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The housekeeper Ellen Dean, or we can call her Nelly, tells most of the story. She witnesses the life of the three-generations in the two families. She is a good storyteller but we mustn’t believe all of what she said. She always thinks and considers things in a simple way. She couldn’t understand the deep love between Catherine and Heathcliff. She thinks it is a kind of madness. She is a limited narrator. In a certain way, this helps readers to understand Heathcliff better because he has no chance to defend himself. An outsider will see the whole thing more clearly. However, we should pay more attention not to be affect by her opinions and try to find the truth between the lines.
As a main character Catherine is a paradox. She is attracted by Linton but doesn’t love him. She knows that clearly but she marries Linton without listening to the call of her heart. Many critics believe that what makes her marry Linton is only his high social status and wealth. I think this comment is unfair. In fact, she folly thinks to marry Linton will help Heathcliff “to rise and place him out of my brother’s power.” Her decision ruins herself, Heathcliff and the two families. She has to endure serious suffering because she knows clearly she love Heathcliff whole-heartedly but can’t become his wife. She confesses to Nelly her own thoughts: “…I am Heathcliff—he’s always, always in my mind—not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself—but as my own being…” She loves Heathcliff because he is more like her than herself. His existence is natural to her for they are the same in nature. They could understand each other without obstacles.