Northanger Abbey (by Jane Austen)

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It’s twenty-five years since I last read Jane Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’. As a teenager it was probably my favourite of her books. It pokes gentle fun at the gothic terror of some popular novels of the era, and has a rather naive (though likeable) heroine. I have twice watched an excellent TV adaptation of this novel, the last time just four years ago, but had forgotten much of the detail of the novel.

So, as I had it on my Kindle, I thought I would read it on a couple of recent coach and train journeys. I knew it was fairly light-hearted, and that it would be easy to put down, even in the middle of a chapter if necessary. 

Catherine is the main protagonist of this book, a 17-year-old girl from a large family, who loves reading. She’s the oldest girl, and sometimes imagines herself as the heroine of a gothic romance. But, as the author tells us in the first chapter, her circumstances don’t really help her. Her parents are content together, and the children are well treated. There are no secrets or mysteries in her life. Nor is there much excitement until their nearest neighbours, Mr and Mrs Allen, offer to take Catherine on a visit to Bath. 

It’s the first time she has travelled, and the first time away from her parents - who are very happy for her to go, and have no worries that she might fall in love inadvisably. And for the first few days, Catherine is rather bored. Mrs Allen talks incessantly, and has no acquaintances at all.  Then two things happen: Mrs Allen meets an old friend, Mrs Thorpe, who has several daughters. Isabella is about Catherine’s age and the two become friendly. The other thing is that a young man, Mr Tilney, invites her to dance. She likes him very much; in their conversation he appears to be a kindred spirit. But then he goes away…

Isabella already knows Catherine’s older brother James, who is in love with her. And Isabella’s rather dull brother John decides that he will pursue Catherine. He is self-centred and not insightful, while she is entirely innocent about romantic relationships outside novels. So their conversations have plenty of misunderstandings. 

I had remembered the outline of the story, but part of the beauty of Jane Asten’s writing is the irony and satire which she shows in conversation and action. Her ‘bad’ people are not all evil.  John Thorpe is a caricatured egocentric bore, and yet there’s nothing obviously ‘bad’ about him. Isabella is frivolous and materialistic, but seems shallow rather than being deliberately manipulative. And some of her nice people - like Mrs Allen - are annoyingly verbose and repetitive. 

I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this novel. Of course it’s all set amongst the upper middle classes of society, those with money (even if not great riches), and used to having servants. It ignores the terrible poverty and scourge of disease of the era, and won’t appeal to those who prefer a rather grittier reality. It doesn’t appeal to everyone, but I like this kind of gentle satire. I found myself smiling several times at descriptions and conversations, rooting for Catherine when she seems to be ignored or rejected. 

'Northanger Abbey' was written as contemporary fiction around 1800, presumably based on Austen’s own life and observations. As such it is a fascinating account of social history amongst her class. It’s also a delightful satire of the gothic novels that were popular, and a sometimes moving account of a girl’s learning about society, and beginning to mature. 

Recommended. Widely available inexpensively in paperback form, or free from Project Gutenberg online or as an ebook. 

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