The book starts with Mr. Lockwood arriving at Thrushcross Grange, which neighbors Wuthering Heights manor. Nelly Dean, an old housekeeper of the estate, tells the man a sad love story of Mr. Heathcliff and Catherine.
Detailed answer:
Heathcliff is an orphan who was brought into the Earnshaw family. At first, the boy mostly kept to himself and didn’t talk to people. However, after a while, he grew closer to Catherine. Soon Heathcliff and Earnshaw’s daughter became inseparable.
Since childhood, Heathcliff had a bad temper. It didn’t change with time. The boy falls in love with Catherine and is left heartbroken when she marries another man. Heathcliff starts seeking revenge against the Linton family. He blames them for taking Catherine away from him.
During the conversation with Nelly, the housekeeper, Catherine reveals her feelings for Heathcliff. She says that she is in love but can’t marry him due to his social status. After hearing Catherine’s words, the man feels hurt. He leaves Wuthering Heights and comes back after three years. Where Heathcliff spends those three years stays a mystery.
After Catherine marries Edgar, Heathcliff becomes cruel and callous. The death of his beloved later in the novel has an even more substantial effect on Heathcliff. He is now ready to take his revenge.
As a child, Heathcliff had to endure a lot of bullying from Hindley Earnshaw – Catherine’s brother. When he gets the opportunity, he robs the man of the house he inherited. He also gives Hindley’s son Hareton a bad time.
Heathcliff’s insane thirst for revenge reaches its peak when he marries Isabella. He deprives the woman of her family and home. She flees and dies while giving birth to their son Linton.
Years later, when Catherine’s daughter, Cathy, turns seventeen, Heathcliff forces her to marry Linton. Edgar dies due to severe illness. Heathcliff takes custody of Cathy and becomes the only owner of Thrushcross Grange. Linton dies soon after, leaving Cathy a widow. The girl stays with Heathcliff and Hareton. After some time, Hareton and Cathy fall in love. They marry when Heathcliff dies mysteriously.