Wuthering Heights · Character

Joseph

Wuthering Heights' ancient, scripture-quoting servant, whose vinegar tongue and grim piety make him the house's living conscience and chief tormentor.

supporting

Also known as Vinegar-faced Joseph, old Joseph

First appearance: I

As a supporting figure in Wuthering Heights, Joseph is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

An elderly, sour servant at Wuthering Heights who grudgingly takes Lockwood's horse and mutters peevishly.

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Joseph has served the Earnshaws and then Heathcliff for decades, muttering judgments in thick Yorkshire dialect and finding sin in every pleasure. He scolds Catherine for late rambles, resents her followers, and treats any warmth in the house as scandal. His relentless moralizing and petty cruelties give Wuthering Heights much of its oppressive texture, and his voice is a constant reminder of the grim creed that shapes its inhabitants.

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See Joseph in I

Character Web

15 connections

A slice of how Joseph sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Social
Family
Other

Character groups

Core narrative characters
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the dramatic climax because Nelly’s psychological peak of fury and helplessness—calling Heathcliff a “…

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Relationships

Heathcliff
social · ambivalent
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy… How this plays out →
Catherine Linton
social · negative
Hareton Earnshaw
family · ambivalent
Heathcliff
social · ambivalent
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy… How this plays out →
Heathcliff
social · ambivalent
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy… How this plays out →
Catherine Linton
social · negative
Catherine Linton
social · negative
Hareton Earnshaw
family · ambivalent
Hareton Earnshaw
family · ambivalent

Heathcliff
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy alliance at Wuthering Heights.
Catherine Linton
A hostile relationship defined by Joseph's judgmental religious piety and Catherine's rebellious nature.
Hareton Earnshaw
A caretaker relationship where Joseph raises Hareton after Hindley's death, instilling rough manners and superstition.
Heathcliff
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy alliance at Wuthering Heights.
Heathcliff
A shared, grim religious fanaticism and mutual disdain for others creates an uneasy alliance at Wuthering Heights.
Catherine Linton
A hostile relationship defined by Joseph's judgmental religious piety and Catherine's rebellious nature.
Catherine Linton
A hostile relationship defined by Joseph's judgmental religious piety and Catherine's rebellious nature.
Hareton Earnshaw
A caretaker relationship where Joseph raises Hareton after Hindley's death, instilling rough manners and superstition.
Hareton Earnshaw
A caretaker relationship where Joseph raises Hareton after Hindley's death, instilling rough manners and superstition.

Relationship notes

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See Joseph in I

In the story

Joseph appears across 14 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

I
An elderly, sour servant at Wuthering Heights who grudgingly takes Lockwood's horse and mutters peevishly.
Chapter II
Vinegar-faced servant, scolds Catherine, milks cows, raises alarm about the stolen lantern.
III
Caricatured in Catherine's diary as a stern religious figure who forces long sermons.
V
Self-righteous servant who gains influence over Mr. Earnshaw by sermonizing and complaining about Catherine and Heathcliff.
VII
Ordered by Hindley to keep Heathcliff out of the room; refers to the Christmas music as 'devil's psalmody'.
Chapter VIII
One of the few servants who stays at Wuthering Heights, hector over tenants and laborers.
Chapter XVII
Witnesses the aftermath of the fight, prays over the blood, and is pushed by Heathcliff. He later revives Hindley with spirits.
XVIII
Joseph contributes to Hareton's deterioration by flattering him and blaming Heathcliff for his faults. He instills pride of name and lineage in Hareton.
XIX
Arrives at Thrushcross Grange on Heathcliff's orders to demand Linton's return, speaking with sanctimonious authority.
Chapter XX
Joseph serves Linton breakfast and shares in Heathcliff's disdain for the boy.
XXIII
Found sitting by the fire at Wuthering Heights, ignoring Linton's calls for attention.
Chapter XXXII
Disapproves of the growing intimacy between Catherine and Hareton, grumbling about the loss of proper order and the influence of 'witchcraft.'
Chapter XXXIII
Complains bitterly about Catherine's influence on Hareton, accusing her of bewitching him and causing him to uproot currant bushes.
XXXIV
Joseph is mentioned as having complained about the garden's location, and he converses with Heathcliff about farming business.

Chapter companion notes

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See Joseph in I