故事概要和读后感

Story Summary

Wuthering Heights mainly tells the story of the conflicts between two families: the Earnshaws and the Lintons. The novel begins with Lockwood’s arrival at Wuthering Heights, describing his two visits to Wuthering Heights. Then, Ellen Dean tells the past stories of Wuthering Heights.

Heathcliff’s arrival marks the start of the story. As a Gypsy boy, he was not welcomed at Wuthering Heights. Old Mr. Earnshaw favored Heathcliff so much that he took away Hindley’s inheritance right, which made Hindley bully Heathcliff all the time. Besides, Heathcliff’s romance with Catherine hit a bad end. Heartbroken, he left Wuthering Heights, and the story developed from there.

Years later, Heathcliff returned to Wuthering Heights and started his revenge plan, pushing the story to its highlight. He drove Hindley mad and seized Wuthering Heights. Learning that Catherine had married Edgar, Heathcliff chose to marry Isabella, and his revenge plan was carried out step by step.

Even though both Catherine and Heathcliff had married, their hearts still belonged to each other. When Catherine fell ill, they still met secretly. After Catherine died, she left behind a daughter named Cathy. Heathcliff treated Isabella badly, so she ran away from Wuthering Heights. During her escape, she gave birth to Heathcliff’s son and named him Linton. Before Isabella died, she asked her brother Edgar to take care of Linton.

After Edgar brought Linton back to Thrushcross Grange, Cathy accidentally let the secret slip, and Heathcliff found out that his son was living there. Soon after, Heathcliff demanded to take Linton back to Wuthering Heights. His revenge plan moved forward: he used his weak son Linton to cheat Cathy into falling in love with him and forced them to marry, just to get hold of the Lintons’ property.

At the end of the novel, Mr. Lockwood visited Wuthering Heights again. He learned about Heathcliff’s final fate from Ellen, and the story came to an end.

Reading Reflection

After reading Wuthering Heights, I feel like I have seen a microcosm of Britain in the 18th century. The novel does not just tell a tragic love story; it also reflects the deep social problems of that era. First of all, it shows the sharp class conflicts at that time. Heathcliff is looked down upon and bullied just because of his Gypsy background and poor status. Catherine’s choice to marry Edgar instead of Heathcliff also reveals how people valued social class and wealth over true love back then. Besides class conflicts, the novel also exposes people’s greed for money. Hindley gambles away his family property for money, and Heathcliff’s revenge is also driven by his desire to seize the wealth and land of the two families. At the same time, the novel also praises people’s pursuit of ideal love. The love between Heathcliff and Catherine is so pure and intense that it even survives death.

The book is full of vivid descriptions of "love" and "hatred", which are the two central themes running through the whole story. Heathcliff ’s deep love for Catherine is the driving force of his life, but it also turns into fierce hatred when he loses her. His hatred for Hindley and Edgar is so strong that it makes him become a cruel and cold-hearted man. The contrast between his profound love and his brutal hatred makes the theme of the novel more distinct. The novel ends with a haunting scene: Lockwood sees the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine wandering on the moor. This scene softens the dark and violent tone of the story, showing their love that transcends life and death. It makes readers realize that no matter how much hatred Heathcliff has in his heart, his love for Catherine never fades away. What’s more, the love between Cathy and Hareton, symbolizes the end of the two families’ hatred across generations. They choose to forgive each other and start a new life, which stands for the final victory of "love" over "hatred". Overall, Wuthering Heights is not just a tragic love story; it is a profound exploration of human nature, class, and the perpetual struggle between love and hatred.

2025-12-14

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