Cow

Cows are a constant, unremarkable presence in the daily life of Wuthering Heights, part of the working farm that forms the backdrop to the novel's intense human conflicts. They appear in the margins of several crucial scenes, their mundane reality serving as a foil to the extraordinary emotional turmoil of the characters.

Cows as Part of the Farm Economy

Cows are integral to the self-sufficient economy of Wuthering Heights. Joseph, the sour and pious servant, is often seen attending to them. He is described milking cows by lantern light, a task that places him within earshot of the household's disputes. The dairy is a functional space, and the milk produced is a staple of the household diet, used for porridge and other meals. When Isabella Linton first arrives at Wuthering Heights as Heathcliff's bride, she finds Hareton drinking milk directly from a gallon pitcher, a detail that underscores the rough, unrefined nature of the household she has entered. The cows are also a source of labor; Hareton is tasked with driving sheep into the barn porch, and the general work of the farm, including tending to the cattle, is a constant obligation that structures the days of the inhabitants.

Cows in Moments of Crisis and Contrast

The presence of cows often punctuates moments of high tension, providing a stark contrast between the natural, cyclical world of the farm and the chaotic, destructive passions of the people. During the violent thunderstorm that follows Heathcliff's departure, the storm's fury is so great that it splits a tree and knocks down a portion of the chimney. In the aftermath, the mundane reality of the farm reasserts itself: Joseph, having survived the storm, returns to his work, and the cows, indifferent to the human drama, continue to need milking. Similarly, when Catherine Earnshaw is delirious and near death, her mind wanders to the farm life of her childhood. She speaks of a lapwing's nest and of Heathcliff setting a trap over it, but her rambling also touches on the cows, imagining Nelly Dean as an old woman gathering elf-bolts to hurt the heifers. This connection shows how deeply the farm and its animals are woven into her identity, even as she is dying.

Cows as a Symbol of Degradation and Neglect

The state of the cows and the dairy can also reflect the moral and physical decay of Wuthering Heights. Under Hindley Earnshaw's dissolute rule, the house falls into neglect. The once-brilliant pewter dishes become tarnished and dusty, and the general air of disrepair extends to the farm's operations. When Isabella arrives, she finds the kitchen a "dingy, untidy hole," a far cry from the well-ordered home she knew at Thrushcross Grange. The cows, as part of this neglected environment, are no longer tended with the same care. Later, under Heathcliff's tyrannical ownership, the farm continues to function, but the atmosphere is one of grim duty rather than wholesome labor. The cows are simply part of the machinery of the estate, their presence a reminder of the relentless, grinding work that sustains the house and its bitter master.

Cows in the Final Peace

In the novel's final, peaceful resolution, the cows are part of the restored harmony. After Heathcliff's death, Hareton Earnshaw and the younger Catherine Linton are reconciled and plan to marry. The farm, once a site of cruelty and oppression, becomes a place of potential happiness. The cows, no longer symbols of neglect or grim labor, are simply part of the pastoral landscape that now promises a future of domestic contentment. The final image of the novel, with the three headstones on the moor, is one of quiet, and the cows, grazing on the nearby hills, are part of that enduring, natural peace.