Where do the Earnshaws live in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights?

In Emily Brontë's novel "Wuthering Heights," the Earnshaws, a family central to the narrative, reside in a secluded farmhouse called Wuthering Heights. This rustic dwelling is located on the desolate and windswept moors of England, contributing to the novel's atmospheric and gothic setting.

The novel's opening lines vividly describe Wuthering Heights: "1801.—I have just returned from a visit to my landlord—the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country! In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society. A perfect misanthropist’s Heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us."

The house itself is depicted as dark, brooding, and isolated, mirroring the tumultuous events that unfold within its walls. It becomes a symbol of the intense emotions, conflicts, and tumultuous relationships of the characters who inhabit it. Wuthering Heights serves as the primary residence of the Earnshaw family and later becomes a significant location for Heathcliff's complex and vengeful actions.

The bleak and rugged moorland setting of Wuthering Heights contrasts with the more refined surroundings of the nearby Thrushcross Grange, the residence of the Linton family. This juxtaposition highlights the dichotomy between the two families' socio-economic statuses and the contrasting atmospheres of their respective homes.

Throughout the novel, Wuthering Heights remains an important backdrop for the unfolding tragedies, passions, and vendettas that shape the lives of the characters. Its isolated location contributes to the sense of claustrophobia and intense emotional turmoil that characterizes the story.

In conclusion, the Earnshaws, a central family in Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights," reside in the remote and desolate farmhouse named Wuthering Heights. This gloomy and isolated dwelling on the English moors serves as a crucial setting for the novel's events, encapsulating the intense emotions and conflicts that unfold among the characters who inhabit it.

References:

1. 1. Brontë, E. (2003). Wuthering Heights. Penguin Classics.
   2. Delaney, B. (1990). Family, Society, and Isolation in Wuthering Heights. Nineteenth-Century Fiction, 45(1), 53-67. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/3045045