Throughout the entire novel Catherine is constantly compared to the typical gothic heroine. In most if not every chapter Austen seems to mention the gothic comparison, whether it be in a few lines or a few paragraphs. These comparisons are mainly used in a chapters opening or conclusively at the end of a chapter or even as another conclusion after a significant event has occurred. For example, at the end of a chapter, “And now I may dismiss my heroine to the sleepless couch which is the true heroines portion; to a pillow strewn with thorns and wet tears. A lucky may she think herself, if get another good nights rest in the course of the next three months”. This gives a perfect sense of mockery towards the gothic and the obvious ironic comparison to between Catherine and the typical gothic heroine. These comparisons and examples of mockery give us the presentation of Jane Austen parodying the gothic in an ironic way and also the effort at which she goes to create a more realistic heroine, unlike those found in gothic novels, this would have been especially significant at the time of Austen as gothic novels were especially in fashion.
Throughout the novel the reader witnesses the mental growth Catherine undergoes, from a naïve, easily influenced and gullible young girl into a more aware and slightly less trusting young lady. This transformation can be portrayed as a regular process of growing up or maybe even a sad loss of innocence. When Catherine first meets Isabella it shows the influence Isabella holds over Catherine. Catherine and Isabella meet in the pump room, when Isabella’s widowed mother recognises Mrs Allen who happens to be an old friend. Both parties are severely lacking in acquaintances, so it’s more a case of using one another. This is especially evident in the catch up Mrs Thorpe and Mrs Allen have, rather then friendly chat they converse purely to boast to one another. The reader is also exposed to the advantage of Catherine to Isabella, the Thorpes’ think that the Morlands’ are a rich family and so an advantage is seen when Catherine and Isabella become friends their friendship is seen to be used as more a bridge to get to Catherine’s brother James Morland.
Soon after the occurrence of the meeting in the pump room of Isabella and Catherine, Catherine is engaged to meet the Tilneys’ and go on a walk with them. Before she is due to meet them, the Thorpes’ arrive at where she’s staying and she’s persuaded to go with them on a carriage ride when John Thorpe tells her that they may go to see a gothic castle, Blaize castle and also that he saw the Tilneys’ going the opposite way; out of town. Catherine ends up going with them and standing the Tilneys up. On the carriage ride with john however she sees the Tilneys’ and realises john was lying. This is a lesson learnt quite early on in the novel, be loyal to your existing engagements.
Furthermore on the next invitation out by the Thorpes, to Clifton, Catherine stays true to other commitments and sees through the form of what could be construed as a form of emotional blackmail and intense manipulation that Isabella uses as an attempt to make Catherine go to Clifton. This amongst many other criteria is just one example of the slowly deteriorating opinion that Catherine holds of Isabella, “Isabella appeared to her ungenerous and selfish, regardless of everything but her own gratification. These painful ideas crossed her mind, though she said nothing. Isabella, in the meanwhile, had applied her handkerchief to her eyes; and Morland, miserable at such a sight, could not help saying, "Nay, Catherine. I think you cannot stand out any longer now. The sacrifice is not much; and to oblige such a friend -- I shall think you quite unkind, if you still refuse”
Catherine also begins to see the way in which Isabella revels in flirtatious behaviour and attention from men. This is when she suggests following some men that had been “eyeing up” both Isabella and Catherine. This is behaviour is evidently a lot clearer to Catherine being as Isabella’s engaged to Catherine’s brother. This point is again noticed by Catherine when she and Isabella attend a ball together and Isabella goes dancing with Henry Tilney’s brother, mainly because James Morland’s annual inheritance isn’t a very high one, or not compared to the rich Tilneys at least. Not only has Catherine learnt of Isabella’s superficiality but also of the want of money people show. For example the persistent interest in Catherine that john Thorpe displayed; “a famous thing for his next heirs, he is your grandfather is he not?” this was when talking about Mr Allen and his relations to Catherine. These money loving characteristics are shared by general Tilney and the Thorpes.
I think that one of the most significant processes that Catherine undergoes is when she falls in love with Henry Tilney. The long process of seeing through Isabella is very important to the story as well as it teaches Catherine not to trust so implicitly, and to recognise the manipulation that those like Isabella use to put themselves at an advantage. I think that the relationships she creates with both Henry Tilney and Miss Tilney are incredibly important in Catherine growing up because it supplies her with two good influences.
Miss Tilney is described well, i.e. in a way more positive way then in which Isabella is portrayed, the reader sees the contrast between Isabella and Miss Tilney in an inevitable way.
Henry and Catherine, as previously said go through the process of falling in love. Austen isn’t shy in expressing the resentment she shows towards Catherine’s character; in Austen’s era it was common practise that intelligent men marry witless women to highlight their vanity. Due to this Austen never married and so Catherine’s character holds a principal that meant a lot to Austen.
After Catherine became more sceptical of Isabella and became more apparent of the manipulation that she saw Isabella practise, as a result she became more aware when she came across materialistic and shallow people. She also began to find that she trusted those around her, Catherine, overall Catherine gained the maturity to judge herself and question her personality flaws.
Catherine herself enjoys reading gothic novels. She imagines that she herself is in a gothic novel sometimes; for example, “the mysterious chest” (in volume two), her memory constantly runs away with her in the novel and its as if she’s almost trying to be a heroine in adding gothic like spins on normal things.
I think that Austen herself is trying to express how pathetic she finds the gothic; possibly she’s also branding most of them the same because she doesn’t make any particular references to any specific gothic novels themselves. She may be insulting the young girls in her society, especially the dim ones, for reading and getting frightened by such nonsense. I think that if this is indeed one of the novels many factors that are especially well presented and effective with Catherine’s character. I think that in the way of mocking the gothic, and making comparisons of the typical heroine and Catherine, Austen is using another way of decreasing the image of the ‘perfect’ wife i.e. dim, gothic novel reading…e.t.c.
Overall I think that Austen portrays Catherine negatively during comparisons to the gothic and situations where her wrong choices cause her to learn some kind of moral or lesson.
When portrayed in the gothic, Austen directs the readers’ response through a lot of ironic language.
When Catherine is in a situation due to bad judgement, irony of situation ensures the readers response, as does the constant comparisons between Catherine and the typical heroine.
By Natalie Granger
