Here are some quotes describing Catherine from Wuthering Heights, highlighting her complex and multifaceted nature:
On her passion and wildness:
* "She's a wild, wicked slip of a girl, but she's got a heart as big as a lion." (Nelly Dean, about Catherine) This quote captures Catherine's untamed spirit and passionate nature, but also hints at the depth of her emotions.
* "I’m tired of being enclosed in these four walls. I’m weary of being cooped up here." (Catherine, expressing her desire for freedom and adventure) This quote reveals Catherine's yearning for a life beyond the confines of her upbringing.
* "My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees - my love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath - a source of little visible delight, but necessary." (Catherine, revealing her conflicting feelings for Heathcliff and Linton) This quote reveals the complexities of Catherine's love for both men, highlighting the powerful and enduring nature of her love for Heathcliff.
On her intelligence and ambition:
* "She was a wild, headstrong creature, and would have flown at any cost." (Nelly Dean, describing Catherine's rebellious nature) This quote emphasizes Catherine's courage and refusal to be confined by societal expectations.
* "She had a haughty spirit, and a love of the grand, and the beautiful, that would have made her a queen." (Nelly Dean, reflecting on Catherine's ambition) This quote shows Catherine's aspirations for a life of privilege and social standing.
* "She was ambitious, and she wanted to rise in the world." (Nelly Dean, about Catherine's desire for social advancement) This quote highlights Catherine's ambition and desire to escape her lower-class origins.
On her contradictions and flaws:
* "She was a creature of impulse, and she could never be depended upon." (Nelly Dean, describing Catherine's unpredictable nature) This quote emphasizes Catherine's impulsiveness and her tendency to act on emotions rather than reason.
* "She was as selfish as she was generous." (Nelly Dean, reflecting on Catherine's conflicted nature) This quote showcases the paradoxical nature of Catherine's character.
* "She was a woman who could love fiercely, and she could also be cruel." (Nelly Dean, about Catherine's capacity for both love and cruelty) This quote reveals Catherine's capacity for both tenderness and harshness.
These quotes showcase the complex, passionate, and ultimately tragic character of Catherine Earnshaw. Her contradictions and flaws are as much a part of her as her undeniable charm and fierce spirit.