Why is Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey often referred to as a parody of the Gothic novel?_ Jane Austen (1775-1817) is often regarded as the greatest English female novelist. Her novels are praised for their underlieing social comedy and thorough description of human relationships. She lived and worked during a time predominated by novels of sentiment, sensation and sensibility. However she stayed aloof from this literary style and especially her novel Northanger Abbey is often regarded to as a parody of the Gothic novel. Main authors of these so called ‘Gothic’ romances are for example Ann Radcliffe, Horace Walpole and M.G. Lewis. The Gothic novel has its origins in the Middle Ages and deals with mysterious, frightening, fantastic, supernatural, sexual and sublime things. The stories seem rather ridiculous to us today. The reader always finds similar characters and plots in those novels: “the tyrannical father, the importunate and unscrupulous suitor, the hero and heroine of sensibility and of mysterious but noble birth, the confidante[...], the chaperone.”1 The heroine is always unbelievable beautiful but weak and virtuous. Then she is threatened by a veil man and saved by the hero in the end. In contrast to such a story Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is often considered as a “amusing and bitingly satirical pastiche of the ‘Gothic’ romances popular in her day.”2
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1 Mudrick, Marvin: Irony versus Gothicism. In: Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Edited by B.C. Southam. MacMillan Education Ltd. Hampshire, London. 1986 (Casebook Series); page 75
2 Austen, Jane: Northanger Abbey. Penguin Popular Classics. London. 1994; blurb
Table of Contents
1. Why is Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey often referred to as a parody of the Gothic novel?
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to analyze why Jane Austen's novel "Northanger Abbey" is considered a parody of the Gothic literary genre. By examining the protagonist's subversion of conventional tropes and the author's intentional use of "anti-types," the paper explores how Austen highlights the absurdity of Gothic sentimentalism through a lens of irony and realism.
- The subversion of Gothic character stereotypes
- The role of irony in criticizing literary trends of the era
- Catherine Morland’s journey from Gothic-influenced fantasy to maturity
- The contrast between romantic expectations and mundane domestic reality
- The function of the "Gothic episode" within the narrative structure
Excerpt from the Book
Why is Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey often referred to as a parody of the Gothic novel?
To parody the Gothic romance Jane Austen uses mainly two ways. At first she creates a logical and genial domestic story with several domestic characters. But all these characters are anti-types of characters we know from Gothic novels. And therefore the reader is able to reveal the underlieing comedy if he reads closely having this thought in mind. The second thing is that she inserts a small Gothic-like adventure into the novel. Catherine’s experiences in Northanger Abbey are really Gothic-like during her first evening there, but all her expectations –and those of the reader- end up in disillusionment. At this point Jane Austen has ridiculed the sentimental and affected feelings that are common in Gothic novels.
Already in the first chapter Jane Austen commences writing in a dual way. “She places before us both what a character should be if he were to conform the Gothic mode, and what he really is.” She points out distinctly that in reality everything and everybody is common, normal and unromantic. This contrast between reality and fictional sentimental life (about which Catherine and Isabella read in novels by Ann Radcliffe) is described in a very funny and ironical way.
Summary of Chapters
1. Why is Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey often referred to as a parody of the Gothic novel?: This chapter analyzes how Jane Austen employs irony, anti-typical characters, and the subversion of Gothic tropes to expose the absurdity of the popular sentimental novels of her time, ultimately guiding her protagonist toward self-knowledge through the rejection of fictional fantasies.
Keywords
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, Gothic novel, parody, irony, Catherine Morland, anti-type, sentimentalism, literary criticism, Ann Radcliffe, satire, domestic realism, character development, fiction vs reality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines how Jane Austen utilizes her novel "Northanger Abbey" to parody the conventions of 18th-century Gothic literature.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the contrast between fictional romanticism and mundane reality, the subversion of traditional character types, and the development of the protagonist's maturity through the lens of social comedy.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to demonstrate that "Northanger Abbey" functions as a satirical critique of the Gothic genre, specifically focusing on how the author strips away the "horrid" mystery of Gothic stories to reveal common human experience.
Which methodology is employed in this analysis?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, comparing the character traits of Austen’s protagonists against standard "Gothic" archetypes and evaluating the narrative structure of the "Gothic episode" within the book.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body explores the creation of anti-type characters like Catherine Morland, Isabella, and John Thorpe, and analyzes specific incidents where Gothic expectations are disillusioned by domestic reality.
Which keywords define the work?
Key terms include Jane Austen, Gothic novel, parody, irony, and anti-type, reflecting the critical focus on literary subversion.
How does Catherine Morland’s perception change throughout the novel?
Initially, Catherine is influenced by Gothic novels and expects her life to mirror them; however, through experiences at Northanger Abbey and guidance from Henry Tilney, she realizes these stories are purely fictional and learns to use her common sense.
What role does Henry Tilney play in the parody?
Henry Tilney serves as an "anti-hero" who provides ironic commentary on the conventions of the time, often teasing Catherine about her expectations and teaching her to distinguish between reality and the fabricated horror of novels.
Why is the "Gothic episode" at the Abbey significant?
It acts as the climax of Catherine's disillusionment, where her unfounded fears regarding General Tilney are proven wrong, forcing her to confront the absurdity of her imaginative projections.
- Quote paper
- Melanie Strieder (Author), 2003, Why is Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey often referred to as a parody of the Gothic novel?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/38643
