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The Reader's Guide to Wuthering Heights

Sanger’s Timeline

C P Sanger's timeline of the novel (1926) is set out below. Dates where my reckoning varies from Sanger's are shown with an asterisk in brackets. The rest of Sanger's essay can be read on the Sanger page.

 
  1757 Before September Hindley Earnshaw born
  1762 Before September Edgar Linton born
  1764 Before September Heathcliff born
  1765 Summer Catherine Earnshaw born
    Late Isabella Linton born
4 1771 Summer, beginning of harvest Heathcliff brought to Wuthering Heights
  1773 Spring or early summer Mrs Earnshaw dies
5 1774 October Hindley sent to college
  1777   Hindley marries Frances
    October Mr Earnshaw dies
6   October Hindley returns with his wife
3   October or November The scene described by Catherine
6   November, 3rd week, Sunday Catherine & Heathcliff go to Thrushcross Grange
7   Christmas Eve Catherine returns to Wuthering Heights
    Christmas Day The Lintons visit Wuthering Heights
8 1778 June Hareton Earnshaw born
    Late Frances Earnshaw dies
  1780 Summer Edgar Linton calls at Wuthering Heights and proposes to Catherine
9   Summer Hindley returns drunk
    Summer Catherine tells Ellen about Edgar
    Summer Heathcliff goes off
    Summer Catherine gets wet through and catches fever
    Summer Catherine, convalescent, goes to Thrushcross Grange. Mr and Mrs Linton catch the fever and die
  1783 April (*March) Edgar marries Catherine
10   September Heathcliff returns and sees Catherine
    Autumn Isabella falls in love with with Heathcliff, who visits the Grange from time to time
11   December (*January 1784) Ellen sees Hareton
      Heathcliff kisses Isabella
  1784 Monday, 6 January (*10th) Violent scene at Thrushcross Grange. Heathcliff is turned out and Catherine goes on hunger strike
12   Friday, 10 January (*13th) Catherine delirious
    Friday, 10 January (2am) (*13th) Isabella elopes with Heathcliff
13   Monday, 13 March (*14th) The Heathcliffs return to Wuthering Heights
14   Wednesday, 15 March Ellen goes to Wuthering Heights
15   Sunday, 19 March Heathcliff sees Catherine; violent scene
16   Sunday, 19 March (midnight) Cathy Linton born
    Monday, 20 March (2am) Catherine dies
    Tuesday, 21 March Heathcliff puts a lock of hair in Catherine's locket
    Friday, 24 March Catherine's funeral
17   Friday, 24 March (midnight) Heathcliff nearly kills Hindley who tried to kill him
    Saturday, 25 March Isabella runs off
17   September Linton Heathcliff born
    September or October Hindley dies. All his property is mortgaged to Heathcliff
18 1797 early June (*July) Cathy goes to Penistone Crags and meets Hareton
19   June (*July) Isabella dies. Edgar brings back Linton
20   June (*July) Linton is taken to live at Wuthering Heights
21 1800 20 March Cathy and Ellen meet Hareton and go to Wuthering Heights where they see Linton
    March or April Cathy and Linton correspond
22   Late October or November Cathy sees Heathcliff who says that Linton is seriously ill
23   Late October or November Cathy and Ellen go to see Linton. Ellen catches cold and is ill for three weeks
24   November During Ellen's illness, Cathy visits Linton secretly
25 1801 20 March Edgar too ill to visit his wife's grave
    June Edgar declining
26   August Ellen and Cathy go to meet Linton
27   August, Thursday, a week later They are kidnapped
    Monday? Cathy and Linton marry
    August or September Ellen is released
    next Tuesday Edgar is dying. He sends for Mr Green, the lawyer, who does not come
28   Wednesday, 3am, harvest moon Cathy escapes and comes to Thrushcross Grange
      Edgar dies
29   September, evening after the funeral Heathcliff comes to Wuthering Heights [sic - should be Thrushcross Grange] and take away Cathy
30   October (*September) Linton dies. Hareton tries to please Cathy
1   Late November Lockwood calls at Wuthering Heights
2   Next day He calls again and has to stay the night. He finds Catherine's diary and sees Heathcliff's outburst
3   Next day Leaves at eight. Catches cold
4   Next day Ellen begins her story
10   Three weeks later Heathcliff sends grouse
    One week later Heathcliff calls
15 1802 January, one week later Lockwood continues his account
31   January, second week Lockwood calls at Wuthering Heights
32   Beginning of February (*January) Ellen goes to live at Wuthering Heights
    March Hareton has an accident
    Easter Monday Cathy is nice to Hareton
33   Easter Tuesday Scene about altering garden
    After 18 March Heathcliff getting odd
34   April Heathcliff goes on hunger strike
    May (*April) Heathcliff dies
    September Lockwood visits Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights
  1803 1 January Cathy and Hareton marry