Hareton Earnshaw
(1778–)

Biographical

The last of the Earnshaws, Hareton was born in June 1778 to Hindley and Frances Earnshaw. Although he is Hindley's heir to Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff later usurps his inheritance. He is in constant danger from his drunken father, and from the revengeful Heathcliff. After Hindley's death, Heathcliff takes ownership of the Heights, and out of revenge towards Hindley, he treats Hareton with cruelty, reducing him to the status of a servant. He is brought up to be brutal, coarse, and uneducated, as Heathcliff himself once was. Through all of this, however, Hareton manages to be good-natured and maintains an affection for Heathcliff, seeing him as a father figure, despite the oppression. Heathcliff himself holds a secret regard for the boy. Because of his ignorance and rudeness, Hareton is initially held in contempt by his cousin, Catherine Linton, but this only inspires him to improve himself. Eventually, their relationship blossoms and Catherine begins to help him with his reading and the two eventually fall in love. Heathcliff does not intervene and eventually loses interest in his quest for revenge. Hareton is the only person to mourn Heathcliff's death, and his grief is overwhelming. In 1803 he and Catherine plan to marry and move to Thrushcross Grange.

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