Literary Criticism: Northanger Abbey

The plot is about the story of a 17 years old who has never visited a big city.

Her first occasion was to visit Bath and the local society and a stay at Northanger Abbey.

She also was a victim of a misunderstanding between General Tilney and John Thorpe. Her fervid imagination will cause a tension with her loved one Henry Tilney and his father the General Tilney.

She will marry Henry in poverty.

The main theme of this novel is that a fervid imagination can distort reality for instance when she believes that General Tilney has killed his wife.

It's also a criticism to society who is not based on ideals, there was only an exception when Henry will marry Catherine in poverty but rich of love.

Catherine Morland is a young girl of 17 years old she appears to be more extravagant, an addicted reader of gothic fiction, in particular "The Mysteries Of Udolpho" written By Anne Radcliffe.

She cares about the others, she will discover the difference between a true friendship with Eleonor Tilney and a faux friendship with Isabella Thorpe. She hasn't a marked distinction between fantasy and the real world. Her maturation starts at Northanger Abbey completely different from how she imagined it.

She is an altruistic person who cares about the others such as Mr. and Mrs Allen and Henry Tilney. Another ability is to understand the real nature of the people around her.

Henry Tilney is a witty and intelligent man, like Catherine he is an astute observer of human nature.

Eleonor Tilney is a pretty and loyal girl, she is able to understand the nature of the person telling to his brother how he should behave.

General Tilney is a tyrant, manipulative, arrogant and cruel to the point of throwing Catherine out of his home and making her travel in a public carriage at night, a dangerous journey toward home for not being rich enough to marry his son Henry.

Captain Tilney is a military officer, womanizer and arrogant.

Isabella Thorpe is a libertine girl; she doesn't care about her engagement with James Morland she flirts with Captain Tilney without shame and modesty, for her money is worth much more than ideals.

John Thorpe is a handsome man, arrogant, liar, envious and manipulative.

Mr. Allen is a man of principles and culture. His wife is obsessed with fashion and loves to dress well.

This novel is central to understanding the difference between the real and fantasy world. Inside the novel there is a mystery which must be solved by the reader i.e. "The Black Veil".