Summary
Chapter 5
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Nelly continues the story: Mr. Earnshaw's health deteriorates, transforming him from a benevolent father into an irritable, suspicious tyrant obsessed with protecting Heathcliff from any perceived slight. His extreme favoritism poisons the household. Hindley openly hates Heathcliff for displacing him in his father's affections. Catherine becomes Heathcliff's fierce ally and soulmate—wild, defiant, and completely undisciplined. The old man's paranoia grows; he interprets any conflict as persecution of his favorite. When Hindley and Heathcliff fight, the old man always blames Hindley, even when Heathcliff is at fault. This one-sided protection makes Heathcliff manipulative—he learns to use the old man's favoritism as a weapon. Meanwhile, the servant Joseph becomes increasingly self-righteous, constantly preaching hellfire at the children. Unable to bear the toxic atmosphere, Mr. Earnshaw sends Hindley away to college, removing his own son to protect the adopted child. Catherine grows more ungovernable, and Heathcliff more cunning. The curate tries teaching them, but Catherine proves unteachable and Heathcliff refuses to learn, claiming education is pointless. The family dynamics deteriorate completely, setting up the explosion that will follow when the old man dies.
Coming Up in Chapter 6
Mr. Earnshaw dies, and Hindley returns home with a mysterious wife in tow. His first act as master? Making Heathcliff's life a living hell. The revenge cycle that will consume two generations is about to begin.
Share it with friends
An excerpt from the original text.(~298 words)
the course of time Mr. Earnshaw began to fail. He had been active and healthy, yet his strength left him suddenly; and when he was confined to the chimney-corner he grew grievously irritable. A nothing vexed him; and suspected slights of his authority nearly threw him into fits. This was especially to be remarked if any one attempted to impose upon, or domineer over, his favourite: he was painfully jealous lest a word should be spoken amiss to him; seeming to have got into his head the notion that, because he liked Heathcliff, all hated, and longed to do him an ill-turn. It was a disadvantage to the lad; for the kinder among us did not wish to fret the master, so we humoured his partiality; and that humouring was rich nourishment to the child’s pride and black tempers. Still it became in a manner necessary; twice, or thrice, Hindley’s manifestation of scorn, while his father was near, roused the old man to a fury: he seized his stick to strike him, and shook with rage that he could not do it. At last, our curate (we had a curate then who made the living answer by teaching the little Lintons and Earnshaws, and farming his bit of land himself) advised that the young man should be sent to college; and Mr. Earnshaw agreed, though with a heavy spirit, for he said—“Hindley was nought, and would never thrive as where he wandered.” I hoped heartily we should have peace now. It hurt me to think the master should be made uncomfortable by his own good deed. I fancied the discontent of age and disease arose from his family disagreements; as he would have it that it did: really, you know, sir, it was in his sinking frame.
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Toxic Enabler Pattern
When protection from consequences creates entitled behavior, resentment in others, and increased control by the enabler
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Literature shows us dysfunctional family dynamics from the outside, helping us identify similar patterns in our own lives before they destroy relationships
Practice This Today
Next time you feel family tension, ask yourself: Is someone being favored unfairly? Am I enabling bad behavior to keep peace? What would an outsider see that I'm missing?
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Curate
A junior clergyman who assists the parish priest and often supplements income by teaching
Modern Usage:
Think of a substitute teacher who also runs Sunday school and does odd jobs to pay rent
Pharisee
Someone who acts religiously superior while being hypocritical and judgmental
Modern Usage:
That coworker who quotes Bible verses while gossiping about everyone behind their backs
Partiality
Unfair favoritism toward one person over others
Modern Usage:
When a parent clearly has a favorite child and everyone in the family knows it
Characters in This Chapter
Mr. Earnshaw
Declining patriarch of Wuthering Heights
His failing health and obsessive protection of Heathcliff creates the toxic family dynamics that drive the entire story
Modern Equivalent:
The aging family business owner who plays favorites among his kids and employees, creating chaos he can't see
Hindley Earnshaw
Mr. Earnshaw's biological son, sent away to college
His resentment toward Heathcliff will fuel the revenge cycle when he returns as master of the house
Modern Equivalent:
The overlooked son who gets shipped off to boarding school while the 'adopted' kid gets all the attention and inheritance
Joseph
Self-righteous servant at Wuthering Heights
Represents religious hypocrisy and adds to the household's toxic atmosphere with his constant judgment
Modern Equivalent:
That sanctimonious church member who uses religion as a weapon to control and criticize everyone around them
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Hindley was nought, and would never thrive as where he wandered."
Context: Explaining why he's sending his biological son away to college
Shows how completely Mr. Earnshaw has written off his own flesh and blood in favor of the foundling Heathcliff
In Today's Words:
Hindley's worthless and will never amount to anything no matter where he goes.
"It was a disadvantage to the lad; for the kinder among us did not wish to fret the master, so we humoured his partiality."
Context: Explaining how everyone enables Mr. Earnshaw's favoritism toward Heathcliff
Shows how family dysfunction spreads when everyone becomes complicit in unhealthy dynamics to keep peace
In Today's Words:
The old man's favoritism was actually bad for Heathcliff, but we all went along with it to avoid upsetting the boss.
Thematic Threads
Destructive Favoritism
In This Chapter
Mr. Earnshaw's obsessive protection of Heathcliff while dismissing his biological son creates deep resentment
Development
This favoritism will eventually destroy both the favorite and the rejected, creating a cycle of revenge
In Your Life:
Notice when you're being treated unfairly compared to others, or when you might be the one showing favoritism that hurts relationships
Social Class Anxiety
In This Chapter
Hindley is sent away to become 'educated' while Heathcliff remains as the working-class favorite
Development
Education and class mobility become weapons in the family's internal war
In Your Life:
Education and social advancement can divide families when some members move up while others stay behind
Illness and Control
In This Chapter
Mr. Earnshaw's declining health makes him more controlling and paranoid about protecting his favorite
Development
Physical weakness often leads to emotional tyranny as people try to maintain power
In Your Life:
Aging parents or sick family members sometimes become more controlling as they feel their power slipping away
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Is Mr. Earnshaw's favoritism toward Heathcliff understandable given the boy's orphaned status, or is it inexcusably unfair to Hindley?
moral_complexity • Forces readers to grapple with competing claims of fairness and compassion - 2
How does everyone's decision to 'humor' Mr. Earnshaw's partiality actually make the situation worse for everyone involved?
systems_thinking • Explores how enabling behavior perpetuates dysfunction - 3
What parallels do you see between Mr. Earnshaw's declining health making him more controlling and similar situations in modern families or workplaces?
pattern_recognition • Connects 19th-century family dynamics to contemporary power struggles - 4
If you were Nelly Dean, would you have spoken up against the favoritism, or would you have kept quiet to maintain your job security?
ethical_dilemma • Examines the moral courage required to challenge toxic dynamics when you're economically vulnerable
Critical Thinking Exercise
Mapping Your Own Favoritism Patterns
Think about your family, workplace, or friend group. Identify one situation where favoritism exists - either where you're the favorite, the overlooked one, or an observer. Map out: Who benefits? Who suffers? Who enables it? What would happen if the dynamic changed?
Consider:
- •How does the favoritism get justified by those who practice it?
- •What role do bystanders play in maintaining the unfair system?
- •How might the 'favorite' actually be harmed by the special treatment?
- •What would it take to create more fairness in this situation?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you were either the favorite or the forgotten one. How did it shape your relationships with others involved? What would you do differently now, knowing what you know about toxic family patterns?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 6
Mr. Earnshaw dies, and Hindley returns home with a mysterious wife in tow. His first act as master? Making Heathcliff's life a living hell. The revenge cycle that will consume two generations is about to begin.
