Catherine Earnshaw

Catherine Earnshaw, known as Catherine Linton after her marriage, is the main female protagonist of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights.

Whilst residing in her ancestral home Wuthering Heights, she forms a deep romantic bond with foster brother Heathcliff, one that leads them both into misery, violence and despair.

She is the younger sibling of Hindley, and is born and raised at Wuthering Heights. She becomes the foster sister of the orphan Heathcliff at the age of six, and the two become close companions. They are separated when Hindley becomes jealous of his father's affection towards Heathcliff and reduces him to servant-boy status after the death of Mr Earnshaw, who took Heathcliff in as a Liverpool foundling. Catherine and

Heathcliff's strong characters do not separate them; rather, they get into a great deal of mischief together, most notably while spying at Thrushcross Grange, the fancy home of the wealthy Linton family. When a dog from the Grange attacks Cathy at her intrusion, the Lintons aid her by keeping her at the Grange for five weeks. This visit allows Catherine to turn into a lady quite unlike the rude, wild, childish girl she has been with Heathcliff, and allows her to form intimate relationships with Edgar and Isabella Linton, the two children residing at the Grange, although her (and Heathcliff's) initial impression of them was contemptuous. Catherine's change is visible on her return to the Heights at Christmas time. Heathcliff, although hurt by this, remains devoted to her, forming one part of a love triangle that includes Edgar Linton, who quickly becomes a despised rival.

Cathy’s character

• The younger Catherine is shown as the character whose inner conflicts veer her towards danger.

• She is raised up in a protective environment provided to her by her father to save her from the viciousness of the resident of Wuthering Heights, mainly Heathcliff. This over protectiveness is what led to Catherine fleeing from Thrushcross Grange to Wuthering Heights, rebelling against the rules. This shows her inner conflict between obeying her father and being free.

• She is also highly spirited and an inquisitive person but when redeemed to a life of misery at Wuthering heights she becomes distant and bitter.

• Being raised without a mother, her father is the most important person for her.

• Cathy can also be cruel at times, ridiculing Hareton’s inability to write and read.

• Having no one else in the world except of her father, she craved human company and had a capacity for intense attachments. This is what drew her to Linton.

• Another inner conflict of Cathy were her feelings for Linton, she took care of him and loved him yet his whiny behavior made her impatient. So is also confused with the mode of their relationship.