Hareton Earnshaw

What is the function/purpose of Hareton? Opposition to Linton Helps to create a happy ending (arguably just a plot device) Name above the door starts his and Lockwood’s journey – cyclical His help in Cathy’s escape shows his (as a personification of nature) freeing of women Establishes an order after Heathcliff’s death – becomes the man of the house Self-education: “intelligent nature shook of rapidly the clouds of ignorance and degradation he was bred in”

Character traits Natural – like Heathcliff Shy and embarassed “rough and uncultivated” but soft and sensitive underneath Gothic in his solitary isolation Supportive of education – protects Catherine’s books and educates himself Self-absorbed, very insulted by Cathy and Linton “had a dim notion of his inferiority” – perhaps Bronte may be suggesting this is a good thing?

Relationship with previous generation Traumatic childhood, alcoholic father – makes him untrustworthy of other people Isabella: “I knocked over Hareton, who was hanging a litter of puppies” – perhaps his mistreatment makes him more angry Influenced by Joseph through his education Finally able to marry Cathy on New Year’s Day after Heathcliff’s death

Doubling Hareton is primarily a double of Heathcliff but his mistreatment does not cause the same feelings of vengeance – ends up more of a protagonist Hareton’s freeing of Cathy Jr. reflects Heathcliff’s freedom on the moors with Catherine Snr. Mirrors Heathcliff – particularly the moment when Cathy returns from the Grange Linton’s bullying of Hareton reflects Hindley’s bullying of Heathcliff

Treatment of children Treat him like a servant – expectations of his role Father doesn’t care for him by wasting his money away Heathcliff catches him as a child, something he regrets Later in life however, “with a look of Catherine in his eyes”, his appearance causes Heathcliff to become more angry, as Hareton reminds him of his mistreatment Because Hareton is an Earnshaw, Heathcliff’s desire for revenge is inflicted upon him too A tool used by Heathcliff to annoy Linton

Relationship with setting Denial of his inheritance of the Heights is inflicted by Heathcliff to make him feel the same as Heathcliff himself felt (being denied Catherine/a higher social status) His confinement to the farmhouse after his injury indicates not only his isolation but his lower status too