Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey

1. Education

   • Catherine= initially niave... has a lot to learn about society
   • Henry= teases her and therefore teaches her how ridiculous her Gothic fancies are.
   • Mainly comes from experience

2. Reading

   • The narrator constantly reminds the reader that the story is a work of fiction
   • Her reading causes her to act like a Gothic heroine
     • General Tilney = seen as a Gothic hero
   • An escape
   • Recognises Isabella's duplicity
   • Gets reality and fiction mixed up
     • Austen intwines them

3. Imagination and Sense

   • Initially lacks imagination
   • Judges people's actions by her own experience
   • Defending the novel
     • Much to be learnt from them e.g. Catherine knows that there's something awry and sinister about G. Tilney
   • Her Gothic fancies are constantly being domesticated
     • The list
     • General Tilney's malice

4. Consumer Culture

   • Many characters define themselves by the abundance of their possessions and judge other on theirs
     • Mrs Allen and clothes
     • General Tilney on his house
     • Isabella and hats

5. Gothic

   • Eleanor
     • Completely powerless despite being mistress of the hose
     • Mother is dead
     • Kept imprisoned and lonely in her own house
     • Rescued by a rich suitor
   • Enlightenment
     • Catherine= not rational at first, then is enlightened by Henry
   • Female Gothic
     • Psychological terror
     • Supernatural explained away