Book 1,086: Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen

What seems to be Austen’s third novel—Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and this one were all worked on around the same time—is also most likely her least edited novel. This makes it the closest to draft form. Whereas the other two saw significant revisions (P&P saw a title change and S&S went from epistolary to narrative) Northanger Abbey remains what it was, a humorous satire/parody of the Gothic genre.

Most notable in the intro by Margaret Drabble, and pretty much meaningless to those of us reading the novel hundreds of years later, is that by the time the novel was published posthumously by her brother it was outdated in fashion and style. It also has references to titles, settings, plots and characters from other novels that for the most part have not enjoyed the longevity of Austen’s works.

Drabble does point out that in this novel, Austen breaks the story multiple times to insert her voice as the author:

Every young lady may feel for my heroine in this critical moment, for every young lady has at some time or other known the same agitation. All have been, or at least all have believed themselves to be, in danger from the pursuit of someone whom they wished to avoid; and all have been anxious for the attentions of someone whom they wished to please.” (78)

And although there aren’t too many and they’re not that intrusive, they do break the flow of the narrative. In contrast you have her already writing sassy (aka strong) female characters, take this passage between Catherine and Miss Tilney:

‘That is, I can read poetry and plays, and things of that sort, and do not dislike travels. But history, real solemn history, I cannot be interested in. Can you?’
‘Yes, I am fond of history.’
‘I wish I were too. I read it a little as a duty, but it tells me nothing that does not either vex or weary me. The quarrels of popes and kings, with wars and pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all—it is very tiresome; and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention. The speeches that are put into the heroes’ mouths, their thoughts and designs—the chief of all this must be invention, and invention is what delights me in other books.’
‘Historians, you think,’ said Miss Tilney, ‘are not happy in their flights of fancy. They display imagination without raising interest. I am found of history—and am very well contented to take the false with the true. In the principal facts they have sources of intelligence in former histories and records, which may be as much depended on, I conclude, as anything that does not actually pass under one’s own observation; and as for the little embellishments you speak of, they are embellishments, and I like them as much. If a speech be well drawn up, I read it with pleasure, by whomsoever it may be made—and probably with much greater, if the production of Mr. Hume or Mr. Robertson, than if the genuine words of Caractacus Agricola, or Alfred the Great.’

You’ve got a lot going on in this passage where Catharine is speaking her mind (and we all have to assume parroting Austen’s thoughts based on her juvenilia) and then in contrast Miss Tilney voicing the predominant thoughts of the patriarchal society they live in without question that whatever the men have said and written down must be right, if not even better than what actually happened. There is clearly a divide between class and education here, but one also has to ask about the gendered divide within those classes and why there are these differences.

The aspect of the story that I was most interested in revisiting, having read Henry Tilney’s Diary by Amanda Grange for my fan-fiction companion earlier this year was General Tilney. Reading Grange’s retelling of the novel from Tilney’s perspective put what felt like a really dark spin on General Tilney’s actions. He came across as almost lecherous and leering, as if he was maybe considering Catharine as a future wife for himself and not for Henry. I’m not sure what it was about the retelling that gave me that vibe, but I was desperate to see if it was the case in the original and it was not. General Tilney has much less presence in the original work and although overbearing and to an extent verbally/emotionally abusive to his children he doesn’t come across anywhere near as creepy.

For the most part I found my re-read to be quite enjoyable. Catherine and Tilney are lovely protagonists if they are more exaggerated than those in Austen’s other early novels. She takes Catherine’s innocence and naïveté to a level that is beyond absurd and Tilney’s manners and overall class-driven actions to about the same level. The minor characters were as usual fun and enjoyable if more forgettable than in the latter novels.

Recommendation: I think this is 100% worth the read, especially if you read the forward or do a little bit of research on the novel prior to going into it. Knowing that it’s a parody and the characters are actual caricatures makes it shine even brighter. I will say I think Val McDermid’s modernizing it into a vampire novel parody may be one of the best adaptations I’ve read.

Opening Line: “No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.”

Closing Line: “To begin perfect happiness at the ages of twenty-six and eighteen is to do pretty well; and professing myself moreover convinced that the general’s unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to it, by improving their knowledge of each other, and adding strength to their attachment, I leave it to be settled by whomsoever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from Northanger Abbey
“Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.” (39)

“‘Oh! It is only a novel!’ . . . only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineations of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language.” (43)

“She was separated from all her party, and away from all her acquaintance; one mortification succeeded another, and from the whole she deduced this useful lesson, that to go previously engaged to a ball does not necessarily increase either the dignity or enjoyment of a young lady.” (60)

“Was it the part of a friend thus to expose her feelings to the notice of others? Isabella appeared to her ungenerous and selfish, regardless of everything but her own gratification.” (100)

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” (107)

“John would have me go, for he vowed he would not drive her, because she had such thick ankles. I dare say she will not be in good humour again this month; but I am determined I will not be cross; it is not a little matter that puts me out of temper.” (117)

“And then his hat sat so well, and the innumerable capes of his greatcoat looked so becomingly important! To be driven by him, next to being dancing with him, was certainly the greatest happiness in the world.” (150)

“But your mind is warped by an innate principle of general integrity, and therefore not accessible to the cool reasonings of family partiality, or a desire of revenge.” (207)

“It is always good for young people to be put upon exerting themselves; and you know, my dear Catherine, you always were a sad little shatter-brained creature; but now you must have been forced to have your wits about you, with so much changing of chaises and so forth; and I hope it will appear that you have not left anything behind you in any of the pockets.” (221-2)