Hareton

Earnshaw

Character Traits
Illiterate, denied an education by Heathclif
He appeared to have bent his malevolence on making him a brute
Now, my bonny lad, you are mine! And well see if one tree wont grow
as twisted as another, with the same wind to twist it. Heathclif
Heathclifs degradation of Hareton repeats Hindleys degradation of
Heathclif.
Grows throughout the novel, Catherine moulds him into a suitable
match
I thought I could detect in his physiognomy a mind owning better
qualities than his father possessed
fearless nature
Shows a constancy, both in his love for Catherine, and also his love for
Heathclif (?)
Hareton redeems the Earnshaw family by breaking the pattern of abuse
with which he was raised, earning back the property, and earning
Catherines love

Physical Description
elf-locked, brown eyed boy
ruddy countenance
ruffianly child, strong in limb, dirty and garb with a
look of Catherine in his eyes and about his mouth
Well made, athletic youth, good looking in features,
and stout and healthy
...his dress and speech were both rude, entirely
devoid of the superiority observable in Mr. and Mrs.
Heathcliff; his thick brown curls were rough and
uncultivated, his whiskers encroached bearishly over
his cheeks, and his hands were embrowned like those
of a common labourer


Relationships
The second half of the novel, focusing on Haretons relationship with Catherine
[2] mirrors Heathclifs for Catherine [1] in the first. But clearly it is more
temperate and domestic.
In contrast to the first, the latter tale ends happily, restoring peace and order to
Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
The most important feature of young Catherine and Haretons love story is that
it involves growth and change. Early in the novel Hareton seems irredeemably
brutal, savage, and illiterate, but over time he becomes a loyal friend to young
Catherine and learns to read. When young Catherine first meets Hareton he
seems completely alien to her world, yet her attitude also evolves from
contempt to love. Sparknotes
His honest, warm, and intelligent nature shook off rapidly the clouds of
ignorance and degradation in which it had been bred; and Catherine's sincere
commendations acted as a spur to his industry. His brightening mind brightened
his features, and added spirit and nobility to their aspect
Haretons aspect was a ghost of my immortal love, of my wild endeavors to
hold my right, my pride, my degradation, and my anguish - Heathclif

Images with which

they are associated

Associated with natural imagery

Good things lost amid a wilderness of
weeds, to be sure, whose rankness far
over-topped their neglected growth; yet,
notwithstanding, evidence of a wealthy
soil, that might yield luxuriant crops under
other and favourable circumstances
Nelly on Hareton
He opened the mysteries of the fairy
cave, and twenty other queer places