Isabella Linton

Isabella Linton is a female character in Emily Bronte's only novel, "Wuthering Heights." She is the sister of Edgar Linton and the wife of Heathcliff.

tory

Isabella Linton was raised in the safe, elegant environment of Thrushcross Grange, with her brother, Edgar. When Catherine Earnshaw of Wuthering Heights suffers an accident at the Grange, the Lintons take her in and make her a lady throuhout the course of five weeks. Both Edgar and Isabella grow close to Catherine, and when she marries Edgar three years later, Isabella and Catherine identify with themselves as sisters and close friends.

However, when Heathcliff returns to the neighborhood to seek revenge on the Lintons becuase of Edgar's marriage with Catherine, his true love, Isabella, who is a slightly shallow woman, grow irresistably attracted to Heathcliff. Catherine, deeply shocked by this, playfully tells Heathcliff Isabella's secret, which enables Heathcliff to see a route of vengeance and pursue it. Isabella, hurt by Catherine's betrayal, grows cold and distant to everyone around her, and despite everyone's opposition at a relationship with Heathcliff, Nelly Dean says she "moped around in the garden" with great distress. Even more nervous is Edgar, who is suspicious of Heathcliff's mysterious return to the neighborhood, but does not know how to confront his suspicious. It then becomes apparent that Heathcliff is seducing Isabella when he "embraces her," much to Catherine's dislike. In defense, Heathcliff reveals to Catherine that he "will have his vengeance," and that he does not love Isabella, for if Catherine wished him to marry her, he "would cut his throat."

One night, it is revealed to Nelly by a servant that Isabella has run off with Heathcliff, although Edgar warns her that if she eloped with him, he would cut off all ties of relationship between the two of them. After several months, the two marry, and Isabella sends a long letter to Nelly.