To What Extent Is Northanger Abbey a Gothic Novel?

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To What Extent Is Northanger Abbey a Gothic Novel?

Northanger Abbey is Jane Austen’s first novel, written between 1789-9 under the draft name of “Susan”. Northanger Abbey is more of a gothic parody, along with many other themes and genres. It was written in a time of war, sensibility and liberation. Austen was part of a large family, which is reflected in our protagonist Catherine: the fourth child from a family of ten children.

Austen loved to read, popular novels like Evelina and The Mysteries of Udolpho were published during her childhood and coming of age. The novels greatly influenced her writing genre and tone. In 1787, aged just 12 Austen wrote short, parodic, fictional pieces known as her Juvenilia, establishing her tone in the process.

The cult of “sensibility” was a late 18th century social convention of the upper class that showed people how to express their emotions, especially women, often in an exaggerated manner. In Chapter 17, when Catherine is invited to go to Northanger Abbey it “wound up Catherine’s feelings to the highest point of ecstasy...Catherine's feelings were now safely lodged in perfect bliss; and with spirits elated to rapture...Her passion for ancient edifices was next in degree to her passion for Henry Tilney” Catherine’s feelings about gothic buildings are so exaggerated, that she compares it to her love of Henry Tilney. This breaks the boundaries of what was "sensible", women were not supposed to feel heightened emotions and this mocks the cult of sensibility. Throughout the novel Austen is constantly mocking not only the gothic genre, but other genres of literature and social conventions of her time.

She wrote during a time of political turmoil. In the late 18th Century, liberty was spreading. America had declared independence from Britain and a decade later the French Revolution broke out. It made the British monarchy so anxious about the threat of revolution in Britain, to such an extent that Britain went to war with France in 1793. This made gothic novels popular, and they were usually set in exotic places like the south of France or Italy. These places had become secluded because of the war and hence mysterious and intriguing. Before the outbreak of the French Revolution, the upper-class would go on “The Grand Tour” spending a few years traveling Europe, this was now nearly impossible, so writers like Ann Radcliffe could set their novels in these places where mystery and travesty occurred. Although Northanger Abbey is not set in Europe, but in Bath. Austen compares the scenery from Udolpho to that of "Beechen Cliff". Catherine says that I never look at is without thinking of the south of France, It always puts me in mind of the country that Emily and her father travelled through, in The Mysteries of Udolpho"

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The gothic genre was popular in the later 18th and 19th century amongst young people as the main character is usually transitioning from being a child to an adult. These novels were mainly read by adolescents because they were exciting and sometimes sexual. It made them feel rebellious and they would not want to share it with their parents. The reader of Northanger Abbey can sympathize and to any one of the characters, whether they have shared the same experience or if they know someone similar to them. The audience can sympathize with Catherine when she returns home embarrassed with ...

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