Edgar Linton

Edgar Linton is a fictional character in Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights. His role in the story is that of Catherine Earnshaw's husband. He resides at Thrushcross Grange and falls prey to Heathcliff's schemes for revenge against his family.

Edgar is the father of his and Catherine's daughter, Catherine Linton, and the brother of Isabella Linton. He is a foil of Heathcliff as a character, as shown by his tender, gentle, and weak personality as opposed to Heathcliff's savage, tyrannical nature.

Description

Edgar Linton is regarded as the complete opposite of his wife, Catherine Earnshaw, and her foster brother and true love, Heathcliff. With his fair long hair, his pale skin and his blue eyes, Edgar seems to have stumbled out of a Jane Austen novel for the quiet, gentle life he at first leads at Thrushcross Grange, a home of peace and goodwill until Heathcliff's presence fills it. Edgar is said to be constitutionally weak, as is the case throughout the Linton family, and is very distressed when he realizes that he cannot match the fire and passion of his wayward wife and her soul mate. He loves Catherine dearly, despite her passion for Heathcliff, and adores their daughter, named after his wife. When Isabella, his sister, marries Heathcliff, he insists that he will no longer have a relationship with her, and that they are brother and sister only in name. His portrait, perfectly and accurately resembling him, is thus described:

Mrs. Dean raised the candle, and I discerned a soft-featured face, exceedingly resembling the young lady at the Heights, but more pensive and amiable in expression. It formed a sweet picture. The long light hair curled slightly on the temples; the eyes were large and serious; the figure almost too graceful.