The charming Henry Tilney

The character of Henry Tilney is depicted as a charming gentleman. He is perceived in the scene when Catherine meets him in the pump room at Bath: “The master of the ceremonies introduced to her a very gentlemanlike young man as a partner; his name was Tilney.” After describing his physical appearance, the narrator informs us about him that “if not quite handsome, was very near it.” He shows “archness and pleasantry” as features that foreshadow darker aspects of this character later in the novel. He talks in a lively and fluent way, which makes his chatting “hardly understood by her.”

This charm suddenly disappears after his proposal, when he becomes awkward and self-conscious. In their visit to Mrs Allen, he “talked at random”. Later on, providing account for his father's behaviour, he “was almost as pitiable as in the first avowal of himself”, and he showed a physical reaction, “he blushed”.

Henry is portrayed as charming but he is not the most charming because he has to yield this title to the hidden character that appears in the end as a deus in machina to assume the role of Eleanor’s fiancé. This last character is described as “the most charming young man in the world”.  

The scholar Joseph Litvack argues for the “feminization” of Henry Tilney, as shown in the fact that he is only a student in Oxford, which implies his powerlessness, a position that is more proper of women in the literature of the 19^th century.  His archness and sophisticated wit also add to this feminization. This anticipates more “manly” protagonists of Jane’s Austen novels, including the monosyllabic Darcy in “Pride of Perjudice”.

Henry Tilney is portrayed as charming by his archness, sophisticated wit, physical appearance, and lively talk. This feature disappears after the engagement. It also is a term of contrast, interior with Eleanor’s fiancé, and exterior with other Jane Austen protagonists.

Generational conflict in “Northanger Abbey”

 

The object of this post is to discuss the generational conflict in “Nothanger Abbey” based on Patricia Meyer Spacks analysis in “Muted Discord: Generational Conflict in Jane Austen” from the book “Jane Austen in a Social Context” (1981).

The final clause settles the novel on this topic of intergenerational relationships: “I leave it to be settled, by whomsoever it may concern, whether the tendency of this work be altogether to recommend parental tyranny, or reward filial disobedience.” This ending serves as a rhetorical inclusion, providing a hermeneutic lens to the whole work.

Catherine, the protagonist, lives in a world of imagination shaped by the Gothic novels that she avid and excessively reads. In contrast, she understands the real world through the interaction with various characters, including General Tilney, the Allens and her own parents.

During her trip to Bath, the Allens assume a parental role. However, the absence of Mr Allen and the self-interest of Mrs Allen show their inadequacy for this role. For one thing, Mrs Allen is only interested in clothes and patterns of muslin. In addition to that, Catherine reproaches Mrs Allen that she did not warn her about the danger of going with the boorish John Thorpe on an excursion.

General Tilney adopts an ingratiating and tyrannical position. Initially, she blames him for the notional death of his wife. Further in the novel, he develops his life in a dream and is not able to distinguish between the grandeur or squalor that John credits the Morlands with. Finally, the young couple is going to be married under the condition of parental consent that he must bestow on them.

When Catherine is expelled by the high-handed General from the Abbey, she is foisted back on her family. Nonetheless, she finds a welcoming household at Fullerton. However, Ms Morland puts Catherine under scrutiny by questioning her about what she did wrong during her stay with the Tilneys.

Young and naïve Catherine needs the guidance of her elders, such as General Tilney, the Morlands, and the Allens, in order to understand the world that surrounds her.

 

The anti-romantic characters of "Nothinger Abbey"

The object of this post is to summarize the opinion of Q. D. Leavis on the anti-romantic approach to the characters of “Northanger Abbey” as discussed in “A Critical Theory of Jane Austen’s Writings”, Scrutiny 10.1: 61-66; 68-71.

Jane Austen describes Catherine, the protagonist, as an anti-heroine. Instead of holding the traditional values of femineity, such as quickness in forming romantical attachments, smartness, and attractiveness, she is depicted as a tomboy who likes to play with traditionally male objects, and as a person who lacks sentimentality, acts with a simple-minded behaviour, and conveys a “plain” appearance.

Henry Tilney, the character whom Catherine unsolicited and unexpectedly falls in love with, instead of being loving, snubs and tries to educate her.

Mrs. Allen is portrayed as an anti-chaperone. She prioritizes her own interests, being more focused on patterns of muslin and clothes than on guiding, instructing, and advising Catherine.

In Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen takes an anti-romantic approach to her characters. Catherine is depicted as an anti-heroine, Henry Tilney plays a paternalistic role, and Mrs. Allen acts as an unconventional chaperone.