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.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I Conventions of the Gothic Novel
1. Gothic as a reaction against Neoclassicism
2. The Castle of Otranto as the first example of the Gothic novel and the development of the genre
3. Ann Radcliffe as a conventional Gothic writer and The Mysteries of Udolpho as a representative of the conventional Gothic fiction
3.1 The plot
3.2 The setting
3.3 The Gothic atmosphere
3.4 The characters
CHAPTER II Northanger Abbey as the Parody of Gothic Fiction
1. The origins of Northanger Abbey
2. The nature of parody
3. Jane Austen’s methods of parody in Northanger Abbey
3.1 The characters
3.1.1 The heroine
3.1.2 The hero
3.1.3 The villain
3.1.4 The minor characters
3.2 The setting
3.3 The plot
CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Core Themes
The primary objective of this dissertation is to analyze the conventions of Gothic fiction and examine how Jane Austen employs parody in her novel "Northanger Abbey" to challenge and subvert these established literary tropes. By contrasting the artificiality of the Gothic genre with realistic social values, the research demonstrates how Austen uses the protagonist's disillusionment to critique both the literature of her time and the societal structures of the 18th century.
- Historical context and rise of the Gothic novel
- Conventions and motifs of traditional Gothic fiction (Radcliffe, Walpole)
- Parody as a literary technique and its application in "Northanger Abbey"
- "Demonstration by negation": subverting the hero, heroine, and villain archetypes
- Critique of excessive novel-reading and the contrast between imagination and reality
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The characters
As the main method of Austen’s parody is “demonstration by negation”, she emphasizes the features and qualities that the characters do not posses (May quoting Harmsel: 1980, 15). A perfect example is the creation of a heroine, Catherine Morland. When we first meet Catherine, we are ultimately assured that she is not a Gothic heroine: “No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her to be an heroine” (NA, 37). In describing her background and childhood, Austen manages to explain both the typical Gothic heroine and just the opposite in Catherine herself (Wright: 1972, 102). Thus, reverse to the typical Gothic heroine such as Emily St. Aubert, sensible and pensive but outstandingly beautiful, Catherine is neither very pretty nor so prone to sensitivity. In her early years, she is rather more interested in sport and playing with other children than in education. She is not fluent in languages, interested in music or arts; as a matter of fact, she is “inattentive and occasionally stupid” (NA, 37).
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the development of the 18th-century novel, introduces the Gothic genre, and states the dissertation's focus on Jane Austen’s parody.
CHAPTER I Conventions of the Gothic Novel: Explores the rise of Gothic fiction as a reaction to Neoclassicism, analyzing key authors like Walpole and Radcliffe and defining standard conventions of plot, setting, and characterization.
CHAPTER II Northanger Abbey as the Parody of Gothic Fiction: Discusses the origins of Austen’s novel, defines the nature of parody, and analyzes how Austen systematically subverts Gothic archetypes and settings through the character of Catherine Morland.
CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the arguments, reaffirming that "Northanger Abbey" acts as a coherent whole that critiques both literary conventions and the dangers of allowing fiction to distort one's perception of reality.
Keywords
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, Gothic fiction, Ann Radcliffe, parody, satire, Gothic conventions, 18th-century literature, Catherine Morland, literary subversion, sentimental novel, Neoclassicism, novel-reading, anti-heroine, domestic realism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The thesis examines how Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" functions as a parody of the Gothic novel by deconstructing and mocking the artificial conventions prevalent in 18th-century Gothic literature.
What are the central thematic fields?
The core themes include the historical development of the Gothic genre, the transition from Neoclassicism to Romanticism, the nature of parody, and the critique of how excessive immersion in fictional narratives affects one's judgment of reality.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate that "Northanger Abbey" is not merely a parody, but a sophisticated critique of Gothic artifice that contrasts "Gothic" delusions with the common sense values of real life.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work utilizes a comparative literary analysis, examining specific Gothic tropes (setting, plot, character archetypes) and comparing them to their subverted, realistic counterparts in Austen's narrative.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical framework of Gothic conventions—specifically the works of Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe—followed by an in-depth analysis of Austen’s methods, including character inversion and the parodying of Gothic setting and plot.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include parody, Gothic fiction, Jane Austen, Catherine Morland, literary subversion, sentimentalism, and domestic realism.
How does Catherine Morland specifically invert the Gothic heroine archetype?
Unlike the beautiful, pensive, and naturally gifted Gothic heroine, Catherine is described as ordinary, "inattentive," and "occasionally stupid," lacking the innate genius and tragic circumstances typically associated with the genre.
Why is the "laundry list" incident considered a brilliant joke?
It represents the climax of the novel's parody, as the "mysterious manuscript" Catherine expects to find—containing dark secrets—turns out to be mundane washing bills, underscoring the gap between her Gothic imagination and reality.
- Arbeit zitieren
- MA Magdalena Przytarska (Autor:in), 2009, The Parodies of Gothic Conventions in "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/286240
