Summary
Birth and Death
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
In June, Frances gives birth to a son, Hareton—a beautiful, healthy boy. But the doctor reveals Frances has consumption and won't survive the winter. Frances, delirious with joy over her baby, refuses to believe she's dying, though the illness is obvious. In September, Hareton is barely three months old when Hindley comes home one evening to find Frances sitting by the fire, appearing better than usual. She laughs, talks cheerfully, and seems almost healthy. But that night, while Hindley carries her upstairs, she coughs, puts her hand to her throat, and blood gushes out. She dies in Hindley's arms. Hindley's grief transforms him completely—he becomes reckless, desperate, and dangerous. He curses God, prays for his own death, and begins drinking heavily. Nelly cares for baby Hareton while watching Hindley descend into self-destruction. He loses all care for his son, his estate, or his own life. The household falls into chaos as Hindley's drinking grows worse and his behavior more erratic. This marks the beginning of Hareton's tragic life—born into love, orphaned into neglect, destined to grow up degraded in his own ancestral home.
Coming Up in Chapter 9
Hindley's grief transforms him into a dangerous drunk who terrorizes his own son. The child Hareton becomes a victim of his father's rage and despair.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~297 words)
On the morning of a fine June day my first bonny little nursling, and the last of the ancient Earnshaw stock, was born. We were busy with the hay in a far-away field, when the girl that usually brought our breakfasts came running an hour too soon across the meadow and up the lane, calling me as she ran. “Oh, such a grand bairn!” she panted out. “The finest lad that ever breathed! But the doctor says missis must go: he says she’s been in a consumption these many months. I heard him tell Mr. Hindley: and now she has nothing to keep her, and she’ll be dead before winter. You must come home directly. You’re to nurse it, Nelly: to feed it with sugar and milk, and take care of it day and night. I wish I were you, because it will be all yours when there is no missis!” “But is she very ill?” I asked, flinging down my rake and tying my bonnet. “I guess she is; yet she looks bravely,” replied the girl, “and she talks as if she thought of living to see it grow a man. She’s out of her head for joy, it’s such a beauty! If I were her I’m certain I should not die: I should get better at the bare sight of it, in spite of Kenneth. I was fairly mad at him. Dame Archer brought the cherub down to master, in the house, and his face just began to light up, when the old croaker steps forward, and says he—‘Earnshaw, it’s a blessing your wife has been spared to leave you this son. When she came, I felt convinced we shouldn’t keep her long; and now, I must tell you, the winter will probably finish her.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
When Life Gives and Takes Simultaneously
How life's biggest blessings and curses often arrive together, testing our ability to hold complex emotions
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Learning to navigate situations where celebration and grief happen simultaneously
Practice This Today
Next time you face mixed emotions about a situation, practice holding both feelings without trying to resolve the contradiction
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
consumption
Tuberculosis, a deadly lung disease in the 1800s with no cure
Modern Usage:
Like getting a terminal cancer diagnosis today - devastating and often fatal
bairn
Scottish/Northern English word for child or baby
Modern Usage:
Similar to saying 'kid' or 'little one' in certain regions
croaker
Someone who always predicts doom and gloom
Modern Usage:
That pessimistic friend who always sees the worst in every situation
Characters in This Chapter
Frances Earnshaw
Hindley's dying wife, mother of newborn Hareton
Her impending death will destroy Hindley and leave Hareton vulnerable
Modern Equivalent:
Young mother facing terminal illness, trying to stay positive for her family
Hareton Earnshaw
Newborn son, last of the Earnshaw bloodline
Will become a pawn in the cycle of revenge between families
Modern Equivalent:
Child born into a family crisis who'll grow up without proper guidance
Dr. Kenneth
The family doctor delivering harsh medical truths
Represents the brutal honesty of mortality in an era without modern medicine
Modern Equivalent:
Doctor who has to deliver devastating news to families
Key Quotes & Analysis
"The finest lad that ever breathed! But the doctor says missis must go"
Context: Announcing both the birth and the mother's death sentence
Shows how joy and tragedy intertwine - the ultimate blessing shadowed by ultimate loss
In Today's Words:
Your baby is perfect, but your wife is dying
"She's out of her head for joy, it's such a beauty! If I were her I'm certain I should not die"
Context: Frances refuses to accept her terminal diagnosis
Reveals how love and hope can make us deny harsh realities
In Today's Words:
She's so happy about the baby, she won't accept that she's dying
"you should have known better than to choose such a rush of a lass!"
Context: Blaming Hindley for marrying a delicate woman
Shows how society blamed people for circumstances beyond their control
In Today's Words:
You should have known she was too fragile when you married her
Thematic Threads
Social Class and Medical Care
In This Chapter
The doctor's casual cruelty toward Frances reflects class-based healthcare
Development
Working-class women received harsh, unsympathetic medical treatment
In Your Life:
Healthcare inequality still exists - your zip code and insurance affect your treatment quality
Destructive Love
In This Chapter
Hindley's overwhelming love for Frances will destroy him when she dies
Development
Setting up his transformation from loving husband to violent drunk
In Your Life:
Putting all your emotional eggs in one basket makes you vulnerable to complete breakdown
Cycles of Trauma
In This Chapter
Hareton is born into a situation that will traumatize him
Development
The innocent baby will suffer for adult conflicts he didn't create
In Your Life:
Children absorb family trauma even when adults try to protect them
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
How does Dr. Kenneth's blunt delivery of Frances's diagnosis reflect attitudes toward working-class patients?
analysis • Consider how medical professionals treat patients differently based on social class, then and now - 2
Why does Frances refuse to believe she's dying, and how might this denial affect her family?
psychological • Explore how hope and denial can be both protective and harmful in crisis situations - 3
What role will baby Hareton likely play in the ongoing revenge cycle between the families?
prediction • Think about how innocent children become pawns in adult conflicts - 4
How might this chapter have unfolded differently with modern medical care?
comparison • Consider how medical advances change family dynamics and grief processes
Critical Thinking Exercise
Crisis Preparation Audit
Frances's situation shows how quickly life can change from celebration to crisis. Evaluate your own life's stability and support systems. What would happen to your family if you faced a sudden medical emergency or job loss? Are your relationships strong enough to weather major storms?
Consider:
- •Financial safety nets and emergency funds
- •Emotional support systems beyond romantic partners
- •Legal preparations (wills, insurance, guardianship plans)
- •Communication patterns during stress
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you experienced joy and sorrow simultaneously. How did you handle the conflicting emotions? What did that experience teach you about resilience?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 9
Moving forward, we'll examine trauma and addiction create cycles of violence in families, and understand children learn to survive by becoming invisible. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.