"He had a sweet, low manner of speaking, and pronounced his words as you do: that's less gruff than we talk here, and softer." ― Chapter 8
Edgar Linton is a major character in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Linton, the brother of Isabella Linton, the husband of Catherine Earnshaw and the father of Cathy Linton.
Edgar is a wealthy, aristocratic man who falls in love and marries Catherine but remains an opposer to Heathcliff and ends up falling into Heathcliff's clutches of revenge.
Description[]
The complete opposite of Heathcliff, Edgar is a more good-mannered nobleman. His lifestyle and family life serve as a good influence on Catherine Earnshaw, and he wears a heart on his sleeve to show off his feelings toward his love for Catherine and dislike for Heathcliff. Having lived most of his life in aristocratic nobility, Edgar didn't have much to worry about before meeting Catherine and Heathcliff, and once he marries his wife and his troubled brother-in-law comes back into their lives, he has a hard time trying to protect his family and home from Heathcliff's ambitions of revenge.
He may be a suitable love interest but is also the weakest in the love triangle. He fails to have the strength to keep his wife safe and ends up losing everything he had held dear. If Heathcliff had not returned, Edgar and Catherine's marriage would have been happy and successful. He was meant to offer her a proper and noble lifestyle in an ornate lavish home but ends up succumbing not only to illness but to being a victim of Catherine's selfishness and Heathcliff's brutality.
He represents the upper social class of 18th-century England, as his wealthy upbringing makes him more respectable and proper to society and Catherine. He often took pleasure in his nobility, believing he could win his love over him and make her a more noble lady like his mother and sister. So much so that he may have even tried to introduce his other family members to his world, such as when he took his nephew in, thinking he could provide him with a safe place to live and make him a healthy gentleman. But this cannot be the case when Heathcliff wants his son as part of his plan of vengeance towards Edgar and his aristocracy.
Storyline[]
Relationship/Marriage to Catherine Earnshaw[]
Edgar Linton grew up at Thrushcross Grange in Yorkshire alongside his younger sister, Isabella. One night, a young Edgar and Isabella are in the drawing room, fighting over a small dog.[1] Isabella yells at Edgar while he stands on the hearth, crying. Unbeknownst to them, a young girl and boy, Catherine and Heathcliff, who live at Wuthering Heights 4 miles away, have snuck onto their property and are spying on them, laughing at their plight outside their drawing-room window. When they hear the intruders’ laughter, Edgar and Isabella rush from the drawing room to alert their parents.
Heathcliff and Catherine try to escape, but the Lintons’ guard dog, Skulker, bites her ankle. The servant, Robert, discovers Catherine and carries her inside, with Heathcliff following behind. Mr. Linton brings Heathcliff into the light and is shocked by his filthy appearance. Mrs. Linton is disgusted that her children are being exposed to his language and that Catherine is wreaking havoc on the moors with Heathcliff, who is a gypsy. Isabella assumes that he’s the son of a fortune teller. Edgar recognizes Catherine from church and tells his mother about Catherine’s bleeding foot from where the dog bit her. Mr. Linton recognizes that Heathcliff is the foundling his late neighbour, Mr. Earnshaw, brought home from Liverpool several years ago, and Heathcliff is ordered to leave.
A servant washes Catherine’s feet and gives her a warm pair of slippers to wear. Her hair is combed and Mr. Linton and Isabella give her cakes and refreshments, while Edgar looks on. Catherine loves the attention the Lintons give her.
For 5 weeks, Catherine stays at Thrushcross Grange and is taught to be a proper, noble lady.[2] Catherine returns home soon afterwards, and the Lintons are invited to a Christmas party at Wuthering Heights. On the day of the party, Edgar, his parents and his sister ride their coach to Wuthering Heights. During the party, Heathcliff tries to impress Catherine, but Hindley, the house’s owner and Catherine’s brother is furious that Heathcliff is attending the party and orders the servant, Joseph, to lock him in the garret until after dinner.
When Edgar criticizes Heathcliff’s dirty, black hair, Heathcliff throws hot applesauce at Edgar’s face in retaliation. Hindley drags Heathcliff away, Isabella starts to cry, and Nelly wipes the applesauce off Edgar’s face with a dishcloth. Catherine scolds him for insulting Heathcliff and making him angry, but Edgar sobs that he doesn’t mean to do it, and he promises Mrs. Linton he won’t criticize him. Hindley then returns and urges Edgar to fight back the next time Heathcliff gets angry at him. They spent the rest of the evening eating their Christmas feast, dancing, and listening to the local carollers from the nearby village, Gimmerton.
In the summer of 1778, Edgar starts visiting Catherine at Wuthering Heights, as she has stayed in touch with his family during her stay at Thrushcross Grange.[3] Hindley has become an alcoholic following his wife’s death from consumption after childbirth, so Edgar is afraid of encountering him, but everyone else makes him welcome, except that he expresses disdain towards Heathcliff, who has grown jealous over his bond with Catherine.
One afternoon, while Hindley is away, Edgar arrives at Wuthering Heights and asks if he hasn’t arrived too soon. Nelly, a servant at Wuthering Heights, has been assigned by Hindley to chaperone Catherine during Edgar’s visit. Catherine gets annoyed when she’s with them since she has just gotten into an argument with Heathcliff about spending time together. When Nelly refuses to leave her, Catherine gets angry, pinches, and slaps her, even shaking her baby nephew, Hareton. When Edgar tries to restrain her, Catherine hits him, and Nelly picks up Hareton and rushes out. Shocked by her outburst, Edgar takes his hat and prepares to leave. Catherine begs him not to go, but he vows never to come back here again. He hesitates when Catherine starts crying, and Nelly encourages him to go, as Catherine isn’t in the mood to see him. Just when he’s about to ride away, he changes his mind and goes inside to be with Catherine. When Nelly returns to warn them that Hindley is coming home drunk, she finds them alone together, having reconciled and confessing their feelings.
Soon afterwards, Edgar proposes marriage to Catherine, and she accepts.[4] At the same time, Heathcliff vanishes from Wuthering Heights when he overhears Catherine discussing her marriage proposal to Nelly. After finding out that Heathcliff has disappeared, Catherine spends the whole night searching for him in the rain and develops a high fever. Mrs. Linton brought Catherine to Thrushcross Grange to nurse her back to health. While Catherine recovers, both Mr. and Mrs. Linton contracted her fever and died within a few days of each other. Three years later, Edgar marries Catherine at the Gimmerton Chapel, and Nelly moves in with them at the Grange. Heathcliff hasn’t been heard from since his disappearance.
Feud with Heathcliff/Catherine's Death[]
For six months, Edgar and Catherine’s marriage was happy. Catherine is a docile wife, and she gets along with Isabella.[5] Edgar and his sister pay close attention to Catherine, who occasionally feels depressed, but unbeknownst to her, he is afraid not to bother her and would scold Nelly for being impudent when Catherine acts silly.
One night in September, Edgar and Catherine are sitting in the parlour when Nelly arrives and informs them a visitor from Gimmerton has arrived but doesn’t say who it is. Catherine says she’ll serve the guest some tea, and after she leaves, Nelly informs Edgar that the guest is Heathcliff. Edgar is shocked by calling Heathcliff a gypsy and ploughboy and asks why she didn’t inform Catherine. Nelly says he shouldn’t call Heathcliff names as it would hurt Catherine. She had been heartbroken since he disappeared and thought his return would thrill her. He unfastens the window, leans out, and calls Catherine to bring the guest in. She runs into the parlour, breathless and excited. She embraces him and excitedly says that Heathcliff has returned. He says there’s no need to get excited. She says that while he won’t like Heathcliff, she wants him and Heathcliff to be friends for her sake. She asks if he can invite him into the parlour, but Edgar is annoyed and wants him to go into the kitchen instead of the parlour.
But Catherine isn’t suppressed and orders two tables to be set in the parlour: one for Edgar and Isabella and the other for her and Heathcliff. She is about to run out to bring Heathcliff when Edgar stops her and orders Nelly to bring Heathcliff in while he reminds Catherine to be on her best behaviour. She quickly returns with Heathcliff, and Catherine leads him to Edgar and makes them hold hands. In the candlelight of the room, Heathcliff has become a tall, polished and wealthy gentleman. Edgar quickly regrets calling him a ploughboy until he orders him to sit. Heathcliff says he’ll stay for an hour and sits opposite Catherine, who constantly keeps her eyes on him, and he doesn’t glance at her. She gets excited and wonders if it’s a dream that Heathcliff has returned after three years. Heathcliff says he has heard about her marriage before he came here and announces that after he has finished with his revenge on Hindley, he’ll kill himself. Edgar interrupts the conversation and tells Catherine he wants to have tea now. After Isabella is summoned, everyone sits down to eat, but Edgar barely drinks from his saucer. Soon afterwards, Heathcliff starts visiting Thrushcross Grange, and Isabella starts to develop a crush on him despite Catherine and Nelly’s warnings that he’s a bad influence on her.
One day, Nelly and Catherine catch Heathcliff embracing Isabella in the courtyard.[6] While Catherine confronts Heathcliff about his feelings for Isabella, Nelly finds Edgar and informs him about Heathcliff and Isabella embracing and then his confrontation with Catherine. He is outraged and orders Nelly to summon two servants. He orders the servants to wait in the hall as he heads to the kitchen, with Nelly following. He scolds Catherine for her argument with Heathcliff and thinks he is corrupting her. Heathcliff laughs at him, and Edgar says that he’s refrained from him, that not only was his degraded but that he’s partially responsible for it. He then tells him that his presence is a bad influence in his home and that he has three minutes left to leave.
Heathcliff tells Catherine that Edgar is too weak to fight and not worth his time. Edgar glances at the passage and signals Nelly to summon the servants, but Catherine pulls her out of the kitchen and locks the door, leaving Edgar and Heathcliff alone inside. Catherine taunts her husband to either fight or apologize to Heathcliff. Edgar tries to wrestle the key from her, but she throws it into the fireplace. He trembles at Heathcliff, leaning against a chair and covering his face. When she urges him to fight, he punches Heathcliff in the neck, and while he coughs and chokes, Edgar escapes from the back door into the yard and back to the front entrance. He returns with the coachman and two gardeners to remove Heathcliff, but Heathcliff quickly flees before they can confront him.
Later, Edgar finds Catherine lying on the sofa and acting in a frenzy. He tells her he won’t argue with her or apologize and asks about relationships when she interrupts him and refuses to talk about it. He demands that she must choose to stay with him or Heathcliff. She yells at him to leave her alone and rings the servant bell furiously until it breaks. When Nelly rushes in, Catherine pounds her head against the sofa. Edgar watches with guilt until he orders Nelly to bring her some water. Catherine refuses to drink, but when Nelly pours some on her face, Catherine stares at them with a pale face, which terrifies them both. He notices her bloody lips, and Nelly explains to him about her frenzy behaviour when Catherine runs away and locks herself in her room. She doesn’t come out for two days and refuses to eat. Meanwhile, Edgar spends his time alone in the library and doesn’t seem concerned about Catherine’s behaviour. He also lectures Isabella for an hour about her romance with Heathcliff and warns her that he will disown her if she still has affectionate feelings for Heathcliff.
While Catherine is confined in her room, Edgar shuts himself in his study, hoping Catherine will eventually make up with him.[7] While passing through the lobby, he overhears a conversation between Nelly and Catherine. Curious, he goes inside, and Nelly tells him that Catherine is sick and she cannot control her. He is speechless when he sees his wife and orders the opened window to be shut. Nelly begs him to persuade her to go to bed and that he should get over his anger, explaining that Catherine has wasted her time for three days in her room without eating or complaining. She hadn’t asked for assistance until now, and since Nelly or the servants didn’t know about her condition, they didn’t inform him. He scolds her for not letting him know and holds Catherine in anguish.
When Catherine recognizes Edgar after her vision is adjusted, she sees that he has finally come for her but predicts she will die by spring and would rather be buried in the ground than in the Linton crypt. Edgar asks if he is still worthy of her and if she still loves Heathcliff. She interrupts him, saying she will jump out of the window if he mentions his name again. She doesn’t want to be with her husband again and orders him to leave her alone. Nelly explains to Edgar that she has been acting crazy and talking nonsense all night but hopes to calm down if left alone. She assures him to be careful with how he treats her. He refuses her advice as she is responsible for knowing Catherine’s condition and doesn’t want any information on how she was during the past three days. Nelly defends herself that she did the right thing by informing him about it, which taught her to be more careful around her. He warns her that he will fire her if she brings up Catherine’s behaviour to him again. She says he has allowed Heathcliff to visit Catherine at the Grange but has stopped in case his wife turns against him.
Catherine hears this and calls Nelly a traitor. She demands to be released so she can deal with her. She struggles wildly in Edgar’s arms as Nelly rushes out to fetch Dr. Kenneth. When Nelly and the doctor return, Catherine has fallen asleep but still has problems, with Edgar watching over and comforting her. The doctor examines her and assures Edgar that Catherine will recover from her illness. But Edgar and Nelly didn’t sleep that night, and the servants were up all night. They notice how quiet Isabella is in her bedroom, but she isn’t in her room. Edgar becomes worried about his sister and feels hurt that she isn’t concerned about Catherine’s anguish. One of the servants, Mary, was doing errands in Gimmerton when she breathlessly burst into Edgar and Nelly’s room.
Edgar asks what has happened. Mary breaks the news that Isabella has run off with Heathcliff. Edgar is shocked and refuses to believe it’s true. He brings the servant to the door, where Mary explains that she met the boy who fetches milk from the house on the road. He says that last night, a man and woman stopped at the local blacksmith’s shop to have a horseshoe fixed just after midnight, two miles from Gimmerton. He recognizes the man as Heathcliff, and the woman is wearing a cloak with her face hidden in a hood. But when she drinks some water, her hood falls back, and it is Isabella. The blacksmith’s daughter has been spying on the couple, and after Heathcliff pays the blacksmith, they ride away from the village. The girl didn’t report to her father what she had seen but told everyone in Gimmerton about it. Edgar sits down distressed, and Nelly asks if they should search for Isabella and bring her home. Edgar says he will let her go if she wants to and doesn’t want to talk about her again. He now only knows his sister by her name, and instead of disowning her, she has disowned him. He doesn’t ask any more questions or bring her up afterwards, except to have Nelly bring Isabella’s belongings to her new home, wherever it is.
Heathcliff and Isabella haven’t been heard from in two months, and Catherine suffers from a brain fever.[8] Edgar spends all his time tending to her day and night and enduring her irritations from her illness. Dr. Kenneth warns Edgar he may be sacrificing his own life to save Catherine, but she isn’t in danger, and her health has somewhat improved. At the beginning of March, Catherine is able to leave her room, and Edgar leaves some golden crocuses on her pillow. She says the flowers remind her of spring and asks if winter is almost over. He replies that spring has arrived and hopes she will come outside and be cured of the spring air. She thinks that he will still leave her and cries, with her husband trying to comfort her.
The household believes that Catherine is recovering but thinks she is depressed from being confined in her room too much. Edgar asks Nelly to light a fire in the parlour that has been empty for weeks and set a chair by the window. Catherine is brought into the parlour and sits at the window, feeling relieved and comforted. The sofa has been arranged as a temporary bed for Catherine, and the servants arranged another room on the same floor as the parlour so she won’t have to go upstairs constantly. Despite Nelly’s hopes that Catherine will fully recover from her illness, she never does. She is also pregnant with the couple’s first child, and Edgar hopes he will have a male heir.
Six weeks after Isabella runs off with Heathcliff, Edgar receives a letter from her, saying that she has married Heathcliff and asks for forgiveness. She adds that she initially couldn’t help it then, but now it’s too late to change her resolution. He doesn’t write back to her.
Later, Nelly reads a long letter from Isabella and informs Edgar that Isabella is at Wuthering Heights.[9] She has written of her grief over Catherine’s illness and wants to see Edgar again. She also requests his token of forgiveness. However, Edgar refuses to forgive his sister and asks Nelly to tell Isabella that he’s not angry but sorry for losing her. He thinks she will never be happy and doesn’t want to see her again, but decides if she does want to reconcile with him, she must convince Heathcliff to leave the country. Nelly asks if he will at least write a small note, and he refuses.
Four days later, Edgar leaves for church.[10] While he’s gone, Heathcliff visits Catherine, and they have an emotional, overwhelming reunion, where Catherine begs for forgiveness for betraying him, and Heathcliff berates her for her cold-hearted, selfish nature. When Edgar arrives home, he hears Nelly scream and finds Heathcliff holding an unconscious Catherine in his arms. He is about to confront Heathcliff, but he places Catherine in her arms, asking him to look after her first before dealing with him.
At midnight, Catherine goes into premature labour and gives birth to a daughter named after her.[11] Catherine falls into unconsciousness and dies two hours later. Edgar is devastated that he doesn’t have a male heir. The next morning, he sleeps beside Catherine’s corpse as she lies in repose. Her funeral will be held on Friday, and until then, she will be laid in an open coffin strewn with flowers and scented leaves in the drawing room. Edgar spends all his time watching over her body without sleep until he leaves the drawing room to rest on Tuesday evening. Only Edgar, the servants, and the tenants attended the service during Catherine's funeral. To everyone’s surprise, Catherine isn’t buried with her immediate family or the Lintons but laid to rest in a corner of the kirkyard, overlooking the moors.
After Catherine’s funeral, the weather turns bleak, with rain and wind followed by heavy snowfall.[12] Despite being three weeks into summer, the flowers on the moors have been covered in snow. Edgar is alone in his room, and while Nelly is looking after baby Cathy, Isabella suddenly appears, having escaped Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights. After she explains to Nelly how she escaped, she leaves Thrushcross Grange and Yorkshire forever. She seeks refuge in London, where she gives birth to a son named a few months after her escape.
The same day Isabella unexpectedly returns to Thrushcross Grange, Nelly tries to report it to Edgar, but he refuses to talk to her. When he listens, he’s pleased to hear Isabella left Heathcliff. He despises Heathcliff so much that he avoids going anywhere where he would see or hear about Heathcliff. He becomes reclusive, closes up his office, stops attending church, and avoids Gimmerton. He only leaves Thrushcross Grange to walk in the moors and visit Catherine’s grave in the morning or evening. He initially ignores his newborn daughter, Cathy, but later loves and dotes on her. She wasn’t called by her full name since her mother wasn’t called Cathy, and Heathcliff may have a habit of referring to her name for short. Six months later, Hindley dies in debt, and Heathcliff claims Wuthering Heights.
Raising Cathy/Bringing Linton to Yorkshire[]
Cathy endures many illnesses in her early life but grows up fast within six months.[13] 12 years later, she grows into a beautiful girl with pale skin and blonde hair. Her personality resembles her mother’s, as she is fiery, quick-tempered, gentle, and lively. Edgar isn’t too harsh to her and tutors her himself. He also assigns Nelly to be Cathy’s mother figure and guardian.
At age 13, Cathy hasn’t stepped foot outside Thrushcross Grange alone. Edgar only took her out a mile from their home but didn’t take her to Gimmerton or near Wuthering Heights, except for the church. Because of this, Cathy grows up without any knowledge of Wuthering Heights or Heathcliff. She becomes interested in the Penistone Crags and Fairy Caves and begs her father to take her there. Edgar refuses as the road to the Fairy Caves takes him past Wuthering Heights. He tells her she should wait until she’s older.
Meanwhile, Isabella has been living a peaceful life in London with her son, Linton, who is now around Cathy’s age. Edgar has been corresponding with her since her departure, and after she falls ill for four months, she writes to him, saying she’s dying and asks him to come to London to bid her a final farewell and retrieve Linton. Edgar immediately plans to leave for London and assigns Nelly to monitor Cathy closely. He departs Yorkshire for three weeks, and while he’s away, Cathy rides in the moors with her pony and discovers Wuthering Heights for the first time.
Later, Edgar sends a letter to Nelly, saying Isabella has died, and asks Nelly to prepare Cathy for mourning and arrange a room for Linton.[14] Edgar and Linton arrive at Thrushcross Grange in the evening, and after he gets out to embrace his daughter, he asks her to accompany him and reminds her that Linton is weak and she won’t expect him to interact with her playfully. He also wants her to let Linton have a quiet evening and lifts his nephew out of the coach and introduces him to Cathy by having them hold hands. He tells Linton that she is fond of him already and he shouldn’t cry tonight and make her upset. Now that their journey is over, he can try to be cheerful, and rest and make himself amused in his new home. Linton says he wants to go to bed as he sheds some tears.
Nelly leads Linton inside and they head to the library where tea has been laid out. But when Linton is taken to the seat, he starts to cry. Edgar asks what is wrong and Linton says he can’t sit in a chair. Edgar calmly tells him to sit on the sofa and Nelly will bring him some tea. Linton lays on the sofa where Cathy sits next to him, kissing him, stroking his hair and offering him her tea, which makes him happy. Edgar watches them for a minute and then tells Nelly he hopes that Linton will do well if he stays at Thrushcross Grange, where he will become healthier and stronger. But after Nelly sends Linton and Cathy upstairs where Linton falls asleep, a maid informs her that Joseph from Wuthering Heights os here and wants to speak to Edgar. Nelly reluctantly brings him into the library where Edgar is, and Joseph informs him that Heathcliff has sent him over to retrieve his son Linton. Edgar is silent for a moment, but after thinking about Isabella’s fears and hopes for her son, and how he was entrusted into her brother’s care, he becomes grief-stricken of having to give him up and thinks how it can be avoided. Eventually, he is forced to comply to send Linton to be with his father, but doesn’t want to wake him up. He calmly tells Joseph to inform his master that his son will arrive at Wuthering Heights tomorrow, as he’s asleep and too tired to go there now. He also wants Linton to remain under his guardianship, as his health is very fragile. But Joseph refuses and says Heathcliff wants his son now. Edgar firmly says that Linton will not leave tonight, and again orders him to repeat to Heathcliff what he has said to him, until Joseph agrees. Before he leaves, Joseph says that Linton must arrive at Wuthering Heights tomorrow.
Edgar instructs Nelly to take Linton to Wuthering Heights on Cathy’s pony, Minny.[15] He asks Nelly not to tell Cathy of where Linton is, and finds it best if she doesn’t know his whereabouts. Instead, Nelly would tell her that Linton has left because his father has sent for him. Later that morning, Cathy wakes up happily to see Linton, but is devastated when she’s informed about his departure.[16] Edgar comforts her and assures her he will return soon, but she forgets about him as time passes. However, Edgar occasionally thinks about his nephew and would send Nelly to ask information about Linton from a housekeeper at Wuthering Heights.
3 years later, Cathy celebrates her 16th birthday. It is also the anniversary of her mother’s death, and Edgar would spend his time alone in the library. At dusk, he would leave Thrushcross Grange to visit Catherine’s grave and stay there until midnight. On Cathy’s birthday, it’s a beautiful spring day and Edgar gives Cathy permission to go out into the moors with Nelly. He also asks her to stay a short distance from the Grange and must be home within the hour. While bird-hunting on the moors, Cathy and Nelly run into Heathcliff and Hareton. Heathcliff brings Cathy to Wuthering Heights, where she meets Linton again since their first meeting. Heathcliff hopes to arrange a marriage between Cathy and Linton to claim ownership of Thrushcross Grange.
Cathy is furious that Nelly kept Linton’s whereabouts a secret from her. The next morning, she confronts her father about meeting Heathcliff on the moors and finding Linton at Wuthering Heights. She explains everything about her visit, and Edgar gives Nelly a disappointing look. He then asks Cathy how she discovered where Linton was living, and she replies it’s because he hates Heathcliff. He explains that he doesn’t hate Heathcliff, but he hates him, who is determined to destroy the lives of those he opposes. He worries that Heathcliff will resent Cathy the more she sees Linton, and decides it’s best if she doesn’t see Linton again. He apologizes that he didn’t tell her about this sooner. Cathy argues that Heathcliff treated her warmly and she’s welcome to see Linton whenever she wants. But since Edgar resents Heathcliff and will never forgive him for marrying Isabella, Cathy blames her father for the situation. Additionally, Heathcliff wants her to be friends with Linton. Edgar explains how Heathcliff abused Isabella and how Wuthering Heights became his property. While he speaks very little about the topic, he has been afraid of Heathcliff ever since Isabella died, and states that she would have been alive and well if it hadn’t been for Heathcliff.
Cathy is shocked but fascinated from what she’s heard. Edgar then concludes the conversation by convincing her not to return to Wuthering Heights and forget about its inhabitants there. Cathy kisses Edgar, does her lessons for several hours and accompanies him when they stroll around the grounds. But Cathy disobeys her father as she secretly corresponds with Linton by writing. When Nelly discovers the letters, she burns the letters and forcing Cathy to end the correspondence.
Failing Health and Death[]
Summer ends, and the harvest comes late that year.[17] Edgar and Cathy often walk in the moors until dusk. One damp, cold evening, Edgar catches a bad cold that confines him indoors all winter.
Personality/Appearance[]
As a child, Edgar was spoiled and pampered alongside his sister, Isabella, at Thrushcross Grange, but as an adult, he is a handsome, polite, and kind gentleman who possesses civilized virtues and is loyal to his family. He is a loving and gentle husband to Catherine, who is attracted to him because of his higher social status. He is also a doting father to Cathy, and he often worries about his wife and daughter, trying to protect them from the dangerous forces outside their home.
However, Edgar can be unforgiving and judgmental towards others who have a lower social status than he does. When he and his family first meet Heathcliff, who has been degraded by his foster brother, the Lintons immediately shame his filthy, unkempt appearance and even view him as a bad influence on their children. While the Lintons initially frown upon Catherine’s behaviour, they end up lamenting her injury and showing concern for her well-being despite her mischief and conduct, which explains why they pampered her into being a noble, upper-class lady. He can also be harsh towards his family and threaten them with consequences. One example is when he demands that Catherine choose between him and Heathcliff following an intense confrontation with Heathcliff.
Another example is when he warns Isabella about her affections for Heathcliff and even threatens to disown her if she continues to pursue him. When Isabella does run off with Heathcliff, he never openly tries to pursue Isabella and bring her home. Instead, he believes that she has betrayed their close bond as siblings and chooses to move on by cutting her off. He also won’t forgive her to protect his family reputation and because he holds her to a higher standard as a woman.
Despite his good-mannered appearance, Edgar is a weak and cowardly young man who lacks the strength and courage to confront his foe, Heathcliff. He is afraid of his wife’s unpredictable outbursts and of her controlling the household with her masculinity. Because of his fear over Catherine’s behaviour and Heathcliff’s presence, he unknowingly allows them to be united as passionate lovers and Heathcliff given access to Thrushcross Grange, who ultimately takes advantage of Edgar’s home and family, such as manipulating Isabella into marrying him so he could claim her wealth and revenge against Edgar. As such, Edgar may exhibit feminine traits, as he is often helpless against conflict and too emotional to stand up for himself. Another example of his feminine trait is when he becomes exhausted from watching over Catherine’s body for many hours, and when he suffers from a long illness that causes his health to decline.
Toward the end of his life, Edgar is often alone without Cathy at his side, even though he urged her to spend more time with Nelly or visit Linton at their designated meeting spot. He also realizes that his conflict with Heathcliff will only bring more misery and pain, and decides that his daughter’s happiness is the one thing important to him. For the longest time, he served as a moral compass and a balance of civility and order, and with his death, Heathcliff has no opposition and is free to use his abuse and manipulation at his free will. However, his death also highlights the destructive cycle of revenge between Heathcliff and the Lintons, and ultimately leads to Cathy and Hareton reconciling and growing affectionately close.
Edgar has fair skin, bright hair and blue eyes. He also typically wears aristocratic clothing, which is associated with his wealth and nobility.
Relationships[]
Catherine Earnshaw[]
Edgar's wife. He loves and cares for her deeply and offers her his hand in marriage as a way to introduce her to his higher social class and be part of his aristocracy. Until Heathcliff returns, their married life was blissful and successful. Even if he adores his wife, he is not used to her ill-tempered attitude and selfish personality, which would make him question his morals about her. After she becomes pregnant with their child, Edgar wanted to have a son to carry on his family name and home. He ends up mourning her death with grief after her death from failing health and childbirth. He visits her grave on the anniversary of her death, and after he dies, he is buried next to her.
Cathy Linton[]
Edgar's daughter. He is a doting, loving father to her as he raises her alone after her mother's death. He is also very protective of her and forbids her from leaving the Grange and going to Wuthering Heights, as well as keeping the Heights' troubled family history a secret from her. He is only doing it to keep Cathy safe, but deep down, he clearly understands how important her happiness can be when she is wanted to be married by her cousin and ends up allowing her to pursue what she really wants.
Isabella Linton[]
Edgar's younger sister. He and Isabella grew up in a spoiled, rich lifestyle with their parents; often arguing over different presents they received. Like his daughter, Edgar is also very protective of Isabella and becomes suspicious when she starts having affectionate feelings for Heathcliff. He is so irritated at this he threatens to disown her, and when she does marry Heathcliff, he has a hard time accepting her apology. However, he still cares about her child and retrieving him in his care.
Heathcliff[]
Edgar's brother-in-law and enemy. He sees him as a danger to his family home and to his loved ones. He is disapproved when Heathcliff comes back into Catherine's life and doesn't feel comfortable with his presence in his house. He cannot forgive Heatcliff's cruelty to his family and his plans for revenge. Despite his resentment toward Heathcliff, Edgar eventually gives up his feud against him as it would only bring more misery to others.
Linton Heathcliff[]
Edgar's nephew. After his sister's death, Edgar is more sympathetic towards Linton's suffering and his pain of recently losing his mother. He brings him back home to Yorkshire and thinks he would raise him alongside Cathy and help him grow up to be a proper, mature man. But he instead lets his nephew be placed in his father's care and accepts Linton's demands to have Cathy marry him.
Nelly Dean[]
Edgar's servant. He sees her as being loyal and trusting to him and Catherine after she moves in following their marriage and even entrusts her to be Cathy's surrogate mother and caregiver. He also made it clear to have Nelly follow his rules and not go anywhere near the Heights, as he would easily dismiss or fire her if she reluctantly disobeys him.
Mr. and Mrs. Linton[]
Edgar's parents. Very little is known of his interaction with them, although they had pampered him and his sister to be spoiled and snobbish as children. They both died after contracting a fever while nursing Catherine.