The person01–03
01·Who they are
Who is Mr. Earnshaw?
Mr. Earnshaw is introduced as the master of Wuthering Heights at the start of the novel. He’s a farmer with enough means to make a sixty-mile trek to Liverpool on foot and send a son to college. Nelly Dean describes him as having "a kind heart, though he was rather severe sometimes," and as a man who was always strict and grave with his children. He holds authority, and his choices—especially the decision to bring Heathcliff home—set everything in motion.
02·Arc & motivation
What is Mr. Earnshaw's arc and motivation?
Mr. Earnshaw's journey shifts from a vigorous patriarch to a frail, irritable old man. His reason for adopting Heathcliff is simple: he found the child "starving, and houseless, and as good as dumb, in the streets of Liverpool," couldn’t identify any owner, and "was determined he would not leave it as he found it." Once back home, his bond with Heathcliff becomes disproportionate and possessive—he is "painfully jealous lest a word should be spoken amiss to him"—and this favoritism strains his relationships with his own children. His decline is both physical and domestic: "his strength left him suddenly," and as he weakens, Joseph’s influence fills the void created by his authority.
03·Key moments
What are Mr. Earnshaw's key moments?
In Chapter IV, Mr. Earnshaw returns from Liverpool with Heathcliff wrapped in his great-coat, worn out and nearly dead from exhaustion, insisting that the household accept the child "as a gift of God." He dismisses his wife’s objections, arranges for the boy to be washed and put to bed with the children, and later names him after a deceased son. This act serves as the novel’s pivotal moment.
Also in Chapter IV, the scene at the parish fair involving the colts shows how Heathcliff leverages Mr. Earnshaw’s favoritism against Hindley, threatening to expose Hindley’s beatings—an advantage made possible by the old man’s bias.
In Chapter V, Mr. Earnshaw’s deterioration is laid bare: he becomes irritable, raises his stick against Hindley, falls under Joseph’s sway, and ultimately dies quietly in his chair by the fire, with Catherine resting against his knee and Heathcliff lying on the floor beside her. The moment of his death—Catherine’s cry, "Oh, he’s dead, Heathcliff! he’s dead!"—connects the two characters even in their grief.
In Chapter VII, the name "Mr. Earnshaw" is mentioned by Zillah (in Chapter II) and by Hindley after their father’s death, indicating the title has passed to Hindley; the original Mr. Earnshaw is thereafter referred to as "the old master" or "old Mr. Earnshaw," signifying his fading into memory.
The cast04–05
04·Relationships
What are Mr. Earnshaw's most important relationships?
Mr. Earnshaw’s relationship with Heathcliff embodies the novel’s foundational paradox: an act of genuine kindness that turns into a destructive obsession. He gives Heathcliff the name of his deceased son, his affection, and disrupts the peace of his household. Yet Heathcliff "never, to my recollection, repaid his indulgence by any sign of gratitude"—he is "not insolent to his benefactor, he was simply insensible." The imbalance in their relationship is absolute.
With Hindley, Mr. Earnshaw’s favoritism toward Heathcliff transforms paternal authority into perceived oppression. Hindley begins "to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend," and Mr. Earnshaw’s reactions—rage, the raised stick, and eventually sending Hindley to college—only deepen the estrangement.
The relationship with Catherine is warmer but still fraught. He brushes her hair with pleasure when she is gentle, yet scolds her with "I cannot love thee, thou’rt worse than thy brother" when she provokes him. His last words to her are a gentle reproach, and she is the one who finds him after he dies.
Joseph’s influence over the weakening Mr. Earnshaw illustrates how the patriarch’s decline leaves the household open to manipulation: Joseph "contrived to make a great impression on Mr. Earnshaw; and the more feeble the master became, the more influence he gained."
05·Connected characters
How is Mr. Earnshaw connected to the other characters?
Study06–07
06·Questions
Questions readers ask about Mr. Earnshaw
Why does Mr. Earnshaw bring Heathcliff home?
Nelly Dean recounts that Mr. Earnshaw discovered the child "starving, and houseless, and as good as dumb, in the streets of Liverpool." He couldn't find anyone who recognized the child or knew its family, so he decided he wouldn't abandon it. With little time and money to spare, he chose to take the child home instead of continuing the search for its owner.
How does Mr. Earnshaw treat Heathcliff compared with his own children?
He favors Heathcliff so much that the household often bends to the boy's wishes, and he gets painfully jealous if anyone says anything wrong to him. Nelly wonders what her master finds so admirable in the moody boy, who, as far as she can remember, never shows any gratitude for the kindness he receives.
What effect does Mr. Earnshaw's favouritism have on Hindley?
Hindley starts viewing his father as an oppressor instead of a friend, and Heathcliff as someone who has taken away his parents' love and his own privileges. This leads to growing resentment as he fixates on these perceived injustices. Eventually, Mr. Earnshaw chooses to send Hindley to college, stating that he was "nought, and would never thrive as where he wandered."
How does Mr. Earnshaw die?
He passes away peacefully in his chair by the fireside one October evening, with Catherine resting against his knee and Heathcliff sprawled on the floor beside her. His final gesture is to gently stroke Catherine's hair; she realizes he has died when she wraps her arms around his neck to say good-night.
What is Joseph's relationship with Mr. Earnshaw in his final years?
He continually flatters Earnshaw's weaknesses by directing the harshest criticism at her.
Where does the name 'Heathcliff' come from?
Mr. Earnshaw names the foundling after "a son who died in childhood," using it as both a Christian name and a surname from that point on.
Does Mr. Earnshaw attend Catherine Earnshaw's funeral?
No. He was invited to attend the burial of his sister, but he didn’t send any excuses and never showed up — this is referring to Hindley, who had by then become known as 'Mr. Earnshaw.' The original Mr. Earnshaw had passed away long before Catherine.
07·Essay angles
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Tool · Essay angles