Northanger Abbey: A Satire
"The night was stormy; the wind had been rising at intervals the whole afternoon; and by the time the party broke up, it blew and rained violently. Catherine, as she crossed the hall, listened to the tempest with sensations of awe; and, when she heard it rage round a corner of the ancient building and close with sudden fury a distant door, felt for the first time that she was really in an abbey." (First night at Northanger Abbey)
Northanger Abbey is a satire of the Gothic romance novel as well as novel of manners. The first volume deals with Catherine Morland’s coming of age through her experiences in Bath. As her mother sends her off she assumes that Catherine is in good hands and won’t have to worry about dangers of the opposite sex. Once in Bath, she meets Miss Isabella Thorpe and a budding friendship forms. In their leisure time the girls consume themselves with Gothic classics such as Anne Radcliffe’s, The Mysteries of Udolpho. When the ladies run into their brothers on the street, love interests prosper on both ends. Although Isabella and James seem smitten with each other, Catherine is less than enthused with John’s courtship. However, as the foursome embark on journey’s together it is through Isabella’s bad influence that the code of manners is broken. Catherine engages in an unchaperoned carriage ride with Isabella's brother which is shunned during this time period. This first volume sets the stage for the forthcoming second volume in which the satire of the Gothic romance novel truly unfolds.
In the second volume, Austen goes to great lengths to create this Gothic satire. Fuller states that Gothic function is “primarily instruction under the guise of entertainment. Like folktales, fairytales, and romance, gothic and sentimental fiction—which draw heavily from these earlier genres—are heavily encoded but richly mimetic reflections of the trials experienced by marginalized, younger members of society” (96). Readers are already aware of the influence of the Gothic novel on Catherine Morland. However, once en route to Northanger Abbey, her head begins to spin in circles at the thought of actually being a guest at this estate. She is filled with a sense of mysticism and wonder. During the carriage ride there, Henry Tilney asks Catherine, “And are you prepared to encounter all the horrors that a building such as ‘what one reads about’ may produce?—Have you a stout heart?—Nerves fit for sliding panels and tapestry?” (107) The ensuing ride is spent with Tilney taunting her about what to expect upon arrival.
Tilney is ultimately fueling her fantasies even more. In his encouragement of Catherine’s mind to run wild, he brings her back down to reality reminding her that they are Christians. It is not until Catherine is actually settled into the Abbey when she becomes confused and is unable to distinguish between reality and a romanticized version of the life she finds in popular novels. Catherine believes she is a puppet in one of Radcliffe’s works. She is positive that General Tilney has either killed his wife or locked her away somewhere. At night she begins to hear things and discovers a secret scroll inside the drawer of a locked chest. “Her fearful curiosity was every moment growing greater; and seizing, with trembling hands, the hasp of the lock, she resolved at all hazards to satisfy herself at least as to its contents” (112). It is here that readers sees the heroine submerged in this fictional Gothic realm drawing from another of Radcliffe's novels, Romance of the Forest. Has she gone mad? Or is this just Austen's way of displaying this Gothic satire in the most eye opening way? Henry eventually sees Catherine sneaking out of his mother’s room and has to wonder why? She is in search of his mother, truly believing she may still be somewhere in the house. All of her crazy notions comically bring to life this Gothic experience. She explains her torment and expresses her views on the General. It wouldn’t be long until he actually lived up to those tainted imaginings (almost).
After a few weeks at Northanger Abbey, Eleanor Tilney rushes to Catherine in a panic. She has to convey the news of Catherine’s banishment from the Abbey. General Tilney was under the preconceived notion that Catherine came from a wealthy inheritance when in reality that was a lie (told by John Thorpe). She is no longer welcome at the estate and must leave immediately, unaccompanied. Although her mother didn't have to worry about her being sexually taken advantage of, the man she had to worry about was in truth someone that she should have been able to trust. “Catherine’s lack of heroic or gothic self-consciousness sustains her through her longest gothic trial of all: General Tilney’s banishing from Northanger. Though Catherine experiences anger, resentment, and misery, she never feels frightened” (Fuller, 95). Fuller furthermore makes the Gothic connection to Eleanor Tilney and her isolation from other women of her class. She claims this is a way of General Tilney to exert power over his children, specifically Eleanor. With the presence of Catherine in the house, Eleanor gains a sense of belonging, yet is still at the beck and call of her father. Not until she marries does she escape the heavy hand of her father.
Overall, Northanger Abbey satirizes the happenings of a true Gothic tale. First, we experience the introduction to and submergence of Catherine into this Gothic realm. Then, the attention is turned over to Eleanor Tilney, who is a true Gothic heroine. It is through Austen’s comical depiction of this genre that we are able to connect with the characters and understand her wit and humor.
Northanger Abbey is a satire of the Gothic romance novel as well as novel of manners. The first volume deals with Catherine Morland’s coming of age through her experiences in Bath. As her mother sends her off she assumes that Catherine is in good hands and won’t have to worry about dangers of the opposite sex. Once in Bath, she meets Miss Isabella Thorpe and a budding friendship forms. In their leisure time the girls consume themselves with Gothic classics such as Anne Radcliffe’s, The Mysteries of Udolpho. When the ladies run into their brothers on the street, love interests prosper on both ends. Although Isabella and James seem smitten with each other, Catherine is less than enthused with John’s courtship. However, as the foursome embark on journey’s together it is through Isabella’s bad influence that the code of manners is broken. Catherine engages in an unchaperoned carriage ride with Isabella's brother which is shunned during this time period. This first volume sets the stage for the forthcoming second volume in which the satire of the Gothic romance novel truly unfolds.
In the second volume, Austen goes to great lengths to create this Gothic satire. Fuller states that Gothic function is “primarily instruction under the guise of entertainment. Like folktales, fairytales, and romance, gothic and sentimental fiction—which draw heavily from these earlier genres—are heavily encoded but richly mimetic reflections of the trials experienced by marginalized, younger members of society” (96). Readers are already aware of the influence of the Gothic novel on Catherine Morland. However, once en route to Northanger Abbey, her head begins to spin in circles at the thought of actually being a guest at this estate. She is filled with a sense of mysticism and wonder. During the carriage ride there, Henry Tilney asks Catherine, “And are you prepared to encounter all the horrors that a building such as ‘what one reads about’ may produce?—Have you a stout heart?—Nerves fit for sliding panels and tapestry?” (107) The ensuing ride is spent with Tilney taunting her about what to expect upon arrival.
Tilney is ultimately fueling her fantasies even more. In his encouragement of Catherine’s mind to run wild, he brings her back down to reality reminding her that they are Christians. It is not until Catherine is actually settled into the Abbey when she becomes confused and is unable to distinguish between reality and a romanticized version of the life she finds in popular novels. Catherine believes she is a puppet in one of Radcliffe’s works. She is positive that General Tilney has either killed his wife or locked her away somewhere. At night she begins to hear things and discovers a secret scroll inside the drawer of a locked chest. “Her fearful curiosity was every moment growing greater; and seizing, with trembling hands, the hasp of the lock, she resolved at all hazards to satisfy herself at least as to its contents” (112). It is here that readers sees the heroine submerged in this fictional Gothic realm drawing from another of Radcliffe's novels, Romance of the Forest. Has she gone mad? Or is this just Austen's way of displaying this Gothic satire in the most eye opening way? Henry eventually sees Catherine sneaking out of his mother’s room and has to wonder why? She is in search of his mother, truly believing she may still be somewhere in the house. All of her crazy notions comically bring to life this Gothic experience. She explains her torment and expresses her views on the General. It wouldn’t be long until he actually lived up to those tainted imaginings (almost).
After a few weeks at Northanger Abbey, Eleanor Tilney rushes to Catherine in a panic. She has to convey the news of Catherine’s banishment from the Abbey. General Tilney was under the preconceived notion that Catherine came from a wealthy inheritance when in reality that was a lie (told by John Thorpe). She is no longer welcome at the estate and must leave immediately, unaccompanied. Although her mother didn't have to worry about her being sexually taken advantage of, the man she had to worry about was in truth someone that she should have been able to trust. “Catherine’s lack of heroic or gothic self-consciousness sustains her through her longest gothic trial of all: General Tilney’s banishing from Northanger. Though Catherine experiences anger, resentment, and misery, she never feels frightened” (Fuller, 95). Fuller furthermore makes the Gothic connection to Eleanor Tilney and her isolation from other women of her class. She claims this is a way of General Tilney to exert power over his children, specifically Eleanor. With the presence of Catherine in the house, Eleanor gains a sense of belonging, yet is still at the beck and call of her father. Not until she marries does she escape the heavy hand of her father.
Overall, Northanger Abbey satirizes the happenings of a true Gothic tale. First, we experience the introduction to and submergence of Catherine into this Gothic realm. Then, the attention is turned over to Eleanor Tilney, who is a true Gothic heroine. It is through Austen’s comical depiction of this genre that we are able to connect with the characters and understand her wit and humor.