Chapter XI

CATHERINE AND HEATHCLIFFE OF "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" AS JANE AND ROCHESTER OF "JANE EYRE."

We have already seen Catherine in _Wuthering Heights_ represented Charlotte Brontë as intimately portrayed by herself in the work, and that Heathcliffe was drawn by her from the original of the Rochester of _Jane Eyre_. So faithfully did Charlotte Brontë tell again in _Jane Eyre_ the history of her life in relation to her family and M. Héger, that she gives the main lines of her biography in both works. I will show them side by side.

For the literal parallels when not given in this chapter see the index. My amazing discovery on the return of the runaway Heathcliffe to Catherine and the return of the runaway Jane to Rochester I give literally herewith.

_Wuthering Heights._ _Jane Eyre._

Opening scene: A rainy day in Opening scene: A rainy day in
Catherine's (Charlotte Brontë's) Jane's (Charlotte Brontë's)
childhood. She is treated childhood. She is treated
unkindly by the rest of the unkindly by the rest of the
household. It is impossible to household. It is impossible to
go out on account of the rain. go out on account of the rain.
She had been commanded to keep She had been commanded to keep
aloof from the family group. aloof from the family group.
This group included in This group included in
particular, little Catherine particular, little Jane tells us
tells us with bitter feeling, with bitter feeling, John Reed
Hindley Earnshaw (Branwell (Branwell Brontë), who
Brontë), who luxuriated in the luxuriated in the warmth of the
warmth of the fire with other fire with other members of the
members of the family. family.

Nevertheless, though banished, Nevertheless, though banished
Catherine (Charlotte Brontë) herself, Jane (Charlotte Brontë)
makes herself snug in a recess makes herself snug in a recess
behind a curtain, and believes behind a curtain, and believes
herself secure, when Hindley herself secure, when John Reed
Earnshaw (Branwell Brontë), (Branwell Brontë), coming up
coming up from his paradise on from his paradise on the hearth,
the hearth, makes her come out makes her come out of the recess
of the recess precipitantly, precipitantly. He hurls the book
after she has hurled the book she was reading. Little Jane
she was reading. Little (Charlotte Brontë) sees a tyrant
Catherine (Charlotte Brontë) in John Reed (Branwell Brontë).
sees a tyrant in Hindley He tells her that he is the
Earnshaw (Branwell Brontë). He master of the house, or soon
tells her that he is the master will be.
of the house.

Later, Catherine complains to Later, Jane complains to herself
herself of her brother Hindley's of John Reed's (Branwell's)
(Branwell's) tyrannies. He has tyrannies. He has made her cry
made her cry and her head ached, and her head ached, she says, as
she says, as a result of his a result of his behaviour.
behaviour.

Little Catherine (Charlotte Little Jane (Charlotte Brontë),
Brontë), although she was held although she was held to be
to be passionate, and was passionate, and was treated
treated harshly and almost as an harshly and almost an outsider
outsider by the rest of the by the rest of the household,
household, finds a kind, but finds a kind, but apparently
apparently unsympathetic, friend unsympathetic, friend in a
in a woman-servant, Nelly Dean, woman-servant, Bessie, who has a
who has a remarkable gift of remarkable gift of narrative,
narrative, like Tabitha Aykroyd, like Tabitha Aykroyd, whom
whom Charlotte Brontë loved, and Charlotte Brontë loved, and who
who came to the Haworth came to the Haworth parsonage
parsonage when Charlotte was when Charlotte was about nine
about nine years of age. But years of age. But even Bessie
even Nelly Dean (Tabitha (Tabitha Aykroyd) sometimes
Aykroyd) sometimes tasked and tasked and scolded Jane
scolded Catherine (Charlotte (Charlotte Brontë) unreasonably,
Brontë) unreasonably, and and mistrusted her.
mistrusted her.

She even believes that Catherine She even believes that Jane
(Charlotte Brontë) is an actor (Charlotte) is an actor and
and feigns in regard to certain feigns in regard to certain fits
fits of frenzy. of frenzy.

On the occasion of one of these On the occasion of one of these
bouts of frenzy, Catherine bouts of frenzy, Jane (Charlotte
(Charlotte Brontë) is in a room, Brontë) is in a room, the door
the door of which has been of which has been locked.
locked.

In a paroxysm of alarm, In a paroxysm of alarm, Jane
Catherine (Charlotte Brontë) (Charlotte Brontë) summons
summons Mrs. Dean (Tabitha Bessie (Tabitha Aykroyd)
Aykroyd) frantically, and with a frantically, and with a piercing
piercing scream. The latter scream. The latter enters
enters annoyed, and quite annoyed, and quite
unsympathetic. unsympathetic.

It is suggested Catherine was It is suggested Jane was only
only acting, and Catherine acting, and Jane overhears this.
overhears this. She had desired She finds Bessie (Tabitha
Mrs. Dean (Tabitha Aykroyd) to Aykroyd) at the foot of her bed
bring her a basin of gruel. with a basin in her hand.

Catherine (Charlotte) relates Jane (Charlotte) relates her
her fears of the locked room: fears of the locked room: How
How she thought it haunted; she she thought it haunted; she
showed fear of the mirror, and showed fear of the mirror, and
describes excitedly to Mrs. Dean describes excitedly to Bessie
(Tabitha) her terrifying (Tabitha) her terrifying
sensations previous to her sensations previous to her
losing consciousness, and how losing consciousness. She
she supposed she must supposed she must immediately
immediately have had a species have had a species of fit.
of fit.

Mrs. Dean (Tabitha) suggests Bessie (Tabitha) suggests sleep
sleep to Catherine (Charlotte to Jane (Charlotte Brontë).
Brontë).

Mrs. Dean (Tabitha) believes Bessie (Tabitha) believes that
that to see the apparition of a the apparition of a child is a
child is a sign of calamity sign of calamity having befallen
having befallen some one near some one near akin. Jane dreams
akin. One day Mrs. Dean sees a of a child-apparition, and fears
child-apparition, and fears it it may be a sign of calamity,
may be a sign of calamity to and the day following Bessie's
Catherine's (Charlotte's) husband brings word of the
brother, Hindley Earnshaw disgrace of John Reed (Branwell
(Branwell Brontë). He is really Brontë, Charlotte's brother).
in disgrace.

Catherine falls in love with Jane falls in love with a
a morose, "sallow-cheeked" morose, "olive-cheeked"
individual with deep eyes, that individual with deep eyes, that
have a singular expression, have a singular expression,
which makes the narrator which makes the narrator
associate "hell's light" with associate "hell's light" with
them. He has a handsome, erect them. He has a handsome, erect
carry, but is rather negligent carry, but is rather negligent
in his apparel. His speech is in his apparel. His speech is
abrupt. (His name is abrupt. (His name is Rochester.)
Heathcliffe.)

But Catherine loved him, and he But Jane loved him, and he loved
loved Catherine. Indeed, Jane. Indeed, Jane likens
Catherine likens themselves to a themselves to a cloven tree,
cloven tree by saying that which is one at the root, but
whosoever would come between divided by storm. Thus she
them to divide them would meet believes in the "twin-soul" or
the fate of Mïlo, who, of the elective affinities, and
course, endeavoured to drive says of Rochester:--
asunder a cloven tree held
firmly at its base, and was
himself trapped by it for his
pains. Thus she believes in the
"twin-soul" or the elective
affinities, and says:--

"It would degrade me to marry "I feel akin to him.... I have
Heathcliffe now; so he shall something in my brain and heart
never know how I love him; and that assimilates me mentally to
that not because he's handsome, him.... I know I must conceal my
... but because he's more myself sentiments.... Yet, while I
than I am. Whatever our souls breathe and think, I must love
are made of, his and mine are him."[53]
the same."[53]

However, Heathcliffe and However, Rochester and Jane
Catherine part, Heathcliffe part, Jane running away
running away unexpectedly. unexpectedly.
(Method I., interchange of
the sexes of characters.)

Catherine dreams she is in Jane finds refuge with the
heaven, but broke her heart to Rivers family (the Brontë family
come to earth again, upon which at Haworth). She is tempted to
the angels flung her out near take to a religious
Heathcliffe's abode, where she life:--"Angels beckoned, and
awoke sobbing for joy: Catherine Heaven rolled together like a
preferred her lover to scroll," but she heard
heaven.[54] Rochester's voice calling,
though he was miles away. Jane
preferred her lover to
heaven.[54]

The two parted lovers, however, The two parted lovers, however,
meet again, and by Charlotte meet again, and by Charlotte
Brontë's Method I., (interchange Brontë's Method I., (interchange
of the sexes of characters of the sexes of characters
portrayed), we arrive at another portrayed), we arrive at another
of my sensational and important of my sensational and important
Brontë discoveries. Brontë discoveries.

THE RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY LOVER THE RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY LOVER
HEATHCLIFFE TO CATHERINE.[55] JANE TO ROCHESTER.[55]

_Wuthering Heights._ _Jane Eyre._