Northanger Abbey
The heroine is Catherine Morland. She's eighteen years old, a little silly, innocent, enthusiastic, good-natured, and honest. Sometimes she's pretty, sometimes she's plain; sometime's she's smart, sometimes she's stupid. It changes a lot. Catherine is in a family of ten in the countryside, and jumps at the chance to visit Bath with two friends of the family, Mr. and Mrs. Allen. They are very wealthy and childless. It's a traditional Austen pairing of the sensible man with the silly woman-- Mr. Allen gives Catherine a lot of good advice, but Mrs. Allen only ever thinks about clothing. For a while, Mrs. Allen and Catherine are fairly uncomfortable in Bath. They have no friends at balls or in the Assembly Rooms. Luckily, they are soon introduced to a young man named Henry Tilney. He is 26 years old, moderately handsome, intelligent, well-read, witty, and a little condescending. Catherine dances with him and immediately is taken with him, but little happens to advance the relationship for a while, as he rather suddenly leaves Bath.
Mrs. Allen runs into a school-friend named Mrs. Thorpe. Mrs. Thorpe has several daughters and a son, John Thorpe, who turns out to be a school-friend of Catherine's brother James. One of these daughters, Isabella, is incredibly beautiful and incredibly insincere. Catherine is blind to the insincerity and the two of them quickly become fast friends. One of their favorite pasttimes is reading Gothic novels, like The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. Austen gives a spirited rant in support of the novel, calling all female novelists to support one another. While Catherine and Isabella are talking in the Pump-Room, Isabella spies two young men looking at her. She is angry at their impertinence. When they leave the room, she immediately resolves to show how impervious she is to their impertinence by following them. However, as Catherine and Isabella are crossing the street, they run into John Thorpe and James Morland. They all go home, and Catherine is put off by John Thorpe's vulgar manners. That night, the whole party attends a ball at the Upper-Rooms. Catherine agrees to be John Thorpe's partner for the night, and so is mortified when Henry Tilney comes to the ball and asks her to dance, and she must refuse him. She is pleased, however, to meet his sister Eleanor. The evening is unpleasant for Catherine, but she starts the next day full of hope.
She plans to go to the Pump-Room to try to find Miss Tilney and continue their acquaintance, but her brother and John and Isabella Thorpe come in the early afternoon to collect her for a ride. John continues to be vulgar during the ride, first asking Catherine about Mr. Allen's wealth and then professing himself a fan of getting drunk. The drive doesn't go anywhere in particular, and Catherine is miserable-- only to grow more miserable when she returns home and Mrs. Allen tells her that she met the Tilneys out walking earlier that day. The next day they all go to the theatre and the Pump-Room, where Catherine sees Miss Tilney. The two of them talk and get along very well, and Catherine accidentally reveals to Miss Tilney her love for Henry-- "they parteed-- on Miss Tilney's side with some knowledge of her new acquaintance's deelings, and on Catherine's, without the smallest consciousness of having explained them" (46). By the way, what a well-constructed sentence. All goes even better at the ball the next evening, because Henry asks Catherine to dance again and now she is free to accept. John Thorpe annoys her a bit, causing Henry to liken him to an adulterer-- he says that a couple dancing together is like one married. Catherine sees General Tilney, Eleanor and Henry's father, and is invited to go for a walk with Eleanor and Henry the next day, if it does not rain.
It does rain briefly the next day. When the Tilneys do not come for her, Catherine resolves to wait, thinking that the mud might have put them off. But her brother and the Thorpes come to claim her for another ride. Catherine tries to refuse them, but is forced to come-- literally-- when John Thorpe tells her that he saw the Tilneys driving out of town on his way to pick Catherine up. Catherine believes that they are not coming to collect her, then, and decides to come with the other party. However, as they drive down the street, they pass the Tilneys walking by, who both look at Catherine with some surprise. Catherine immediately tells John Thorpe to stop and let her out, but he only speeds up. Catherine is horrified and angry and miserable, and the party doesn't even reach the castle they meant to go to. They all spend the evening at the Thorpes's house, and Catherine spends most of the time very discontent.
The next day, Catherine goes to the Tilneys's lodgings and is told that Miss Tilney is out. She leaves her card, and sees General and Miss Tilney leaving as she heads down the street. She is mortified that she has offended Miss Tilney so. That night, she goes to the theatre with the Allens, and sees Henry Tilney in another box. He bows to her coldly, without a smile, and comes around to their box when the play is over. Catherine is eager to explain her mistake:
"'Oh! Mr. Tilney, I have been quite wild to speak to you, and make my apologies. You must have thought me so rude; but indeed it was not my own fault,-- was it, Mrs. Allen? Did not they tell me that Mr. Tilney and his sister were gone out in a phaeton together? and then what could I do? But I had ten thousand times rather have been with you; now had not I, Mrs. Allen?'
'My dear, you tumble my gown,' was Mrs. Allen's reply." (61)
Henry Tilney appreciates her honesty and earnestness, and soon forgives her-- "Is there a Henry in the world who could be insensible to such a declaration?" (61) He also explains that Eleanor only left the house in such a strange fashion because she and the general were just leaving as Catherine arrived, and he told Eleanor to have the servant say that they were not at home. The two get on very well, and the walk is planned to take place soon. Catherine looks at the Tilneys's box, and sees John Thorpe speaking to the general. Henry leaves her and John Thorpe comes back, and says that the general is impressed with Catherine.
In a few days, James Morland and the Thorpes decide that another drive should take place. Catherine is talking to Miss Tilney, and has just decided to go for the walk on the same day as the planned drive. When she tells the others this, they tell her to change her plans and come with them, but Catherine refuses to act against her wishes and be so incivil a second time. John Thorpe steals away and tells the Tilneys that Catherine can't make it, and then returns to the group and gladly tells them that Catherine's excuses have been made. Catherine is, understandably, livid and immediately goes back to the Tilneys to tell them that a mistake was made and she will be coming with them on the walk. The Thorpes try to stop her, of course, and say that the Tilneys are long gone and she cannot catch up with them. Catherine says, "Then I will go after them, [...] wherever they are I will go after them. It does not signify talking" (67). And she does indeed go, running down the street. She catches up with them and is introduced to the general and invited to dinner, which she refuses because the Allens are expecting her.
The next day, Catherine and the Tilneys go for the walk on the Beechen Cliff. They discuss books and Henry says that he reads novels. The day is perfect. The next day, Isabella meets with Catherine to make her apologies and tells her that she and James are engaged. Catherine is thrilled. James Morland rides off to visit his family and gain their permission to marry Isabella. He soons returns with their blessing. John Thorpe corners Catherine and hints at his own love of her and desire to marry, which she does not understand and dismisses. Catherine soon goes to visit the Tilneys, to dine with them, and is disappointed by General Tilney. He stifles his children and makes her feel uncomfortable; he is very stately, but also cold and flatters her bizarrely often.
Catherine's brother does return soon, but has not returned yet-- and Isabella proves how inconstant she is immediately. Henry Tilney's brother, Captain Tilney, arrives and is very suave and handsome. He is introduced to Isabella at the ball, and although she pretends that she does not want to dance, she finally agrees to it. Catherine expresses her surprise and disappointment to Henry, and Henry admires her innocence. Isabella receives a letter from James the next day. His father has consented, and he has received four hundred pounds a year. It's not a massive amount of wealth, but for one of ten children, it's not bad. Isabella is disappointed by it, however, and does little to mask her feelings. Catherine becomes nervous, but Isabella then blames her feelings on having to wait, when she would like to marry so much sooner, and Catherine is less uneasy. James comes back to Bath.
The Allens's visit is drawing to an end, but they decide to extend it for a little bit longer, and Catherine is ecstatic. Then Miss Tilney reveals that she and her family are leaving for Northanger Abbey, their country home, and Catherine is sad. Then Catherine is invited by Miss Tilney to come to Northanger Abbey, and Catherine is ecstatic again. Isabella tells Catherine that John is in love with her and Catherine is shocked. Catherine is even more shocked when she hears Isabella flirting with Captain Tilney in a way unsuitable for an engaged woman. Henry attempts to reassure her, although not in the most reassuring fashion, and Catherine is put at ease-- kind of.
She soon leaves for Northanger Abbey with the Tilneys. General Tilney still makes her feel uncomfortable. Henry feeds on Catherine's romantic associations with the word "abbey," creating in her mind all sorts of Gothic scenarios that could happen in her new home. Catherine's first mistake, based on Henry's stories, is when she sees a heavy chest in her bedroom. Expecting a skeleton or something of the sort inside, she opens it with trembling fingers, and finds it full of spare sheets. That night is stormy, and Catherine is frightened-- she is even more frightened when she sees an old wardrobe in a corner matching the description of one from Henry's story. She finds some paper in the wardrobe, and believes it to be a manuscript. Her candle goes out!
The next morning, she realizes that the paper is a laundry receipt.
She has a conversation with Henry about the ability to learn, particularly learning to love. Henry says, "I am pleased you have learnt to love a hyacinth. The mere habit of learning to love is the thing; and a teachableness of disposition in a young lady is a great blessing.-- Has my sister a pleasant mode of instruction?" (122) Subtle, Jane Austen. Subtle. Henry leaves for his own home in Woodston for a few days, and General Tilney shows Catherine around the house. Eleanor intends to show Catherine her dead mother's room, but the general stops her. Catherine asks Eleanor to do it later, but this is again interrupted. Catherine by this time believes that General Tilney murdered his wife and sneaks into the rooms by herself. Suddenly, Henry Tilney comes up the stairs into the room and Catherine exclaims, "Mr. Tilney! [...] Good God! [...] How came you here?-- how came you up that staircase?" (137). He, of course, takes the staircase because it is the shortest route to his room. He has returned unexpectedly early from Woodston. He knows why she is there, and she is ashamed, and chastises herself for her thoughts. Austen gives the basic premise of her book in the next few pages-- that this is not a Gothic novel, and why it cannot be.
Catherine receives a letter from her brother, informing her that Isabella and he have dissolved the engagement, based on her flirtation with Captain Tilney. The Tilneys note Catherine's distress and question her on it, and she hints at what has happened and then confesses all. The Tilneys know their brother will not marry Isabella, although Catherine thinks that he must. Henry leaves for Woodston again, but invites the family to come visit him, which they do. Catherine is enchanted by it. Soon after they return to Northanger Abbey, General Tilney expels Catherine from it with no courtesy. Eleanor doesn't understand it. Catherine goes home, ashamed of being left, and wishing that Henry weren't still at Woodston. Her parents are glad to have her back, and are dismayed at General Tilney's rudeness. Catherine receives a letter from Isabella begging forgiveness, but dismisses it, as she now sees Isabella for what she truly is. Henry Tilney comes and proposes to Catherine-- he tells her that his father thought she was rich (he was told so by John Thorpe) and expelled her when he learned that she was not so, and when Henry arrived back at Northanger Abbey and found out what had happened, he was indignant and went after her for his love and a sense of honor. Catherine accepts, and her family is happy but refuses to allow the marriage until General Tilney gives his consent. He finally does, and Eleanor marries happily, and so do Catherine and Henry.
Mrs. Allen runs into a school-friend named Mrs. Thorpe. Mrs. Thorpe has several daughters and a son, John Thorpe, who turns out to be a school-friend of Catherine's brother James. One of these daughters, Isabella, is incredibly beautiful and incredibly insincere. Catherine is blind to the insincerity and the two of them quickly become fast friends. One of their favorite pasttimes is reading Gothic novels, like The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. Austen gives a spirited rant in support of the novel, calling all female novelists to support one another. While Catherine and Isabella are talking in the Pump-Room, Isabella spies two young men looking at her. She is angry at their impertinence. When they leave the room, she immediately resolves to show how impervious she is to their impertinence by following them. However, as Catherine and Isabella are crossing the street, they run into John Thorpe and James Morland. They all go home, and Catherine is put off by John Thorpe's vulgar manners. That night, the whole party attends a ball at the Upper-Rooms. Catherine agrees to be John Thorpe's partner for the night, and so is mortified when Henry Tilney comes to the ball and asks her to dance, and she must refuse him. She is pleased, however, to meet his sister Eleanor. The evening is unpleasant for Catherine, but she starts the next day full of hope.
She plans to go to the Pump-Room to try to find Miss Tilney and continue their acquaintance, but her brother and John and Isabella Thorpe come in the early afternoon to collect her for a ride. John continues to be vulgar during the ride, first asking Catherine about Mr. Allen's wealth and then professing himself a fan of getting drunk. The drive doesn't go anywhere in particular, and Catherine is miserable-- only to grow more miserable when she returns home and Mrs. Allen tells her that she met the Tilneys out walking earlier that day. The next day they all go to the theatre and the Pump-Room, where Catherine sees Miss Tilney. The two of them talk and get along very well, and Catherine accidentally reveals to Miss Tilney her love for Henry-- "they parteed-- on Miss Tilney's side with some knowledge of her new acquaintance's deelings, and on Catherine's, without the smallest consciousness of having explained them" (46). By the way, what a well-constructed sentence. All goes even better at the ball the next evening, because Henry asks Catherine to dance again and now she is free to accept. John Thorpe annoys her a bit, causing Henry to liken him to an adulterer-- he says that a couple dancing together is like one married. Catherine sees General Tilney, Eleanor and Henry's father, and is invited to go for a walk with Eleanor and Henry the next day, if it does not rain.
It does rain briefly the next day. When the Tilneys do not come for her, Catherine resolves to wait, thinking that the mud might have put them off. But her brother and the Thorpes come to claim her for another ride. Catherine tries to refuse them, but is forced to come-- literally-- when John Thorpe tells her that he saw the Tilneys driving out of town on his way to pick Catherine up. Catherine believes that they are not coming to collect her, then, and decides to come with the other party. However, as they drive down the street, they pass the Tilneys walking by, who both look at Catherine with some surprise. Catherine immediately tells John Thorpe to stop and let her out, but he only speeds up. Catherine is horrified and angry and miserable, and the party doesn't even reach the castle they meant to go to. They all spend the evening at the Thorpes's house, and Catherine spends most of the time very discontent.
The next day, Catherine goes to the Tilneys's lodgings and is told that Miss Tilney is out. She leaves her card, and sees General and Miss Tilney leaving as she heads down the street. She is mortified that she has offended Miss Tilney so. That night, she goes to the theatre with the Allens, and sees Henry Tilney in another box. He bows to her coldly, without a smile, and comes around to their box when the play is over. Catherine is eager to explain her mistake:
"'Oh! Mr. Tilney, I have been quite wild to speak to you, and make my apologies. You must have thought me so rude; but indeed it was not my own fault,-- was it, Mrs. Allen? Did not they tell me that Mr. Tilney and his sister were gone out in a phaeton together? and then what could I do? But I had ten thousand times rather have been with you; now had not I, Mrs. Allen?'
'My dear, you tumble my gown,' was Mrs. Allen's reply." (61)
Henry Tilney appreciates her honesty and earnestness, and soon forgives her-- "Is there a Henry in the world who could be insensible to such a declaration?" (61) He also explains that Eleanor only left the house in such a strange fashion because she and the general were just leaving as Catherine arrived, and he told Eleanor to have the servant say that they were not at home. The two get on very well, and the walk is planned to take place soon. Catherine looks at the Tilneys's box, and sees John Thorpe speaking to the general. Henry leaves her and John Thorpe comes back, and says that the general is impressed with Catherine.
In a few days, James Morland and the Thorpes decide that another drive should take place. Catherine is talking to Miss Tilney, and has just decided to go for the walk on the same day as the planned drive. When she tells the others this, they tell her to change her plans and come with them, but Catherine refuses to act against her wishes and be so incivil a second time. John Thorpe steals away and tells the Tilneys that Catherine can't make it, and then returns to the group and gladly tells them that Catherine's excuses have been made. Catherine is, understandably, livid and immediately goes back to the Tilneys to tell them that a mistake was made and she will be coming with them on the walk. The Thorpes try to stop her, of course, and say that the Tilneys are long gone and she cannot catch up with them. Catherine says, "Then I will go after them, [...] wherever they are I will go after them. It does not signify talking" (67). And she does indeed go, running down the street. She catches up with them and is introduced to the general and invited to dinner, which she refuses because the Allens are expecting her.
The next day, Catherine and the Tilneys go for the walk on the Beechen Cliff. They discuss books and Henry says that he reads novels. The day is perfect. The next day, Isabella meets with Catherine to make her apologies and tells her that she and James are engaged. Catherine is thrilled. James Morland rides off to visit his family and gain their permission to marry Isabella. He soons returns with their blessing. John Thorpe corners Catherine and hints at his own love of her and desire to marry, which she does not understand and dismisses. Catherine soon goes to visit the Tilneys, to dine with them, and is disappointed by General Tilney. He stifles his children and makes her feel uncomfortable; he is very stately, but also cold and flatters her bizarrely often.
Catherine's brother does return soon, but has not returned yet-- and Isabella proves how inconstant she is immediately. Henry Tilney's brother, Captain Tilney, arrives and is very suave and handsome. He is introduced to Isabella at the ball, and although she pretends that she does not want to dance, she finally agrees to it. Catherine expresses her surprise and disappointment to Henry, and Henry admires her innocence. Isabella receives a letter from James the next day. His father has consented, and he has received four hundred pounds a year. It's not a massive amount of wealth, but for one of ten children, it's not bad. Isabella is disappointed by it, however, and does little to mask her feelings. Catherine becomes nervous, but Isabella then blames her feelings on having to wait, when she would like to marry so much sooner, and Catherine is less uneasy. James comes back to Bath.
The Allens's visit is drawing to an end, but they decide to extend it for a little bit longer, and Catherine is ecstatic. Then Miss Tilney reveals that she and her family are leaving for Northanger Abbey, their country home, and Catherine is sad. Then Catherine is invited by Miss Tilney to come to Northanger Abbey, and Catherine is ecstatic again. Isabella tells Catherine that John is in love with her and Catherine is shocked. Catherine is even more shocked when she hears Isabella flirting with Captain Tilney in a way unsuitable for an engaged woman. Henry attempts to reassure her, although not in the most reassuring fashion, and Catherine is put at ease-- kind of.
She soon leaves for Northanger Abbey with the Tilneys. General Tilney still makes her feel uncomfortable. Henry feeds on Catherine's romantic associations with the word "abbey," creating in her mind all sorts of Gothic scenarios that could happen in her new home. Catherine's first mistake, based on Henry's stories, is when she sees a heavy chest in her bedroom. Expecting a skeleton or something of the sort inside, she opens it with trembling fingers, and finds it full of spare sheets. That night is stormy, and Catherine is frightened-- she is even more frightened when she sees an old wardrobe in a corner matching the description of one from Henry's story. She finds some paper in the wardrobe, and believes it to be a manuscript. Her candle goes out!
The next morning, she realizes that the paper is a laundry receipt.
She has a conversation with Henry about the ability to learn, particularly learning to love. Henry says, "I am pleased you have learnt to love a hyacinth. The mere habit of learning to love is the thing; and a teachableness of disposition in a young lady is a great blessing.-- Has my sister a pleasant mode of instruction?" (122) Subtle, Jane Austen. Subtle. Henry leaves for his own home in Woodston for a few days, and General Tilney shows Catherine around the house. Eleanor intends to show Catherine her dead mother's room, but the general stops her. Catherine asks Eleanor to do it later, but this is again interrupted. Catherine by this time believes that General Tilney murdered his wife and sneaks into the rooms by herself. Suddenly, Henry Tilney comes up the stairs into the room and Catherine exclaims, "Mr. Tilney! [...] Good God! [...] How came you here?-- how came you up that staircase?" (137). He, of course, takes the staircase because it is the shortest route to his room. He has returned unexpectedly early from Woodston. He knows why she is there, and she is ashamed, and chastises herself for her thoughts. Austen gives the basic premise of her book in the next few pages-- that this is not a Gothic novel, and why it cannot be.
Catherine receives a letter from her brother, informing her that Isabella and he have dissolved the engagement, based on her flirtation with Captain Tilney. The Tilneys note Catherine's distress and question her on it, and she hints at what has happened and then confesses all. The Tilneys know their brother will not marry Isabella, although Catherine thinks that he must. Henry leaves for Woodston again, but invites the family to come visit him, which they do. Catherine is enchanted by it. Soon after they return to Northanger Abbey, General Tilney expels Catherine from it with no courtesy. Eleanor doesn't understand it. Catherine goes home, ashamed of being left, and wishing that Henry weren't still at Woodston. Her parents are glad to have her back, and are dismayed at General Tilney's rudeness. Catherine receives a letter from Isabella begging forgiveness, but dismisses it, as she now sees Isabella for what she truly is. Henry Tilney comes and proposes to Catherine-- he tells her that his father thought she was rich (he was told so by John Thorpe) and expelled her when he learned that she was not so, and when Henry arrived back at Northanger Abbey and found out what had happened, he was indignant and went after her for his love and a sense of honor. Catherine accepts, and her family is happy but refuses to allow the marriage until General Tilney gives his consent. He finally does, and Eleanor marries happily, and so do Catherine and Henry.
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