Unique Elements About the Author Historical Context Jane Austen's WITTY SATIRE of Gothic novels at the turn of the 19 th century. NORTHANGER ABBEY, written by BRITISH author JANE AUSTEN, is a coming-of-age novel with a satirical turn first published in 1817, posthumously, in the UNITED KINGDOM. An all-time classic novel, the first completed by the pen of beloved authoress, .Jane Austen, follows the journey of Catherine Morland, as she navigates her way through genteel society of Bath, ...
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Unique Elements About the Author Historical Context Jane Austen's WITTY SATIRE of Gothic novels at the turn of the 19 th century. NORTHANGER ABBEY, written by BRITISH author JANE AUSTEN, is a coming-of-age novel with a satirical turn first published in 1817, posthumously, in the UNITED KINGDOM. An all-time classic novel, the first completed by the pen of beloved authoress, .Jane Austen, follows the journey of Catherine Morland, as she navigates her way through genteel society of Bath, England, her suitors and marital prospects, her social connections and how she will find her place amongst the landed gentry. Sneak Peak 'Such was Catherine Morland at ten. At fifteen, appearances were mending; she began to curl her hair and long for balls; her complexion improved, her features were softened by plumpness and colour, her eyes gained more animation, and her figure more consequence. Her love of dirt gave way to an inclination for finery, and she grew clean as she grew smart; she had now the pleasure of sometimes hearing her father and mother remark on her personal improvement. "Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl-she is almost pretty today," were words which caught her ears now and then; and how welcome were the sounds! To look almost pretty is an acquisition of higher delight to a girl who has been looking plain the first fifteen years of her life than a beauty from her cradle can ever receive.' Synopsis The story of Catherine Morland, a naive young girl whose understanding of the world has been distorted by her fondness for Gothic novels and an overactive imagination. When Catherine is invited to Northanger Abbey, ancestral seat of her suitor, Henry Tilney, she finds herself embroiled in misunderstandings , until common sense and humor-and a clarification of Catherine's financial status-puts all to right, providing a satirical look at the financial aspects of marriage among the English landed gentry at the turn of the 19th century. Title Details 1803 Coming-of-age novel
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Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 260 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
50-something discovering the talents of Ms Jane Austen. The books are always better than the movie, BBC or other ??
ZEDSREVIEW
Oct 11, 2009
Satire of Romance Novels
I had not thought of Austen as a satirist prior to reading Northanger Abbey. Within the first chapter the author addresses what the book is not ? a gothic romance, thought it is fashioned similarly, and named similarly. Austen points out the heroine?s father did not lock up his daughters, there was no lover of unknown origin, (something Emily Bronte uses years later in Wuthering Heights), and the heroine?s mother does not warn her of the seduction of barons. Rather, when the teenage heroine, Catherine Morland, leaves for a resort town to stay with neighbors, everything is done ?with a degree of moderation and composure, which seemed rather consistent with the common feelings of common life...? 6. With the contrasts Austen makes to the typical gothic romance she conveys the message that life is not like the popular novel.
Austen makes some straight forward comments in Northanger Abbey, without irony. Throughout the book she comments on novels, a rather new and popular form in the late 18th century. The novel, evidently, was looked down on, but was also a guilty pleasure. A person would suggest reading Milton or Pope or Addison, but would condemn books by Anne Radcliffe. Even novelists would do this. But Austen, as narrator, would not. She does, however, illustrate problems for those who read such novels, as the character Catherine experiences. Catherine is disappointed that Northanger Abbey isn?t ancient nor dark nor in ruins. She is terribly mistaken in her perception of General Tilney, suspecting he has imprisoned his wife in the Abbey, based on what she had read in novels. I?m not sure if all statements of judgment are ironic or not.
The satire is strong only in a few chapters of the book. Otherwise it is something of the standard Austen work, with characters pairing up according to society?s expectations, then finding out they are mismatched. Though no one may expect Catherine to be a heroine, she is a very good character, practical, sociable, yet refraining from coquetry, earnest. The book tells of her maturation through the age of courtship.
Corgi
Mar 9, 2009
Austen's least important book
Wouldn't it be great for one's least work to still be a joy forever?
This is Austen's throw-away. It's the shortest, it's the least fated love, and the heroine is the only one who isn't fully identified with Austen and the reader.
Catherine is a very ordinary girl, not especially bright or mature, but warm-hearted and a little bit pretty.
As she enters "society" on a visit to Bath with family friends, Catherine's expectations of life are skewed by the vice of novel-reading. Her flaw is romanticism.
This is what Austen has fun with, and why this least romantic of her romances is still so enjoyable.
Momx3
Dec 25, 2008
Great Classic
Jane Austen is one of our favorite authors. This book is one of her best.