Chapter XXVII Practice Quiz — Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XXVII
Why does Edgar Linton allow Catherine to visit Linton Heathcliff despite being on his deathbed?
Edgar hopes Catherine will have a happy change of scene and draws comfort from believing she will not be entirely alone after his death. He mistakenly thinks Linton resembles him in character.
Why does Nelly Dean not correct Edgar's mistaken impression of Linton's character?
Nelly reasons there is no point in disturbing Edgar's last moments with information he has neither the power nor the opportunity to act upon.
How does Linton Heathcliff behave when Catherine and Nelly arrive on the moors?
He is trembling with fear rather than showing joy. He speaks with difficulty, confesses he is a traitor, and begs Catherine not to leave because his father will kill him.
What is Heathcliff's plan for Catherine and Linton?
Heathcliff plans to force Catherine to marry Linton before Edgar dies, so that he can claim Thrushcross Grange through Linton's inheritance rights.
What happens when Catherine tries to take the key from Heathcliff?
She snatches the key from his hand, but Heathcliff grabs her, pulls her onto his knee, and strikes her violently on both sides of her head. He then reclaims the key.
How does Linton's behavior change once he is safely inside Wuthering Heights?
He becomes calm, selfish, and petty—demanding tea, dismissing Nelly, and casually revealing the marriage scheme. His terror vanishes once he is no longer under direct threat from his father.
What does Heathcliff mean when he says he'd enjoy a "slow vivisection" of the two young people?
He is expressing sadistic cruelty, saying that if laws were less strict, he would torture Catherine and Linton for his own amusement. This reveals his villainy has gone beyond revenge into pure malice.
How does Catherine appeal to Heathcliff's humanity?
She kneels before him, tells him she does not hate him or resent being struck, and asks if he has ever loved anybody in his life. She tries to provoke his pity, but he brutally rejects her.
What do the locked doors and narrow windows of Wuthering Heights symbolize in this chapter?
They symbolize entrapment and the cycle of abuse. Heathcliff, once imprisoned by Hindley, now imprisons the next generation in the same house, showing how revenge perpetuates suffering.
What happens to Nelly Dean after the night of imprisonment?
Heathcliff separates her from Catherine the next morning and keeps her locked in Zillah's room for five full days, with only Hareton bringing food once daily.
How do three servants from the Grange almost rescue Catherine and Nelly?
Three servants come to the garden gate searching for them, but Heathcliff goes out and turns them away. Catherine and Nelly do not call out in time, missing their chance at rescue.
What legal threat does Nelly make against Heathcliff?
Nelly tells him there is law in the land and that his actions constitute "felony without benefit of clergy," meaning a serious crime for which he could be hanged.