAL CONTEXT
Question 1: students read About the author on page 1. Wuthering Heights is set in the late 18th century, but it was
written during the Victorian Era in the 19th century. Although
Question 2: students read Cultural context on page 1.
the Industrial Revolution had brought about enormous
Question 3: students read Background to the story on page 2.
change, Victorian society was still deeply hierarchical, with
POSSIBLE ANSWERS little social mobility. In Wuthering Heights, the Linton family
1 Emily Brontë spent her time writing and walking in the represents the upper-middle class and the Earnshaws are
Yorkshire moors. middle class. Heathcliff − the homeless orphan − is right at the
bottom of the social ladder.
2 Wuthering Heights wasn’t at first popular with Victorian
Social class is an important factor throughout the novel:
readers because the characters break the social rules of
when Mr Earnshaw gives more attention and love to lower-
their time.
class Heathcliff than to his own son, this would be shocking
3 Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaw family.
to Victorian readers. Similarly, Catherine decides to marry
MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR Edgar Linton in order to rise socially, which readers would have
understood well. In contrast, Isabella Linton’s initial love for
Emily Brontë was born in 1818. She had a brother called
Heathcliff would be seen by readers as a betrayal of her class.
Branwell and four sisters − Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte and
Anne. However, two of her sisters later died. Her father was
a vicar, and he also wrote poetry. In 1821, the family moved to
MORE BACKGROUND TO THE STORY
Haworth, in Yorkshire. Emily’s mother died months later, and
Wuthering Heights was published in 1847, under Emily Brontë’s
the children were brought up by their mother’s sister, Aunt
pen name Ellis Bell. It sold very badly at first, partly due to
Elizabeth. Elizabeth was very religious, but Emily soon rejected
receiving very poor reviews. Both critics and readers found
her aunt’s religious enthusiasm.
its characters too passionate and cruel. Charlotte Brontë’s
In 1824, Emily was sent to boarding school with her sisters
writings reveal that even she had mixed feelings about her
Elizabeth, Maria and Charlotte. Her two older sisters −
sister’s novel − despite the fact that her own novel, Jane Eyre,
Elizabeth and Maria − died of tuberculosis while at school in
contained similar Gothic themes. Today, the novel is regarded
1825. After that, Emily and Charlotte were removed from the
as one of the finest works of the 19th century, and − despite
school and educated at home − together with the youngest
having only written this one novel − Emily Brontë is seen as
sister, Anne. After their sisters’ deaths, Emily, Charlotte and
one of the century’s finest novelists
Anne began to write plays and poems. Together they created
their own fictional world called ‘Gondal’. They also spent many
hours walking in the moors which surrounded the village of SYNOPSIS
Haworth.
Mr Lockwood rents Thrushcross Grange from his landlord,
Emily spent a brief period working as a teacher in Halifax
Heathcliff. One day, he visits Heathcliff at his house,
in 1838, and in 1842 she studied foreign languages and school
Wuthering Heights, and is forced to stay the night there due
management in Brussels with her sister Charlotte. Being away
to bad weather. After a terrifying night, during which he thinks
from home was difficult for Emily, and she suffered a lot from

Solutions Level 4 Literature Worksheet 4  Teaching Notes PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press­  1
 Solutions

4 Literature Worksheet Teaching Notes

Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë

that he sees a ghost, Lockwood asks Heathcliff’s servant Nelly EXERCISE 2

to tell him about Heathcliff’s past. • Students read the extract quickly for gist, then answer the
Nelly’s story begins 30 years earlier, when the Earnshaws question.
lived at Wuthering Heights and the Lintons lived at
POSSIBLE ANSWER
Thrushcross Grange. One day, Mr Earnshaw returns from
Liverpool with a wild orphan called Heathcliff, who he decides Heathcliff is rude and angry. He seems to be quite wild and
to adopt. Earnshaw’s daughter Catherine forms a strong dangerous.
friendship with Heathcliff, but his son Hindley resents the boy EXERCISE 3
and is jealous of him. After Mrs Earnshaw dies, Mr Earnshaw
• Students read the extract again and decide if the statements
begins to favour Heathcliff over Hindley, and he sends Hindley are true or false. They correct the false statements.
away to school.
A few years later, Mr Earnshaw dies and Hindley inherits ANSWERS
Wuthering Heights. Hindley returns to the house with his new 1 F (He is angry at first, but then he becomes afraid when he
wife, Frances, and he treats Heathcliff like a servant. Then sees the girl.)
Catherine is bitten by the Lintons’ dog. She spends several 2 F (Lockwood is cruel to the girl.)
weeks at the Linton’s house, Thrushcross Grange, recovering 3 T
from her injury. During this time, she forms a friendship with 4 T
the Lintons’ son Edgar. She is also ‘civilised’ by Mrs Linton, who
5 F (Lockwood says that he will wait in the kitchen until
teaches her how to act like a lady.
morning.)
Hindley’s wife Frances dies after giving birth to a son,
6 F (Heathcliff calls out to Catherine because he wants her to
Hareton. After this, Hindley becomes increasingly abusive
come into the room.)
towards Heathcliff. At the same time, Catherine decides to
marry Edgar because of his social status − even though she EXERCISE 4
is really in love with Heathcliff. Heathcliff runs away, but he • Students read about Gothic novels and answer the question.
returns three years after Catherine and Edgar’s marriage. • Make sure that students understand the concept of a Gothic
During his time away, Heathcliff has become very wealthy. He novel. Refer to the information below if necessary.
lends a lot of money to Hindley − knowing that Hindley will • Gothic novels became extremely popular in the late
not be able to repay him and will be financially ruined. 18th century. They were often set in medieval times or
To get his revenge on the Lintons, Heathcliff persuades Edgar’s featured ruined medieval buildings − sometimes with
sister, Isabella Linton, to run away and marry him − even though secret passageways or hidden rooms. There was a strong
he doesn’t love her. Later Isabella and Heathcliff move back to atmosphere of mystery and terror, and the action was
Wuthering Heights. Hindley is now heavily in debt to Heathcliff, often violent. The protagonists usually included a helpless
meaning that his son Hareton will lose his inheritance. Hindley female and a strong, evil male. Castle of Otranto (1765),
wants to kill Heathcliff for ruining his life. However, Hindley later by Horace Walpole, is considered to be one of the first
dies so Heathcliff inherits Wuthering Heights. Gothic novels. Another early example was Ann Radcliffe’s
Catherine is still living at Thrushcross Grange with Edgar, Mysteries of Udolpho (1794). Jane Austen’s Northanger
but she is now very ill. She gives birth to a daughter called Abbey (1817) was a parody of these types of Gothic novel.
Cathy, but she dies soon afterwards. Heathcliff is now mad • Wuthering Heights features the passions, the sense of
with grief, and Isabella cannot face living with him any more. oppression, the wild landscape and the supernatural
After Catherine’s funeral, Isabella runs away from Heathcliff, elements of a classic Gothic novel. However, the female
but she is pregnant and gives birth to Heathcliff’s son, Linton. characters in Wuthering Heights are not helpless – they are
Young Cathy grows up in Thrushcross Grange. She meets wilful and strong characters. Similarly, in her portrayal of
Hareton as she wanders through the moors, and they form a Heathcliff’s motivations and emotions, Brontë created a far
friendship. Meanwhile Isabella dies, and her sickly son Linton more complex character than the standard Gothic villain.
is sent to live with his father, Heathcliff. Heathcliff is cruel to
his son and forces him to begin a romantic friendship with ANSWER
Cathy. Cathy marries Linton, and then Edgar dies, leaving The ghost of Catherine, the bad weather, and the mention of
Thrushcross Grange to Cathy and Linton. When Linton dies, cruelty, horror and blood are all Gothic elements. Heathcliff’s
Heathcliff becomes the owner of both Wuthering Heights strong emotions and strange behaviour is also typical of a
and Thrushcross Grange − and Cathy has to live at Wuthering character in a Gothic novel.
Heights as his servant.
EXERCISE 5
Heathcliff has finally achieved his revenge on the Lintons,
but he is still unhappy and haunted by the ghost of Catherine.
• Students ask and answer the questions in pairs. Monitor and
help where necessary.
After a long night spent wandering in the moors, he dies. After
his death, Cathy and Hareton grow closer, and eventually they POSSIBLE ANSWERS
marry. 1 Catherine may be a dream − inspired by the wild weather
and the diary pages that Lockwood read before he went to
sleep. Alternatively, she could be a ghost because it seems

Solutions Level 4 Literature Worksheet 4  Teaching Notes PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press­  2