Question

Why does Catherine say she cannot marry Heathcliff?

• A. He is already married
• B. He is too wild and dangerous
• C. He lacks social status and education
• D. Her brother forbids it

Answer 1

Answer:

C. He lacks social status and education

In that famous conversation with Nelly, Catherine says:

"It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him..."

She believes that marrying Edgar Linton, who is refined and wealthy, will elevate her socially — even though her soul is bound to Heathcliff. Her choice reflects the tension between love and social ambition, and it’s this decision that sets the tragic events of the novel in motion.

Such a heartbreaking moment — and one that shows how much the novel critiques class structure and societal expectations.