Northanger Abbey Jane Austen

As in all of Austen's novels, the subjects of society, status, behavior, and morality are addressed. Northanger Abbey, however, being chronologically the first novel completed by Austen (though revised later in her life), is notably considered a "point of departure" from her other work as a result of the "boldness with which it flaunts its . . . deceptive air of simplicity with broad, bold humour".[20]

Love, marriage and high society

Throughout Northanger Abbey, Austen demonstrates the ways in which women are socially and economically disadvantaged.[21] Beth Lau demonstrates how Austen depicts Isabella wanting to be of higher status by choosing Captain Tilney over James Morland.[22] Isabella tries to shop around in marriage market even though she does not have any choices to make.[23] In doing so, she is turning herself into a commodity with nothing to offer.[24] The washing bill that Catherine finds in the abbey works to highlight the disadvantaged position women hold to men economically.[25] It is because of women that men's economic position advances.[25] To contrast the lack of choice women have in the economy, Austen uses the novel to give women a choice.[26] Catherine is able to consume/buy novels rather than be a participant/commodity.[23] Eleanor, however, is trapped within patriarchy through her selection to read masculine history instead of novels.[27]

Both General Tilney and Captain Tilney work as examples of superficiality within the high society.[28][29] With General Tilney, it is evident throughout the novel, but a specific clue is his obsession with fine China.[29] This obsession showcases his greed and superficiality.[29] For Frederick, known as "The Captain," he represents Society's dual standards for behavior for men and women.[30] Captain Tilney refuses to dance with any of the women as a result of his disregard for them.[28] Because of his higher status, he believes he is better than the women present.[28] He also adds to the mystique of the Tilney family: Like father, Like son.[30] Frederick's actions make Henry and Eleanor more sympathetic characters and his ruining of Isabella does the same for her character.[30] Henry makes it clear that Captain Tilney is just using Isabella since he would not marry someone in a lower status.[28] Regina Jeffers notes that many readers perceive Frederick as nothing but selfish, greedy, and conniving.[30]

When Henry tries to dissuade Catherine of her Gothic-inspired notions that General Tilney is a murderer, he cites male authors that were so influential in establishing rules of proper conduct.[31] This is an attempt to try to dismiss one genre that was popular with women with another genre that was popular with men.[31] Austen uses this discourse of the essays as an example of imposing power over women by using a type of language that limits what one may think.[32] Henry's speech is that expected of a polite society in Britain at the time.[33] The ingenue Catherine is unfamiliar with the ways of a polite society.[34] Henry establishes himself as worthy of being Catherine's husband in his role as a "lover mentor" who teaches Catherine the ways of polite society to allow her to eventually fit in.[34]

Life lived as in a Gothic novel

By creating a heroine who is an ordinary girl,[35] Austen is upending the traditional role of Gothic heroines.[36] The way for Catherine to find happiness in her life is by having an ordinary one, not one full of Gothic fantasy.[37] When Catherine fears that General Tilney murdered his wife, these ideas stem from her knowledge of Gothic novels.[38] Her fears of fantastical evil prove to be false, but the book ends with her discovery of a realistic evil surrounding economic propositions.[36] Once Catherine faces reality, she is able to find happiness.[37] When General Tilney kicks Catherine out of the abbey, she leaves easily, acting inwardly rather than outwardly.[36] Waldo S. Glock argues that this is a display of her genuineness instead of sentimentality.[36] Catherine's internal display of sadness showcases how she is not a typical Gothic heroine.[36] To contrast her, Isabella Thorpe acts more accurately as a Gothic heroine.[36] Because of her insincerity, Isabella is more at danger to Gothic disillusionment and sentimental notions.[36]

Austen uses elements of Gothic fiction as a tool to help showcase portions of the marriage plot.[39] This is evident with the use of the cabinet at the abbey.[39] When Henry comes up with a Gothic story to tease Catherine, he makes a joke about the narrator overlooking a cabinet that is crucial to the made-up story as a way to create tension.[39] The act of overlooking a key detail is similar to the manner that marriage plots conceal information to build suspense.[39] Gothic fiction also helps reveal negative aspects of marriage that are not as obvious in a traditional courtship plot.[40]

Northanger Abbey is a parody of Gothic fiction.[41] One way that Austen achieves this is through the washing bill that Catherine finds in the abbey.[42] Catherine thinks that there is an elaborate story behind the washing bills, but it leads to no big discovery.[42] Austen reverses the expectation in Gothic fiction for there to be some sort of depth to a story with the washing bills.[43] It also showcases Catherine as a victim of the economy for believing that the washing bill contained a larger story than it actually did.[44] Susan Zlotnick highlights that it is common for Gothic novels to portray women as victims to the economy.[44] Another way that Austen satirizes Gothic fiction is through the cabinet that Catherine finds the washing bills in.[41] The cabinet is from Japan which plays on the Gothic idea of exoticism.[41] It removes the exaggerated exotic feature to the scope of the room instead.[41] In contrast, Robert Irvine, a British critic, argues that the interpretation of the novel as a complete satire of the Gothic genre is problematic even though parts of the book do satirize the Gothic novels popular in the 18th century.[45] Northanger Abbey makes fun of the silliness of Gothic fiction but also praises it and depends on it to tell the story.[46][47]

Bildungsroman

The story begins with the narrator remarking that the heroine is not really a heroine.[48] The narrator describes Catherine as not especially clever, nor a great beauty, and good without being virtuous.[48] When the narrator has anything positive to say about Catherine, it is attached with the adjective "extraordinary."[48] Austen uses this term ironically since Catherine's traits are actually rather ordinary.[48] Another aspect of Catherine that makes her seem not really like a heroine is that she does not have any ambitions outside of being with Henry.[49] Because she actually has ambitions, Isabella appears more like a heroine, but it is those ambitions that turn her into a comedic villain.[49] By creating a protagonist who does not fit the traditional role of a heroine, Austen is satirizing how women were portrayed in contemporary literature.[48]

At the beginning of the novel, Catherine has a hard time interpreting the actions of the people around her, especially Isabella.[50] She does not understand Isabella's contradictory actions because she can not understand that there is a double meaning to what Isabella says.[50] This creates confusion for Catherine which forces her to realize that she should not rely solely on others who are negative influences, such as Isabella.[51] Her inability to understand Isabella's contradictory actions has to do with Catherine's inability to grasp both the fictional and the real world.[52] However, Catherine develops to realize that she should be an independent thinker.[51]

Though Austen greatly encourages reading novels to her audience, Catherine must learn to separate life from fiction and to rein in her very active imagination.[53] By focusing only on Gothic novels, Catherine is not able to interact with others properly.[54] On the other hand, it is her novel reading that transforms her into a heroine and causes her to be an active character.[55] Henry also plays a role in Catherine's development from his teachings.[56] By the end of the novel, Catherine understands that people are not completely good nor completely bad.[57] For example, she does not see Henry as without any faults.[57] She recognizes that he has a superior attitude towards those he thinks are less than him.[57]

The value of reading

Northanger Abbey is a story about reading novels.[58] Laura Jeanne Baudot highlights this point through the discussion of the washing bill Catherine finds in a cabinet at the abbey.[58] Through the washing bill, Austen draws the audience's attention to the clothes that the fantasy man who marries Eleanor wears.[59] Austen is forcing the audience to conjure up a cliché image of what the man looks like.[59] In doing so, Austen is reminding the audience of their current act of reading.[59] The body of the man reminds the audience of the physical act of reading a book.[59] It is clear that Austen is defending novel reading.[60] Specifically, Henry Tilney, the hero of Northanger Abbey,[61] is an ideal reader.[62] Jodi L. Wyett classifies Henry as an idyllic reader because of his large knowledge about different texts from different genres.[62] This flips the gender hierarchy by showing men as novel readers instead of women.[63] An early sign that Henry Tilney is the hero instead of John Thorpe is that the former likes to read books while the latter does not.[61] John Thorpe's lack of interest in reading novels, specifically in reading Radcliffe's novels, makes him boorish.[64] It is hard for Catherine to connect with him because Catherine uses novels as a conversation starter.[64]

The importance of time

Various scholars such as the French historian Michel Foucault and the British Marxist E.P. Thompson have argued that the 18th century became the "era of the clock" as availability of mass-produced clocks and watches allowed time to be measured more accurately.[65] From these devices creating a new increased emphasis on time management, Thompson called this era the beginning of "time discipline."[65] As a result of living in the new era of "time discipline," Austen frequently uses clocks as symbols of General Tilney's authority over Northanger Abbey.[66] General Tilney is always checking his watch and is most insistent that the servants as well as his own family observe the clocks to make sure they are on time.[67] Because of the importance of staying on schedule, even when General Tilney is not around, clocks serve as a symbol of his power as Catherine finds herself always checking the time.[68] After arriving at Northanger Abbey, Catherine discovers that everything at the abbey happens on a strict schedule because of General Tilney.[69] This is a marked difference from Catherine's lax attitude that she displays in Bath.[69] Catherine compares General Tilney to a clock, as something inhuman and mechanical that operates with no regard to the human body.[70] When Catherine visits the kitchen at Northanger Abbey, she notes that it is equipped with all manner of "modern" cooking equipment and that the cooks work in an efficient manner like soldiers performing a drill.[71] This is a direct reflection of the General's wish to have everything ordered.[71]