Content
I. Introduction
II. Analysis and Interpretation
1. Catherine's Qualifications
2. Catherine's Weaknesses
III. Conclusion
IV. Bibliography
I. Introduction
In the British fiction of the nineteenth century female protagonists were especially outstanding and
not only used by Jane Austen, who wrote about Elizabeth Bennet, Emma Woodhouse or Catherine
Morland, just to name a few of them, but also by Sir Walter Scott with his heroine Jeanie Deans (cf.
Morgan 559). Many other authors of the nineteenth century chose a heroine as a main character and
not a hero, even if there are very well men participating in the story, but they only have a minor role
and represent the counterpart to the women (cf. Morgan 559).
Now the question may arise why especially in that century women played the major role in
the novels whereas before and after that the protagonists had mostly been male (cf. Morgan 560).
(...)Instead, it is
to take a closer look at one of these heroines, which is Catherine Morland. The aim of this work is
to decide whether she is an ideal heroine or not. To come to a decision it is necessary to analyse her
character as well as her actions.
Since the whole story, as well as all the other protagonists, are set around her, the reader gets
to know how Catherine feels, how she thinks, and especially learns a lot about her likes and
dislikes. We do not get as much information about other characters as we get about Catherine. But if
we look closer at the person of Catherine, it becomes questionable whether it is justified to award
the title of an ideal heroine to her. The reader accompanies her through her whole stay in Bath and
Northanger Abbey and has a chance to observe her behaviour in crucial situations. This observation
is often bilateral, as on the one hand we can see the self-confident girl travelling on her own, and on
the other hand her childish behaviour and her naivete point out that she is not yet a grown-up. This
becomes notably evident when we compare her to the other characters in the novel.
Nevertheless, this has to be analysed in detail in order to make a fair decision. In the
following passages I would therefore firstly like to illustrate to what extend one can call Catherine
an ideal heroine, what her strengths are and when she might be superior to other persons, and
secondly, this should be contrasted to the attributes which disqualify her to be labelled such in
regard to the weak points in her character and behaviour.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Analysis and Interpretation
1. Catherine's Qualifications
2. Catherine's Weaknesses
III. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the character of Catherine Morland in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey to determine whether she qualifies as an ideal literary heroine through an analysis of her personal attributes, developmental journey, and behavioral actions in social settings.
- Evaluation of Catherine Morland's character traits
- Comparative analysis with other literary heroines
- The impact of upbringing and societal expectations
- The distinction between reality and fiction
- Maturity and personal growth throughout the narrative
Excerpt from the Book
2. Catherine's Weaknesses
In the previous paragraph points were stated which would actually qualify Catherine to be an ideal heroine. But while reading Northanger Abbey, we realise that Catherine is anything but ideal. Thus, it also has to be analysed which weak points could possibly disqualify her from that role.
Catherine grew up in a protected home with an intact family, therefore she did not experience any harm or was forced to do something or to go somewhere. This is very different from her favourite novel The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe. Although both Northanger Abbey and The Mysteries of Udolpho are Gothic novels, the heroines are completely different. Emily's parents die and she remains on her own, without any further brothers or sisters and therefore she has to live with her aunt and step-uncle Montoni in Italy in the castle Udolpho. On her journey she falls in love with a young man, but Montoni wants her to marry a friend of his. After many difficulties, struggles and the death of her aunt she succeeds in escaping from Udolpho and meets her true love again after inheriting her aunt's property.
If we compare Emily to Catherine we can find some parallels between the lives of these two girls, but there is still a huge gap between their experiences. As mentioned before, Catherine's parents are still alive and healthy and she has a lot of brothers and sisters. Furthermore, she was not forced to go away from home and to live in another country but voluntarily took a vacation. She is not involved in difficult situations which she has to cope with, no personal tragedies, no oppression, no serious struggles. Nobody wants her to marry someone she does not love instead of the man she has fallen in love with. Actually she has complete freedom in her life and no one prescribes her what she should or should not do.
Chapter Summaries
I. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the paper, specifically the character analysis of Catherine Morland and the central question of her status as an ideal heroine.
II. Analysis and Interpretation: Provides a dual examination of Catherine’s strengths, such as her honesty and bravery, contrasted against her naivety and lack of life experience.
III. Conclusion: Synthesizes the analysis, arguing that while Catherine lacks the traditional traits of a heroic figure, she is portrayed as a relatable and exemplary young woman.
Keywords
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland, Heroine, Literary Analysis, Gothic Novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho, Character Development, Socialization, Naivety, Maturity, Reality vs Fiction, Victorian Literature, Female Protagonist
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the character of Catherine Morland from Jane Austen's novel "Northanger Abbey" to evaluate if she meets the standards of an ideal literary heroine.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the maturation process, the influence of literature on personal perspective, social integration, and the comparison between different literary archetypes of heroines.
What is the primary research objective?
The primary aim is to analyze Catherine's character traits and actions to determine whether she justifies the label of an "ideal heroine" or if she is simply an ordinary person.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, interpreting the text through character observation and comparative analysis with other heroines like Emily from "The Mysteries of Udolpho".
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main body examines both the qualifications that support her status as an ideal heroine—such as her honesty and courage—and her weaknesses, specifically her naivety and inability to distinguish between fiction and reality.
Which keywords best describe this paper?
Significant keywords include Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, Catherine Morland, Heroine, Character Development, and Gothic Novel.
How does the author view the influence of "The Mysteries of Udolpho" on Catherine?
The author argues that Catherine’s preference for Gothic romance causes her to misinterpret real-life social situations, leading to confusion and a lack of realistic perspective.
Is Catherine Morland considered a traditional heroine by the author?
No, the author concludes that Catherine is not an ideal or traditional heroine, but rather an "ordinary girl next door" with an exemplary character.
Does the author believe Catherine undergoes real personal change?
The author notes that while Catherine experiences a change in thought and learns to function better in society, she remains largely the same person throughout the narrative.
Why does the author contrast Catherine with other characters like Isabella Thorpe?
The contrast serves to highlight Catherine's sincerity and lack of ulterior motives, which the author posits as her most commendable attributes compared to more superficial characters.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anna Miller (Autor:in), 2011, Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey": Is Catherine Morland an Ideal Heroine?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/197065
