Romance
A recurring idea that shapes Northanger Abbey.
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Catherine Morland, a naive provincial girl, visits Bath and later Northanger Abbey, where her love of Gothic novels distorts her view of ordinary people. She forms a bond with Henry Tilney, but his father's class-based opposition delays their match. A secondary marriage in the Tilney family eventually unblocks consent, allowing the young couple to wed.
Catherine Morland, a naive provincial girl, visits Bath and later Northanger Abbey, where her love of Gothic novels distorts her view of ordinary people. She forms a bond with Henry Tilney, but his father's class-based opposition delays their match. A secondary marriage in the Tilney family eventually unblocks consent, allowing the young couple to wed.
Jane Austen wrote six major novels distinguished by social precision, irony, and moral clarity.
Explore author profileThis work develops its ideas directly rather than through a character-led narrative.
Northanger Abbey belongs to the literary and cultural world of Public-domain literature.
Catherine Morland, a naive provincial girl, visits Bath and later Northanger Abbey, where her love of Gothic novels distorts her view of ordinary people. She forms a bond with Henry Tilney, but his father's class-based opposition delays their match. A secondary marriage in the Tilney family eventually unblocks consent, allowing the young couple to wed.
Begin by following how romance and satire shape the work’s central choices.
Source and editorial notice
Public-domain source information is preserved with the published edition. This reading guide was created with AI assistance and reviewed before publication.