English Literature 9695

Review of Characters in Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

The Morlands: Naive Rural Folks

1. Catherine Morland:

17 years old.Introduced as an infant though the story truly begins when she is 17 years old. She is naive and kind hearted. Is slow to see people who they really are, much like her brother. Likes to read and has a vivid imagination. Seeks adventure in life.She is described as a smart young woman whose appearance improves as she ages.Has a liking for new things like balls and the abbey and likes to socialise.Has a liking for intelligence although she is naive and oblivious she expresses a yearning for knowledge. Her obliviousness comes from the lack of her experiences and must not be confuses with lack of intelligence.She is the heroine of the story. She moves from her village to Bath with the Allens and then proceeds to Northanger Abbey, she then comes back home disappointed but soon gets a happy ending when Henry Tilney asks for her hand with his father's consent.'If I could not be persuaded into doing what I thought wrong, I will never be tricked into doing it.'Both brave and true to herself.

2. James Morland:

Catherine's older brother.dutiful.Goes to oxford with John Thorpe.Like Catherine, not the best judge of character.Ill-fated engagement to Isabella.Introduced to the readers through Isabella when she mentions his resemblance to Catherine and his relationship with her brother.'Beware how you give your heart.'Gets a sad ending where he is betrayed by Isabella and has to call their engagement off.

3. Sara Morland:

Catherine's younger sister. Emotionally supportive and eager to hear of her adventures.Introduced at the very beginning.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Morland:

Present only at the beginning and the end of the story.Supportive of their daughter.Humble background, Mr. Morland is a clergyman.Austen accepts that as they had to focus on the younger children they left Catherine to entertain herself through her Gothic novels once she grew up.Mrs. Morland: 'Wherever you are, you should be contented, but especially at home, because there you must spend the most of your time.

The Thorpes: Snakes

1. Mrs Thorpe:

Introduced in chapter 4 due to past acquaintance with Mrs. Allen.Widow.Highly praises her spoilt children.Not very rich, expresses her concern of the Morlands not being very rich, as Isabella was to marry James Morland.'..she was a good humoured, well-meaning woman, and a very indulgent mother.'

2. Isabella Thorpe:

21 years old.Introduced by her mother.Immediately becomes friends with Catherine.Her first impression is sensible and sincere but as the story proceeds we realise that she is manipulative, disloyal, selfish, somewhat of a gold digger and hides in under her elegance and sweet words.She is described as an elegant beauty and he mother's favourite.She is engaged to James Morland for short period of time but after disappointment of their marriage plans of the Morlands and the arrival of Captain Tilney she becomes disloyal to James and shows her true colours by often flirting with the Captain ad only wanting back James's attention once the Captain leaves her.She talks in circles and tries to convince Catherine of the bad nature of Henry.Most of her schemes fail. Receives a grim ending.Complex character as she is layered between masks of friendship and manipulation and you can't really tell her true intentions at first.' It is so delightful to have an evening now and then to oneself.'→somewhat ironic and foretelling as in the end her motives are selfish.'What one means one day, you know, one may not mean the next- circumstances change, opinions alter.' This shows how she tries to manipulate Catherine by putting her on the same pedestal as herself. Someone who changes their mind about love based on circumstances. But of course, not only is Cathrine oblivious to this manipulation, she also did not intentionally lead on John as Isabella led on James.

3. John Thorpe:

Isabella's elder brother.Loud and boisterous-is seen swearing most of the time.Introduced by Isabella when she recognises Catherine ad James's sister.Manipulative and controlling, lied to Catherine about Tilney's whereabouts in order for her to join him and later made excuses on her behalf which she did no want, going behind her back to do so.Praises Catherine when he is in love with her and thinks she likes him back.Hates books.Speaks ill of her( exaggerated too) when he realises she doe not like him back.Is insufferable. does not accept being wrong.Almost ruins Catherine's relationship with the Tilneys.' Thorpe defended himself very stoutly declaring that he had never seen two men so much alike in his life and would hardly give up the point of it having been Tilney himself.'

The Tilneys: Only half of them are likeable

1. Henry Tilney:

25 years old.Introduced at the beginning when Catherine and Mrs. Allen go to the Lower Rooms. He is introduced to them by the master of the ceremonies. They dance and talk and get along well. Then he disappears.Breaks gender norms as he is interested in muslin and unlike John, who prefer scandalous carriage rides, he prefers calm walks along side his sister.He comes back to Bath and this time with Eleanor Tilney, his sister and they spend some time with Catherine and ask her to come with them when they move back to Northanger Abbey.He is described as tall and handsome.He likes to read books and has knowledge on a variety of arts and instead of calling Catherine out on her cluelessness, he is patient in explaining to her subjects such as art when she shows interest.He has his own house in Woostone.He teases Catherine about her ignorance but also helps her understand Isabella's intentions and helps correct her faulty assumptions of people such as General Tilney.At the end Henry comes back to Catherine to explain what had happened that caused his father to turn her away and then marries her.It can also be said that Henry rather enjoys the element of hero worship from Catherine: 'I must confess that his affection originated in nothing better than gratitude, or in other words the persuasion of her partiality for him had been the only cause of giving her a serious thought.

2. Eleanor Tilney

22 years old.Introduced by Henry in talks about muslin.Introduced in person to Catherine and the readers at the ball where Catherine pursues her.Is portrayed as a serious character both due to her mannerisms and her serious circumstances considering her mother's death and her father's control issues.She and Catherine become friends immediately as well though she is not as close with Eleanor as with Isabella, Catherine eventually ditches Isabella for a more mature friendship with Eleanor.She plays a key role in the relationship between Catherine and Henry as it is often the excuse of meeting her that Catherine gets to meet Henry, and she often acts as a bridge between the two helping the to understand each other and pointing out that Henry is only joking when his remarks sound offensive.At the end she marries Viscount who miraculously gains wealth enough to satisfy her father and so again she becomes a bridge between Catherine and Henry for her marriage leads to her father giving them content for their marriage.'I can not wonder at you feelings. I will not importune you. I will trust your own kindness of her when I am at a distance from you.'

3. Captain Fredrick Tilney

Introduced at a ball.Described by Henry as, 'a lively and perhaps sometimes thoughtless young man.'He tries to seduce Isabella, knowing about her engagement.He reveals Isabella's true nature.

4. General Tilney

Introduced during the second arrival of Henry.described as a handsome yet strange man.Kind to Catherine but mean towards his kids.Control issues.Anger issues.Two-faced gold digger.Catherine mistakes him for a murderer.Gullible. Is easily convinced by John Thorpe about the abundance and sudden absence of Catherine's wealth.Snob.Not a good man, but not an evil man either. Allows Catherine to learn that people are not black and white, and that everyone exhibits good and bad aspects.At least at the end he gives his consent.

The Allens

1.Mrs. Allen

Introduced at the beginning and offers to take Catherine to Bath.Tends to agree with everything Catherine says. Absent-minded, does not seem to have her own opinions.Provides comic relief.Connects Catherine to the Thorpes.Materialistic- perhaps cares only for her dresses.

2. Mr. Allen

Introduced along wit Mrs. Allen.Gives Catherine good advice and shelters her from social improper ties such as the carriage ride with Thorpe.

NOTE: I actually typed all of this in bullet points but wattpad isn't letting me format it as a list so if you need the notes in a list style you can pm me and I'll send them to you.