The Parodies of Gothic Conventions in "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen

Bachelor Thesis , 2009 , 52 Pages , Grade: 1

Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works

The parody of Gothicism emerged as a reaction against its conventions, just as Gothic novel itself was directed against the rationality of Neoclassicism. At first, the Gothic novel gained great interest of the readers, the genre developed rapidly and many writers, like Clara Reeve, Mary Shelley or Charles Maturin contributed to this kind of fiction. However, the set of conventions established by Horace Walpole and then developed by Mrs. Radcliffe, became a point of reference for Jane Austen to create
a novel titled Northanger Abbey, which became an outstanding parody of the conventions. Thus, Jane Austen reused many Gothic elements, retold the story in a parodying way in order to show the silliness and artificiality of the genre.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER I Conventions of the Gothic Novel
• Gothic as a reaction against Neoclassicism
• The Castle of Otranto as the first example of the Gothic novel and the development of the genre
• Ann Radcliffe as a conventional Gothic writer and The Mysteries of Udolpho as a representative of the conventional Gothic fiction
• The plot
• The setting
• The Gothic atmosphere
• The characters
• CHAPTER II Northanger Abbey as the Parody of Gothic Fiction
• The origins of Northanger Abbey
• The nature of parody
• Jane Austen's methods of parody in Northanger Abbey
• The characters
• The heroine
• The hero
• The villain
• The minor characters
• The setting
• The plot
• CONCLUSION

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation examines the Gothic novel and its conventions, exploring the origins of the genre and its development through key authors like Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe. It focuses on the parody of these conventions in Jane Austen's *Northanger Abbey*, analyzing the methods employed by Austen to subvert and critique the typical features of Gothic fiction. Key themes of the work include: * The evolution of the Gothic novel as a genre * The conventions of Gothic fiction, including setting, plot, and characterization * Jane Austen's use of parody in *Northanger Abbey* * The role of satire in challenging literary conventions * The interplay between reality and imagination in Gothic fiction

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter I Conventions of the Gothic Novel

Chapter I explores the origins of the Gothic novel, tracing its roots back to the 18th century as a reaction against the rationalism of Neoclassicism. The chapter examines the first Gothic novel, Horace Walpole's *The Castle of Otranto*, and traces the development of the genre through the work of authors like Clara Reeve, Matthew Gregory Lewis, Mary Shelley, and Charles Maturin. The chapter focuses on the conventions of Gothic fiction, examining how the genre utilizes elements of mystery, suspense, and the supernatural to create a unique atmosphere. It examines the work of Ann Radcliffe, a key figure in the development of Gothic fiction, analyzing her use of setting, plot, and characterization in her novels.

Chapter II Northanger Abbey as the Parody of Gothic Fiction

Chapter II delves into Jane Austen's *Northanger Abbey*, examining the novel as a parody of Gothic conventions. The chapter explores the origins of the novel and the nature of parody, analyzing how Austen utilizes satire and humor to subvert the conventions of Gothic fiction. The chapter focuses on Austen's methods of parody, examining the characterization of the heroine, hero, and villain, as well as the setting and plot of the novel.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords of this work include: Gothic novel, conventions, parody, satire, Jane Austen, *Northanger Abbey*, *The Castle of Otranto*, Ann Radcliffe, *The Mysteries of Udolpho*, setting, plot, characters, realism, imagination.

• College: University of Gdansk
• Course: English Literature
• Grade: 1
• Author: MA Magdalena Przytarska (Author)
• Publication Year: 2009
• Pages: 52
• Catalog Number: V286240
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656865209
• ISBN (Book): 9783656865216
• Language: English
• Tags: parodies, gothic, conventions, northanger, abbey, jane, austen