Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen is a coming-of-age novel about a young woman published in 1817, which comments on the socio-political status of women at the time. Jane Austen’s masterful craft, her feminist ideals, and her playful, sarcastic wit set this novel apart and reinforce her creative charm and contributions to literature. Most importantly, though, they help to achieve the author’s social commentary on love, education, ignorance, rationality, and emotion. Through employment of narrative voice, references to gothic novels, and indirect characterization, Austen conveys the theme that women should be educated and well-traveled in order to overcome their socialized ignorance and live successful, intellectual lives.
Austen’s use of a narrator focused on the heroine, Catherine, allows the reader to understand Catherine’s traits that she herself is not conscious of. Several times throughout the story, the narrator refers to the heroine’s ignorance. For example, Austen writes about Catherine in Chapter 2 “her manners just removed from the awkwardness and shyness of a girl; her person pleasing, and, when in good looks, pretty - and her mind about as ignorant and uninformed as the female mind at seventeen usually is.” The narrator does not blame Catherine for her absence of knowledge, but rather makes it clear to the reader, through direct characterization here at the beginning, Catherine’s lack of experience and education. The narrator’s use of the phrase “usually is” implies a pattern in society that socializes young women to be, or at least act ignorant when they reach this age. It is only when Catherine travels, meets new individuals and participates in new, individual experiences, that she is shown to grow in wisdom and maturity. However, her lack of knowledge will hinder some of her experiences, and she will not be able to act in a mature, intellectual way until she engages in education and new activities.
Austen connects Catherine’s characteristic ignorance to her interest in gothic novels, which effectively fill her head with fantasy and cause her to have delusional ideas about the world. In a conversation between Catheine and Isabella in chapter 6, they excitedly discuss their shared reading of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, among other early horror stories of the gothic nature. Additionally, in a conversation in chapter 6 with Eleanor and Henry Tilney, Catherine admits her distaste for reading historical nonfiction, or anything other than gothic novels. Through these references, Austen encourages the reader to call to mind what they already know about gothic novels, and invites this as an understanding of Catherine’s worldview. When she arrives at Northanger Abbey, Catherine expects it to look and feel like one of the castles of her imagination, which causes her to invent delusional ideas about its secrets and the secrets of its inhabitants. When she is caught by Henry Tilney investigating these paranoid theories, he immediately accuses her, saying “you had formed a surmise of such horror as I have hardly words to - Dear Ms. Morland, consider the dreadful nature of the suspicions you have entertained.” Catherine’s ignorance is more transparent here than ever, and this scene is a turning point for her. Her lack of knowledge combined with her religious reading and enjoyment of gothic novels, has filled her mind with a senseless and juvenile idea of how the world works. Austen is suggesting through these references and this scene, that because Catherine was not expected to or given the resources to be factually educated, she was socialized to act and have ideas that are illogical and baseless. It is important, therefore, for Catherine to find people, such as Henry and Eleanor, who are willing to give her the knowledge and experiences that she needs to be successful and intellectual. After this scene, Catherine realizes in shame her lack of knowledge, and becomes even more eager to be refined and reasonable.
Austen uses the indirect characterization of Henry, through his interactions with Catherine, to communicate to the reader his capabilities as Catherine’s teacher. In one scene where Catherine is walking and talking to Henry and Eleanor Tilney, the narrator once again comments on Catherine, saying “she was heartily ashamed of her ignorance.” Then, as they continue walking and engaging in intellectual conversation, Austen writes about Henry, “he talked of foregrounds, distances, and second distances - side-screens and perspectives - lights and shades; and Catherine was so hopeful a scholar that when they gained the top of Beechen Cliff, she voluntarily rejected the whole city of Bath as unworthy to make part of a landscape.” In this scene, Austen presents not only the generosity and ability with which Henry teaches Catherine, but also the eagerness and humility with which Catherine learns from him. By the last paragraph of the novel, Catherine and Henry are married, and Austen writes that they “begin perfect happiness.” This interaction and the resolution of the plot through Catherine and Henry’s marriage reflect Austen’s point of view about the intellectual capabilities of women. Austen gives the reader glimpses of Henry and Catherine’s student-teacher like relationship so that the reader will assume this was a mutually beneficial relationship that they carried on as a married couple. Catherine and Henry are allowed to be happy with one another because he is willing to teach her and give her the knowledge and experience that she has been lacking.
Through Austen’s craft of narrative voice, references, direct and indirect characterization techniques, her readers can learn her point of view and how she critiqued the society she lived in. Austen believed in a wider range of opportunities for women, though she acknowledged their social ignorance and general lack of reason at the time. In a nod to women writers before her such as Mary Wolstonecraft, Austen emphasized the idea that women given proper access to education and opportunities can change as people, to become intellectual, thoughtful and successful individuals. This is illustrated clearly through the character arc of Catherine.
While today in the United States, women are mostly given the same educational opportunities as men, Austen’s point is still very relevant. In western culture, there still exists internalized and systematic sexism, much the same foundational principles that governed the society Austen was living in. Although the injustice toward women is no longer as explicit as it was in the 1800’s, women are still socialized, through media, art, history, etc, to believe that they should act and/or think a certain way. Important works of literature such as Northanger Abbey, as relevant and groundbreaking as they were in their time, are important for modern women as well. These literary experiences help women remember their history, see its impact on current society, as well as remember their own individual capabilities and recognize their own successes.
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