Quotes from book
Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847 under her pseudonym "Ellis Bell". Brontë's only finished novel, it was written between October 1845 and June 1846. Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey were accepted by publisher Thomas Newby before the success of their sister Charlotte's novel Jane Eyre. After Emily's death, Charlotte edited the manuscript of Wuthering Heights and arranged for the edited version to be published as a posthumous second edition in 1850.Although Wuthering Heights is now a classic of English literature, contemporaneous reviews were deeply polarised; it was controversial because of its unusually stark depiction of mental and physical cruelty, and it challenged strict Victorian ideals regarding religious hypocrisy, morality, social classes and gender inequality.. The novel also explores the effects of envy, nostalgia, pessimism and resentment.

Emily Brontë photo

“They are afraid of nothing," I grumbled, watching their approach through the window. "Together they would brave Satan and all his legions.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Mr. Lockwood (Ch. XXXIV).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“He was, and is yet most likely, the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses to his neighbours.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean on Joseph (Ch. V).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“Yesterday, you know, Mr. Earnshaw should have been at the funeral. He kept himself sober for the purpose - tolerably sober; not going to bed mad at six o'clock, and getting up drunk at twelve. Consequently he rose, in suicidal low spirits; as fit for the church as for a dance; and instead, he sat down by the fire and swallowed gin or brandy by tumblerfuls.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Isabella Linton (Ch. XVII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“If I were only sure it would kill him," she interrupted, "I’d kill myself directly! These three awful nights, I’ve never closed my lids — and oh, I’ve been tormented! I’ve been haunted, Nelly! But I begin to fancy you don’t like me. How strange! I thought, though everybody hated and despised each other, they could not avoid loving me.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Catherine Earnshaw (Ch. XII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“"Cathy, this lamb of yours threatens like a bull!" he said. "It is in danger of splitting its skull against my knuckles. By God, Mr. Linton, I'm mortally sorry that you are not worth knocking down!"”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff (Ch. XI).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“Her position before was sheltered from the light: now, I had a distinct view of her whole figure and countenance. She was slender, and apparently scarcely past girlhood: an admirable form, and the most exquisite little face that I have ever had the pleasure of beholding: small features, very fair; flaxen ringlets, or rather golden, hanging loose on her delicate neck; and eyes — had they been agreeable in expression, they would have been irresistible.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Mr. Lockwood on Catherine Linton (Ch. II).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“Don't you think Hindley would be proud of his son, if he could see him? Almost as proud as I am of mine. But there's this difference, one is gold put to the use of paving stones; and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver. Mine has nothing valuable about it; yet I shall have the merit of making it go as far as such poor stuff can go. His had first-rate qualities, and they are lost — rendered worse than unavailing.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff (Ch. XXI).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“Rough as a saw-edge, and hard as whinstone! The less you meddle with him the better.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean on Heathcliff (Ch. IV).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“My cousin fancies you are an idiot. There you experience the consequence of scorning "book larning," as you would say. Have you noticed, Catherine, his frightful Yorkshire pronunciation?”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Linton Heathcliff to Hareton Earnshaw (Ch. XXI).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“No, I’m running on too fast: I bestow my own attributes over-liberally on him.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Mr. Lockwood on Heathcliff (Ch. I).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“His brightening mind brightened his features, and added spirit and nobility to their aspect.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean on Hareton (Ch. XXXIII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“Oh, if God would but give me strength to strangle him in my last agony, I’d go to hell with joy.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Hindley Earnshaw (Ch. XVII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“I've done no injustice, and I repent of nothing. I'm too happy, and yet I'm not happy enough. My soul's bliss kills my body, but does not satisfy itself.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff (Ch. XXXIV).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“What vain weathercocks we are! I, who had determined to hold myself independent of all social intercourse, and thanked my stars that at length I had lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticable. I, weak wretch, after maintaining till dusk a struggle with low spirits and solitude, was finally compelled to strike my colours; and under pretence of gaining information concerning the necessities of my establishment, I desired Mrs. Dean.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Mr. Lockwood (Ch. IV).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don't turn against him, they crush those beneath them.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Heathcliff (Ch. XI).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad", I continued, "if you were a regular black, and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean (Ch. VII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“I assure you, a tiger, or a venomous serpent could not rouse terror in me equal to that which he wakens.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Isabella Linton on Heathcliff (Ch. XIII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“The boy was fully occupied with his own cogitations for the remainder of the ride, till we halted before the farmhouse garden gate. I watched to catch his impressions in his countenance. He surveyed the carved front and low-browed lattices, the straggling gooseberry bushes, and crooked firs, with solemn intentness, and then shook his head; his private feelings entirely disapproved of the exterior of his new abode. But he had sense to postpone complaining — there might be compensation within.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean (Ch. XX).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“I went to hide little Hareton, and to take the shot out of the master’s fowling-piece, which he was fond of playing with in his insane excitement, to the hazard of the lives of any who provoked, or even attracted his notice too much; and I had hit upon the plan of removing it, that he might do less mischief if he did go the length of firing the gun.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Nelly Dean (Ch. VIII).
Wuthering Heights (1847)

Emily Brontë photo

“My walk home was lengthened by a diversion in the direction of the kirk. When beneath its walls, I perceived decay had made progress, even in seven months - many a window showed black gaps deprived of glass; and slates jutted off, here and there, beyond the right line of the roof, to be gradually worked off in coming autumn storms.

I sought, and soon discovered, the three head-stones on the slope next the moor - the middle one, gray, and half buried in heath - Edgar Linton's only harmonized by the turf and moss, creeping up its foot - Heathcliff's still bare.

I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.”

Emily Brontë book Wuthering Heights

Mr. Lockwood (Ch. XXXIV). (Closing lines).
Wuthering Heights (1847)