Rereading Northanger Abbey

At the end of last month I finished my second reading of Northanger Abbey, with a great deal of delight. There's nothing like reading a book for a first time, but Jane Austen books are wonderful for rereading multiple times... as I am sure we all know. ;-)

If possible I think I was even more pleased with Henry Tilney this time than last...it struck me more than ever that if he were to be transported to modern times, he would probably be just the sort of person I would like; he might tease just a tad too much, but he does know when to be serious, at least. But what I really noticed this time was that his opinions seem to match mine quite well in some areas--or the 19th-century version of them, anyways. And he as such an understanding of muslin! ;) But see, he doesn't mind admitting that he has an understanding of muslin. He's not insecure, haha. And he admits to reading novels. My 21st-century version of that is always that he would read Jane Austen and like it, and admit it. ;-) There was one thing I particularly noticed this time, when Henry said--

I should no more lay it down as a general rule that women write better letters than men, than that they sing better duets, or draw better landscapes. In every power, of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty fairly divided between the sexes.

See, it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when men and women are given stereotypes, and it seems like he has the right ideas.

Anyway, enough rambling about Henry Tilney. (Ha, I can just hear some of you saying "No!") I think Isabella Thorpe made me laugh more this time. (You know, if you take some of the things she says seriously, she actually has some pretty good quotes, too. As do Mrs. Elton and Caroline Bingley.) I thought it was hilarious and served her right when Catherine never understood her insinuations.

John Thorpe made me feel madder, if that's possible. He is SO annoying. I have to say, I think he's the most irritating of all Jane Austen's villains. Grrrrrr.

So, I really haven't much to say, but I decided when I reread to S&S to post about my first rereads of Miss Austen's novels.. This is a delightful book, but very different from JA's others and I think one should definitely read at least most of her other books before this one. And preferably have a slight understanding of those old Gothic novels and their tendencies, or you won't understand the satire.

By the bye, the 2007 movie (which, I must disclaim, I do not approve of in its entirety) didn't get that at all right. For instance, in the movie, as soon as Catherine claps eyes on Northanger Abbey, she says "It is exactly as I imagined it would be!" In the book, they arrive during a rainstorm and she never really gets to view the outside of the house until later on, and the inside is much too modern to be like what she imagined. Also there's this one scene where she sees Henry with his sister, but she doesn't know it's his sister and you can tell she's all disappointed (haha), but in the book Jane Austen clearly said that she did not do that (as other heroines would, you see), but that she guessed immediately it was his sister; it looked right, and he'd mentioned having a sister before.

That's just a couple of examples. But it doesn't have much to do with the book so I'll quit ranting talking about it.

Oh, and I have a question for you all. Have any of you read There Must Be Murder, which is a sequel to NA by Margaret C. Sullivan? I really enjoy what I know of her writing in general, but I'd have to buy it so it is nice to have recommendations. I'm a person who likes libraries. Heehee. Unfortunately they don't have it.

I can't think of a good way to tie up this short and ramble-y post besides to put a few quotes from NA. These are ones that I scribbled down during my re-read & didn't do last time.

"...while I have Udolpho to read, I feel as if nobody could make me miserable."
~Catherine Morland

"A woman especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."

"...from politics, it was an easy step to silence."

"[T]o marry for money I think the wickedest thing in existence."
~Catherine

Quotes from Northanger Abbey

It was a lot of fun writing down quotes from this novel! There were so many in the first chapters! Hope you enjoy.


This concludes my section on Northanger Abbey....and, all 6 of Jane Austen's novels. I have enjoyed doing these, and hope what I have planned for future posts will be enjoyable! =)

“No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.”

“ ‘Catherine grows quite a good-looking girl – she is almost pretty today,’ were words that 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.”

“She had reached the age of seventeen, without having one amiable youth who could call forth her sensibility, without having inspired one real passion, and without having excited even admiration but was very moderate and very transient.”

“But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.”

“[I]f adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”

“Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.”

“[F]or a fine Sunday in Bath empties every house of its inhabitants, and all the world appears on such an occasion to walk about and tell their acquaintance what a charming day it is.”

“…they parted – on Miss Tilney’s side with some knowledge of her new acquaintances’ feelings, and on Catherine’s, without the smallest consciousness of having explained them.”

“Is there a Henry in the world who could be insensible to such a declaration? Henry Tilney at least was not."

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” –Mr. Tilney

“I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.” –Catherine

“[E]very man is surrounded by a neighbourhood of voluntary spies.” –Mr. Tilney

The Horrid Novels of Northanger Abbey

“…but are they all horrid, are you sure they are all horrid?” ~Catherine

When I read Northanger Abbey I was already aware that The Mysteries of Udolpho was a real book, so I figured the other 8 mentioned were as well. Apparently for many years people thought the titles in Northanger were made up by Jane Austen. It was fun looking up the summaries of these books (but I haven’t read through all the summaries yet) as well as other books mentioned in Jane Austen novels, so I thought I’d make a post about the “horrid” ones.

First of all, I thought it was funny, saying novels were “horrid”, and supposed that it must have a slightly different meaning than how it is usually used today. I looked it up on dictionary.com and the first meaning was the one I was looking for:

“Such as to cause horror; shockingly dreadful; abominable”

I suppose “abominable” doesn’t quite fit, but I can just hear Catherine saying “It was shockingly dreadful, do not you think so, Miss Tilney?”

(If you click on the titles in bold it will go to a summary of the novel.)

Now the main one is, of course, The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (who, by the way, also wrote The Romance of the Forest which Harriet, Mr. Martin, and Emma discuss in Emma). Udolpho is referred to frequently while Catherine is in Bath; she is enthralled and can barely keep a conversation with Isabella going without thinking of what will be behind the black veil. “Mrs. Radcliffe” is discussed as well.

The second mentioned was The Italian by Ann Radcliffe, which Isabella says she will read with Catherine after the latter has finished Udolpho. Then Isabella reads Catherine the list in her pocket-book of “ten or twelve” more of the same sort (seven, in point of fact). For my reader’s information, they were all published in the 1790s. Here they are:

Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza Parsons

Clermont by Regina Maria Roche

Mysterious Warnings by Eliza Parsons

Necromancer…of the Black Forest by Ludwig Flammenberg

Midnight Bell by Francis Lathom 

Orphan of the Rhine by Eleanor Smith

Horrid Mysteries by the Marquis de Grosse

The last one has the best title, don’t you think? ;-)

Do you ever have fun researching that sort of thing? Have you read any of the novels mentioned in Jane Austen's books?

Northanger Abbey: The Movies

To read the actual summary of the story, read the book review.

1986, BBC/A&E

I started watching this one more than a year ago and never finished it. For one thing, it is even worse quality than most I see from the 80s; the hairstyles and costuming are quite ridiculous, everyone (or almost everyone) seems horribly miscast, and the music is weird…this strange electric guitar thing going on. Like the 2007 version, Catherine imagines odd things (by the way, all the book mentions her imagining are old castles), but very different from the other movie at the same time. The thing I really disliked, was that at first you can’t tell whether it’s real or not, so you don’t see it coming. Anyways, I really have nothing positive to say about the movie.

Catherine Morland: Katherine Schlesinger

Henry Tilney: Peter Firth

Length: 1 hr. 28 min.

My “grade”: (D) (I’m so mean!)

2007, ITV/Masterpiece Theatre

I am a little sad about this movie because it had the potential to be really good – a lot of the casting is very well done, etc. – but then they had to add objectionable things to it. The stuff Catherine imagines always looked like something to fast-forward, and so we did the first time watching it; I have since heard that that was the right thing to do. John Thorpe constantly swears…in the book, it will say “d——”; in the movie, of course, it’s worse because you hear the word over and over; and I do believe he said it much more often in the movie than in the book. There are some objections to Isabella as well; the biggest one about her is the happening with her and Captain Tilney. I really don’t approve of them sticking that in there – I think it should be exactly as the book has it: leaving you to draw your own conclusions.

   One thing that bugged me after reading the novel was that Catherine was reading “gothic fiction” before she even went to Bath; in the book, Isabella introduced her to those sorts of novels.

   In short, movies that require me to be armed with the remote control & ready to fast-forward the whole time I’m watching it leave somewhat to be desired, and can’t make my favorites list. I think this movie has some very sweet & enjoyable things (Henry and Catherine make such a cute couple!) but there is at least as much of the things we skip.

   On a more approving note, however, I really liked how “Jane Austen’s” narration came in at the beginning (although they left out/combined some quotes I adore) and ending. My favorite thing about the novel is its splendid narration – I’d actually like to hear it all the way through, and just like the book.

Catherine: Felicity Jones (I’d love to see her in another Jane Austen movie!)

Henry: J.J. Feild

Length: 1 hr. 33 min.

My “grade”: (B+)

Wishbone, 1998

For those of you who don’t know, Wishbone is (or was) a children’s program featuring an imaginative dog named Wishbone. Circumstances in his life (or rather, his owner’s life) remind him of various stories from classic fiction. He then 'tells us the story,' imagining himself as the main guy. (It’s actually a fun way to learn, in general, the classics. Even if it is silly. ha)

    They made two episodes for Jane Austen:

·         Furst Impressions (Pride and Prejudice)

·         Pup Fiction (Northanger Abbey)

I mention this now whereas I didn’t for Pride and Prejudice because I feel there is an insufficiency of Northanger Abbey films. Every other Jane Austen novel has at least 3 adaptations.

   Of course it has many drawbacks. Extremely shortened…a dog playing Henry Tilney…sort of make-do costuming…but hey, this is a Wishbone episode, not a period drama. And when I compare it to their P&P, I see a big improvement. The casting was a lot better (incidentally, the Eleanor Tilney was Elizabeth Bennet in the other; and she’s much more suited to the former), less of a complex story than P&P to work with, and Wishbone really makes a much better Henry Tilney than Mr. Darcy.

    It’s a comparatively short little thing. I suggest watching it…just for fun. =)

   And, just in case you want to see it, here’s a list of the episodes: Wishbone Episode List

My favorite

    It would be terribly un-Janeite like to say my favorite is Wishbone, wouldn’t it? – Yes, I suppose so.

    We really need a new one. (Oh, can I be Catherine? =D)

    But, from what I can watch of it, my preference is definitely the 2007 version.

Which is your favorite? Do you think there should be a new adaptation?

Which is your favorite version of Northanger Abbey?

1986, BBC 2007, ITV

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Northanger Abbey: The Book

The Story

     “No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine.” She is not beautiful, accomplished, or brilliant; has a rather uneventful life in a parsonage with her 9 siblings, and resides in a small village with rather uninteresting neighbors. “But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.”

     The Allens, a nearby older couple with no children, invite Catherine to come with them to Bath. She happily accepts, of course; “if adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.”

     At first Bath does not rise to her expectations – the first ball is extremely crowded and they know absolutely nobody. After a few days of having no one to talk to except Mrs. Allen, she meets Mr. Henry Tilney at a ball. She doesn’t quite understand his singular sense of humor, but is amused and altogether pleased with him. Anxious to meet him again, she keeps on the lookout for him whenever she is out, but in vain: he seems to have vanished from Bath.

     Meanwhile Mrs. Allen happens across an old friend, Mrs. Thorpe. Two of her children, Isabella and John, become closely acquainted with Catherine – especially Isabella. From that day they are inseparable. Isabella introduces Catherine to such “horrid” novels as The Mysteries of Udolpho and other popular ‘horror mysteries’ of the time.

     Catherine is rather oblivious and not very perceptive, so she does not notice the falseness and inconsistencies of Isabella, or that John Thorpe, who she does not like, seems to have a fancy for her.

     Henry appears once again with his sweet sister Eleanor, who quickly becomes Catherine’s friend.

     Just before the Tilneys are to leave Bath, General Tilney (the father) invites Catherine to visit their home, Northanger Abbey. Surprised but delighted, she accepts; relieved not to have to part from Henry and Eleanor, and excited at the prospect of staying in an abbey. She anticipates an ancient place with secret panels and trap doors – the sort of thing she loves to read about.

     Interesting events do await her…although not quite the kind she imagines.

My sentiments

     All Jane Austen’s novels are very different, and I found Northanger Abbey very unlike the rest. The style of narration seems very different; she addresses the reader throughout the novel, and it sparkles with more irony than ever. The book is usually considered a satire of the sort of story Catherine loves. She compares occurrences and characters in Northanger Abbey to those of popular fiction; and they are usually very different.

     In short, I drew great pleasure from the wit and light-heartedness of this novel, the last of her main six I had left to read. I found Catherine a delightful heroine, and Henry Tilney now ranks in my top three Jane Austen heroes.

           

Publication details

     The book was begun around the same time as the first versions of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. It was called Susan, which was likewise the heroine’s original name. In 1803 it was sold for 10 pounds to a publisher, who strangely never published it. Several years later Jane Austen wrote and inquired about it. They said they’d never promised to publish it, and she could have it back for the same amount of money they paid her. The Austen ladies, then on their own, had needed the money and so of course they didn’t have enough. In 1816, after she had made money as an author, her brother Henry got it back for her – informing the publishers afterwards that it was written by the author of Pride and Prejudice, etc…the books were quite popular. What fun it must have been to see the man’s reaction to that news!

     Jane Austen then changed the heroine’s name to Catherine and retitled the book, also adding a note to put at the beginning, explaining briefly that it should have been published in 1803 and now some things were out of date. It was published after her death along with Persuasion in 1818.

P.S. Was Laurentina’s skeleton behind the veil in The Mysteries of Udolpho?