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._