The Animals
'My caress provoked a long, guttural gnarl.'
Emily Jane Brontë was an animal-lover. Rather than swatting flies she was known to open a door and release them outside. In Wuthering Heights, she christens a total of nine animals (eight dogs, one pony)—these are their stories.
Juno
In an arch under the dresser, reposed a huge, liver-coloured bitch pointer surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies, and other dogs haunted other recesses (Volume I: Chapter I).
In the very first chapter of the novel (set in the autumn of 1801) we meet Juno. Juno resides at Wuthering Heights and according to Heathcliff, “She is not accustomed to being spoiled—not kept for a pet.”
Juno is the sister (and wife) of the god, Jupiter. She is the goddess of love and marriage.
Emily Brontë named Heathcliff’s sentinel Juno and devoted two pages of her only known novel’s first chapter to illustrating how the rustic inhabitants of the Heights prefer the company of northern beasts to that of a city-dwelling southern gentleman.
Gnasher & Wolf
…a pair of grim, shaggy sheepdogs
Gnasher and Wolf are two of whom Grange-tenant Mr. Lockwood refers to as, “half-a-dozen, four-footed fiends, of various sizes and ages…” living at the Heights. In Chapter II, when Lockwood attempts to borrow a lantern, Joseph (the ancient servant) directs them to, “holld him, holld him!” Fortunately for Lockwood:
…the beasts seemed more bent on stretching their paws and yawing and flourishing their tails, than devouring [Lockwood] alive… (Volume I: Chapter I)
Skulker
“Keep fast, Skulker, keep fast!”
We are introduced to Skulker, the bulldog tasked with protecting the local magistrate Linton’s property, Thrushcross Grange (Volume I: Chapter VI).
The bulldog plays an important part in one of the most pivotal early scenes in the novel—when Catherine Earnshaw is literally seized and separated from Heathcliff (and Wuthering Heights), and introduced to the Grange and Edgar Linton.
Fanny
…Miss Isabella’s springer…
In Volume I: Chapter XII, we meet Isabella Linton’s springer spaniel, Fanny.
Fanny endures quite a harrowing experience in this chapter—and for one brief moment, she is mistaken for, a creature of the other world—a ghost!
Throttler
An unexpected aid presently appeared in the shape of Throttler, whom I now recognised as a son of our old Skulker; it had spent its whelphood at the Grange, and was given by my father to Mr. Hindley. I fancy it knew me: it pushed its nose against mine by way of salute, and then hastened to devour the porridge, while I groped from step to step, collecting the shattered earthenware, and drying the spatters of milk from the banister with my pocket-handkerchief.
In Volume I: Chapter XIII, Isabella Linton shares with Nelly Dean, her reunion with Throttler—whom she remembers as a puppy at the Grange—the dog welcomes her at the Heights and takes advantage of the spoils of his former mistress’ violent outburst.
Minny
“And I should delight to look round me from the brow of that tallest point—my little pony, Minny, shall take me some time.”
When Miss Cathy Linton reaches adolescence, she begins to wonder what lies beyond Thrushcross Grange. Spying Penistone Crags from her nursery window she begins to inquire—”And what are those golden rocks like, when you stand under them…and why are they bright so long after it is evening here?” (Volume II: Chapter IV)
It will be Minny, who aids her in exploring, ‘The World of Wuthering Heights.’
Phoenix & Charlie
Phoenix is shut in there. He’s bitten—and so is Charlie… (Volume II: Cahapter IV)
Phoenix and Charlie are Cathy Linton’s pointer dogs and Charlie is the fiercest. When Cathy’s dogs meet up with a pack of canines from the less genteel Heights, it seems Charlie isn’t so fierce, after all.
I love this so much! Juno is a wonderful character and so evocative of the mood of WH