The Villain of Northanger Abbey

The villain of the story does not exist. There are those that antagonize her, such as John Thorpe, with his constant exaggerations, lies, narcissism, and uninvited advances upon Catherine. Perhaps one of the first most major grievances he made against Catherine was when he, "[had] been to Miss Tilney, and made [Catherine's] excuses" against her wishes and multiple refusals, followed by attempting to force her to not refute his lies and apologize to the Tilneys. There were other forces that opposed Catherine or caused her problems throughout Northanger Abbey, such as Isabell and Catherine’s own skewed expectations of life, but I would not qualify these as villains. Similar to our lives, there will be people who oppose us, who possess plans that are not to our benefit, and may actively work in endeavors many would not call righteous or virtuous, but that does not make them villains. If one were to compete in something, such as a game, there will be other players that wish for nothing more for one to lose and be despaired while they claim victory and relish the experience. No matter how much one holds a grudge against these opponents, that does not make them villains. The same is applied in different terms to Northanger Abbey.

I think the entire aspect of a villain should not be asked for the story is not one to possess a villain or a hero, despite how many times the narrator will refer to the protagonist as a hero. In this regard, in response to an idea one of my classmates brought up, I disagree that the narrator is the villain. The narrator tells the story in third person except in the few times they take a moment to insert their own commentary on a given situation or character. The narrator’s voice changes the story’s feel significantly and if it would be told in a different way with a more passive narrator, the story would feel different to the reader. That being said, it would not completely change the story. There is no hero despite how many times the narrator argues otherwise and the story is not one of some grand adventure. Exactly because of this, as a third person narrator never involved in the story or any of the characters, not even as a god-like being watching the action, the narrator does not and cannot act as a the villain. Are narrator’s that kill characters in other stories or cause natural atrocities to occur villains? Not at all, no matter how much they try to insert their own opinion as does the narrator in Northanger Abbey. Northanger Abbey is a parody and the narrator’s part in conveying this to the audience is important, but it is not necessary nor does it stop Northanger Abbey for being a parody. If the narrator would be replaced with a standard, non-involved, third person narrator, the story would remain a parody of gothic novels. This is established through the events of the story and Catherine’s own expectations and actions, especially as the protagonist.

Northanger Abbey is, instead of a story about a hero and a villain, more of story similar to where the characters go on a journey. In such stories where characters go off into the world in such an adventure, is there a villain? There is not. Nature itself does not act as the villain, it may even serve as help. One cannot call a large chasm or a raging river blocking their path as villains either. These are obstacles, antagonizing forces that may cause the characters great harm, or even intend to in the form of animals, but they cannot be called villains. These forces are not evil; they merely exist. Such is also in Northanger Abbey. There are antagonizing forces to the protagonist, and Catherine may even have to overcome or be burdened by these antagonizing forces, but they serve as obstacles, not as villains. Catherine, as in a story about a great journey, has many experiences, some positive, some obstacles that burden her, some teaching her lessons, and after all of the experiences, she has learned as changed as a person. She will not ever defeated a villain.

Unmasking the Villan of Northanger Abbey.

Throughout our childhood bedtime stories have consisted of the same type of characters recycled throughout different stories. We grew up listening, reading, and watching heroes and villains dominate our literature, television, and movies. Now as adults I can still pickup a book, or turn on a show and find the same hero and villain characters just as easy as when I was five. It seems simple to pick out which characters fit their roles directly when we've listened, read, and watch these same types of characters played out time and time again, yet in Northanger Abbey we are told right away Catherine is no heroine. So if the main character is not distinguished as a hero, can there be a villain?

Northanger Abbey's characters do not fit the traditional mold of what we would we see as heroes and villains, however just because the characters don't follow traditional hero and villain standards doesn't mean we can't categorize them in those molds.  Austen's gothic parody is meant to poke fun at the traditional Gothic literature, so of course none of the characters fit into the exact stereotypes.

In my eyes there are many villains lurking in Northanger Abbey. Let me begin with the most obvious which would be John Thorpe. John is egocentric, arrogant, and exaggerative. He lies for his own benefit. He takes advantage of Catherine's naiveté in a way the reader of the story can look at with disgust. In one specific scene of the book John goes as far as in my eyes kidnapping Catherine, and deceiving her by lying about the Tilneys on two separate occasions. He goes to extremes to get what he wants. He is an aggressive liar, loud and rude.  John Thorpe has all the characteristics of a villain, he is the easiest to point the finger at when talking about an antagonist for the story. Then there's General Tilney, a snob who has real predjuices of lower standing class than he. General Tilney is borderline tyrant, who doesn't treat his children the best. He also only sucks up to Catherine when he thinks she is rich, but after John lies yet again and makes Catherine seems poor the General treats her with disgust and rudeness. The General creates turmoil for our main character Catherine, he too would be easy to pinpoint as the villain, but what if Catherine herself was the heroine and the villain? Catherine is the cause of too many of her own woes. She reads her reality like the pages of her Gothic novels, which makes Austen's novel all the more comedic, but doesn't characterize Catherine as a heroine, but more of her own villain. Just as a villain in any other story some how gets defeated, Catherine too defeats her villains by experiences, and maturing into social society. From a different perspective maybe the villains of the story such as General Tilney and John Thorpe help her more than the audience thinks.

This story could have many villains, this story could have none, but I think with any story that has a hero there is always a villain, maybe even more than one.

Villainless Northanger Abbey

I don't think that Northanger Abbey has a a true villain. I define a villain as an evil character whose opposition of the Antagonist is essential to the plot progression. Yes, Catherine had multiple people ruffle her feathers as she obtained experience and growth on her journey, but these small obstacles were amplified by her naive perspective.

The Thorpe's, referring to both John and Isabella, were self- centered characters. The kind of friends that are always a good time when your out trying to make a memory, but not the people you want to pre or post game with. John would probably tell you his horses would outrun a cheetah if you'd let him. His constant talking and lies cause bumps in the road towards progressing her friendship with the Tilney's. Finding out in the closing of the novel that The General endorsed Catherine to Henry because of John's lies does some to rectify his actions of causing the missed walk rendezvous as well as his part in the unexpected and unaccompanied trip home. Although annoying and essential to the plot, I wouldn't label these actions villainesque.

 Isabella offers comfort in Bath and introduces Catherine to the Gothic novel. I perceived her as a one-dimensional character worried only of her own cause. She is manipulative and tries to use Catherine, she is interested in her brother and wants to befriend her. (Strikingly similar to Catherine's desire to befriend Eleanor) Although Isabella does break her brothers heart and cause unnecessary concern I can't classify her as villain-like. 

General Tilney, of course was responsible for the sudden end in the trip. His company brought weight throughout the novel, "only in his presence that Catherine felt the smallest fatigue from her journey" (p 131). He is doing his best to present his family in an attractive light. His constant wooing never allows Catherine to feel comfortable in his presence, yet she enjoys his favorable demeanor towards her. In learning of his mistake in sizing up Catherine, his pride caused him to rudely remove her from his home. This does cause some harm, but ultimately forces Henry's hand in deciding his intent with Catherine as well as provide some spectacle and romance for Catherine. I definitely wouldn't ask the General for hospitality advice but no I can't call him a villain either.

As many pointed to in our discussion today, I read Northanger Abbey as a coming of age story,  it could be due to my lack of  prior knowledge regarding Gothic literature, and reading a parody without an original for context. I related to the Gothic undertones as growth on part of Catherine's character. Who hasn't gotten absorbed in a book and fancied their heroic tale in the mystical setting. We see Catherine's fancy shattered when Henry shares insight and reason towards her imagined conflict, "the visions of romance were over. Catherine was completely awakened" (p 157). Here we see her outgrow the Abbey, just as she outgrows the Thorpe's. She is losing her innocence through experience and maturing as a women. We see Catherine come full circle as she's back home and walking in her old stomping grounds, "it was not three months ago since, wild with joyful expectation, she had there run backwards and forwards ten times a-day, with an heart light, gay, and independent; looking forward to pleasures untasted and unalloyed, and free from the apprehension of evil as from the knowledge of it" (p 187). Catherine's conflicts were self-inflicted because she didn't have the experiences to avoid them. She is no longer independent and free but weighted with life experiences. Although General Tilney and the Thorpe's antagonize Catherine on her journey towards experience and love; the only villain getting in Catherine's way was herself.        

Northanger Abbey: Where's the villain?

When a character is described as a villain, they have a very large role to live up to. A villain, in my own definition, is someone who is constantly trying to ruin a hero’s (or heroine’s) objective or intention and shows up around every corner to do so. The villain wants to ruin everything good and even conquer the world. As a classmate mentioned during a discussion, for there to be a great villain, there needs to be an even greater hero. 

Northanger Abbey, in all of its gothic parodistic and sentimentally fictitious glory, does not have a great villain, or even a great hero. Catherine Morland is a young, naïve 17 year old girl who wants for an adventure. She wants to be the hero of her own reality. But in searching for this gothically inspired high emprise (and coming up empty every time she goes looking for a dark secret), she discovers that in pursuing this fantasy, she loses track of what her 18th century society tells her she should be pursuing. In this novel, there are several antagonists, but the word villain is too strong a description for any of them. While the parody of Catherine looking for a gothic twist at every turn is poking fun at Catherine’s search to be a hero, the antagonistic approach to many of the characters is vital to Catherine’s development, not only as a character in an Austen novel, but as a young woman. Her discovery that while there are terrible people in the world who are just products of a highly developed, wealth focused society, there are no villains looking to destroy the world. This realization is key to her development throughout the story from a naive girl who had never left Fullerton, to one who is beginning to see and meet new things and new types of people. 

 During our class discussion, the point of Catherine being her own antagonist really brought the details of Catherine’s search for a heroic conquest to light. While she did look for mystery and intrigue, at every turn she only found her own delusions and misled hopes. Going along with this idea, Catherine’s own misconceptions are her actual downfall, as well as the reality she’s living in. Her expectations of what her life should be like, and what experiences she should have are so highly diluted that when she does actually have an adventure at her fingertips, (Volume 2, Chapter XIII) she cannot even recognize it. At this point, what many consider to be the climax of the novel, she has matured enough out of her previous notions of a gothic emprise and into the reality of her circumstances, to where she only considers the offenses she might have caused the General instead of the epic journey that lies ahead. (Vol. 2, Ch. XIV).

Does Northanger Abbey have a villain?

 My initial thought on this topic was that John Thorpe was the villain of Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen.  I thought he was the closest character that prevented Catherine from fulfilling her desire, but then I had to identify a true conflict. If we were to frame the story around Catherine’s goal and desire and it was to marry Henry Tilney, John Thorpe would be the villain since he was the one who sabotaged their engagement. Although this may be one of the conflicts in the story, I there is a much deeper conflict that involves an internal conflict.

            In a sense I see Catherine as a villain to herself and maybe that’s what makes it a gothic parody. Catherine herself is the protagonist and the villain. If we say Catherine’s main goal was to live a gothic adventure, we can argue that she is her own villain since she expects a gothic adventure, but disappoints herself with her crazy imagination. We can even argue that the gothic novels she reads act like the villain since they give her an expectation that won’t really happen in real life. But then, we can argue that it’s her own fault for feeling the way that she does and she sets herself up to failure. Catherine prevents herself from being content since she expects so much from a gothic adventure.

Now that I think more about the topic, I would also argue that “reality” can possibly be the villain of Northanger Abbey. Catherine’s desire is to have a gothic adventure, but reality hits and does not go with Catherine’s imagination. Reality is the villain that prevents Catherine’s from having the gothic adventure that she wants.

           

Life and Reading

Life is interesting. When we're all associating with each other and comparing our thoughts and ideas that we have about life and literature, we might all come across many different perspectives that people have. The parody of a Gothic novel, like in Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen is a great example of how those perspectives that people can have on life and literature are portraying a very funny contrast between the upsides and the down sides of reasoning how it is that a person aught to be seen, how we all associate with each other (or should be for that matter), and most importantly, what it is the we all deserve when it comes to respecting character qualities. Jane Austen's novel as said in a foot note on page 30 to be a parody (or "mock Gothic"). She represents her thoughts on literature as incredibly valuable where "the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of it's varieties, the liveliest delineation of it's wit and humor are conveyed to the world in the best chosen language." This high respect for that novel idea is absolutely a very high respect for the values which can't be seen in Gothic literature. This story is all about respect and complements. People are who they are and they are humble or respected otherwise even despite any flaw in character. It is so cheery and bright that the very thought of insisting that there be any Gothic ideas of dreariness or rebels and enemies would only be humorous. Even despite Isabella being as small bit less respect worthy at times and any other negative judgement calls on a character,

Throughout the entire book, I found Catherine to be the exact opposite of a goth and all of the events throughout the story to be the exact opposite of Gothic entirely. Despite all said "ignorance" on Catherine's part, I believed it to be as symbolic of her nature in not understanding that she wasn't getting it that how much there was to be appreciated for. The other characters might very well have been speaking with better manors and much higher sophistication, in the end, I think she was simply amounting to everybody simply by fighting the entire idea of Gothic.

Catherine's ideas are very bright and thoughtful despite her feelings of inferiority and any other qualities she may have possessed which were in any cause of judgement still very gently regarded as nothing to fear. There were no seriously disturbing plot points nor were there any more worry some characteristics of others rather than perchance the misjudgment of others (on Catherine's part). Despite our supposed fears of any of the other characters being judgmental or overbearing, they all still maintained a very seriously important level of respect and high regards for each other in terms of acting in ways which should be respected as proper.

Interestingly enough, it appeared as though Jane Austen had proposed throughout the novel that people are all having conversations about ideas which are formed about each other throughout their lives. When she's speaking of families in this town of Bath and the mindful ventures of a new young woman to the town and her development of character and intellect, in relation to speaking of books, it seems right for her to inform us what she believes in, she's expressing quite a lot. From the most civilized and respectful standpoint, despite everybody else's convictions on life and each other (and all sorts of other ideas that we can note from the novel), I found that Catherine's true point of view expressed by the narrator was about how many people there were to be seen and heard and understood, and to be understood as respect-worthy. She meets a lot of people in Bath and she seems fairly wise in making judgement calls on everybody. There's a lot to say for their merit against any dark or dreary judgement calls.

The Gothic Phase was played a big role in the novel as brightener to the contrary of Gothic. The nature in contrast was even less dreary and ever so brighter because we had something so bright in comparison. It was in no way Gothic and or at all to be seen as ruining, harsh, or devastating. Catherine had every right and reason to be seen as a girl who deserved respect to her intelligence and encouragement. Perhaps there never was a change in her true character all along, but more of a realization that she had not been in the conversation enough in the first place in order to hear properly and see where the conversation was going. Although, she was not truly ignorant, nor should she have ever been ashamed, she has truly implied enough reasonably polite and ingeniousness in character before the conversations even became increasingly intellectual. People were having bright conversations and eliciting positive characteristics like maintaining a decent level of respect for each other (as in treating each other as "ladies," and "gentlemen." They also encourages strongly a lot of powerfully profound inspiring ideas for people to have more wit and sense when it belongs to the category of a novel which is positive with a heavenly ending.

Isabella Thorpe- The Original Mean Girl

1) Does Northanger Abbey have a villain? If so, which character is the villain? Why do you think that?

As I brought up in class, Northanger Abbey is not a story that is set up to have a distinct “hero” and a distinct “villain.” Instead, it focuses more on the life of Catherine and the people involved in helping her transform into the woman she will become. I have really enjoyed reading a romantic novel that has a gothic hint to it, being a mockery nonetheless. I haven’t been too exposed to this genre of literature from this time period, but I feel like I have learned a lot. Throughout this story, we see many characters behave in a way that causes us to second guess their motives and think twice about the way they behave.

Upon reading this topic on who represents the villain, my immediate thought with red flashing lights in my head was, “ISABELLA THORPE!!!”. Isabella embodies many of the qualities of a girl that my mom would not have wanted me to be friends with as a younger girl. Isabella is probably one of the most manipulative people in the story. She is your typical mean girl, always trying to flaunt her superiority to Catherine. At first, Isabella confused me, in that she seemed like a legitimate and caring friend. Quickly, her ulterior motives in becoming Catherine’s friend in order to get to her brother just show her self-seeking ways and selfish tendencies.

Whether that be flaunting the fact that Isabella knows more, her looks, or her attitude, she makes sure to stroke her own ego all the time. Isabella relishes the attention that Catherine (in her naïve and easily impressed ways) gives her, and further continues to put on some sort of show for Catherine. She is distressed when she doesn’t receive the attention she desires for Catherine as the story develops. Isabella is somewhat of a social chameleon, who blends to appease whoever she is around and will say just about anything in order to feel like she is approved of and important.

Isabella is also boy crazy, which isn’t a characteristic that Catherine embodies upon coming to bath. Isabella takes it upon herself to be a sort of “mentor” to Catherine, giving her a more worldly experience. Some may argue that she is tainting Catherine with her worldly views, but it does serve as an important step into Catherine’s development. However, her erratic behavior when it comes to Henry’s older brother, Captain Tilney, is what bothered me the most. She quickly pushed aside her idea of a relationship with Catherine’s brother in order to pursue something “better” for the concept of money. The narrator discusses Catherine’s opinion on Isabella by saying “She wished Isabella had talked more like her usual self, and not so much about money, and had not looked so well pleased at the sight of Captain Tilney.” (119). To me, this quote made Isabella seem extremely shallow and pathetic, in that her only interests in life revolved around men and money.

 Isabella indirectly is truly an evil person and not the kind of company I would want to keep. Her selfish motives for friendship, money, and self-indulgence are what draw me to the conclusion that she is a negative person and character in the story. She is a classic mean girl, and her indirect ways of being such an awful person make her even more sinister.

Isabella as Villain In Northanger Abbey

Just as we discussed in class, I don’t believe that Northanger Abbey has a true villain or hero. There are definitely a few characters who are less likable than others, but none who truly have evil intentions. John Thorpe, who lies to Catherine—making her look bad—to convince her to go on a carriage ride with him, is one of these characters. He talks only about what interests himself and does not care for Catherine’s wants or needs. Another distasteful character is General Tilney, whose true intentions become clear when he forces Catherine to leave Northanger Abbey: he is only interested in befriending people who have profuse wealth like himself.

Of all the characters, however, Isabella Thorpe is in my opinion the most deplorable. Although she is outgoing, beautiful, and appears to have a very likable personality, it is all a show she puts on to fulfill her own selfish desires.

When she first meets Catherine, Isabella is quick to befriend her, more so than her two sisters, even though they are closer in age to Catherine than Isabella is. Isabella’s motive for building a connection with Catherine is simply to get closer to James, whom she pursues. Catherine, being her naïve self, does not realize this ulterior motive, and is only happy to finally have an acquaintance in Bath. Because Isabella is older and therefore more knowledgeable, she “had a very decided advantage in discussing such points” as comparing the balls and fashion of different cities (Austen 26). Catherine greatly admires her new friend, but it soon becomes clear that Isabella feels a sense of superiority over her.

Also, once Isabella and James start spending more time together, Isabella does not put nearly as much time and energy into her friendship with Catherine. While discussing her morning spent with James, Isabella tells Catherine, “I would not have had you by for the world; you are such a sly thing, I am sure you would have made some droll remark or other about it” (Austen 57). When Catherine refutes this accusation, Isabella responds with, “I know you better than you know yourself” (Austen 57). The condescending manner in which she speaks to Catherine is detrimental to their friendship. Isabella is also manipulative; her actions and words to Catherine are calculated to get the result she desires. Catherine becomes aware of this when Isabella is extremely persistent about her coming to Clifton. Catherine ponders that “Isabella appeared to her ungenerous and selfish, regardless of every thing but her own gratification” (79).

Isabella’s craving for wealth is evident when she starts flirting with Captain Tilney even though she is engaged to James. This is when her true deceiving and self-seeking nature is overtly proven. By the end of the novel, Catherine and Isabella are no longer friends, further proving that Isabella is not a positive character, and wasn’t meant to last. She served only as brief and artificial friend to Catherine, as well as a lesson that Catherine most likely learned from. In this respect, Isabella Thorpe was the closest thing to a villain in Northanger Abbey.

Going Against the Gothic

After only recently being introduced to the idea of gothic literature, but having the experience of reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelly in the past, I have a good idea of what does or fails to fall under the category of said movement. And I can say that the mysterious and suspenseful mad scientist feeling from both the characters, as well as the writing in Frankenstein, do cause a good amount of anticipation and excitement while read. Catherine, Jane Austen’s “heroine” in the novel Northanger Abbey, seeks the same sense of awe and terror a heroine in a traditional gothic styled story would experience. Instead, Catherine experiences a fairly normal stay in Bath, before heading out to the Abbey to have an even less eventful time.

Expectations are frequently not met when Catherine suspects some sort of danger is looming. At one point, Henry has Catherine on the edge of her seat while playing on her gullibility and eagerness for a “gothic” experience: “’Oh! Thou—whomesover thous mayst be, into whose hands these memoirs of the wretched Matilda may fall’—when your lamp suddenly expires in the socket, and leaves you in total darkness.’ ‘Oh! No, no—do not say so. Well, go on,’”(Northanger Abbey, 126). To an extent, there is suspense from Catherine’s perspective, but it is only a taste of the drama in the tradition gothic style. And in this case with Henry, he is merely poking fun at the idea, much like the author.

It is possible that the reason Jane Austen wished to parody the gothic style was to juxtaposition reality and imagination to show that realism aided to the growth of Catherine. Because Catherine realized the real suspense was only in her mind, she was able to mature and grow as a character. It is possible that Henry would not have married her until she gave up her childish, adventurous spirit for what was never there.

Since the events of Catherine’s life are so matter of fact in reality, and the idea of Catherine needing to give up her love for adventure in the Gothic spirit in order to marry into a well off family, I can see how the novel could discourage the reader from reading Gothic fiction. The Gothic elements within the novel are there either to be made fun of, or in Catherine’s case, to get her into trouble. Expectations are continuously constructed in Catherine’s mind, believing she were a true gothic heroine, but she is let down enough to give up the search altogether. So my final takeaway would be Jane Austen’s style does not encourage one to take up a gothic narrative, but she doesn’t explicitly discourage it. Mainly, she shows the growth of a character that wishes to have a gothic experience, then shifting her perspective after being let down, and soon thereafter becoming engaged to Henry Tillney.

Who is the Villain in Northanger Abbey?

In the novel Northanger Abbey, it is clear that the protagonist, or heroine, is Catherine Morland. However, in this Gothic parody we are left without a villain, or at least without an obvious villain. How can we have a story of a heroine without a villain to corrupt her objective? The answer to this question is not too clear if the book is read solely as a domestic fictional novel and without considering the satirical Gothic elements that are, or are supposed to be, influencing the narration and direction of the book.

Catherine is a young woman who is so deeply consumed by her Gothic novels that she is oblivious to the social dynamics around her. She, as the narrator states, "was often inattentive, and occasionally stupid" (Austin, page 9). She goes to Bath in search of courtship, and is soon manipulated by many, if not all, the characters in Bath. Catherine is an oblivious girl who cannot pick up on the subtle social ques that people hint at her to indicate their interest in her, her brother, or whatever their objective may be. Because Catherine is essentially an innocent blank slate, people in Bath feel the need to manipulate her to satisfy their own agenda, making every character an opposing force to our protagonist. Some of these antagonists, or manipulators, are less obvious than others. It is clear that John Thorpe is one who uses Catherine to advance his own desires while disregarding hers. For example, John intends to marry Catherine, and despite her previous arrangements to meet with the Tilney siblings one evening, he lies to Catherine by telling her the Tilneys had already left, enticing Catherine to join him on a carriage ride. A less obvious character that subtly manipulates Catherine is Henry. Like John, Henry intends to propose to Catherine. He is attracted to Catherine by her curiosity and naivete. For example, when Henry and Eleanor discuss art on their walk with Catherine, Catherine becomes embarrassed that she is ignorant to the concepts that they are discussing. Instead of looking down upon her, Henry seems to get-off to informing Catherine about art, using her ignorance to feel good about himself.

I do not believe that there is a villain in the actual case of events that take place throughout the story, however there are a number of antagonists that try to manipulate and corrupt Catherine for their own molding.

One reason this novel is satirical is that it is narrated by a narrator who reads this domestic fictional story as a Gothic novel. By doing this, the narrator forces the reader to assume that Catherine, our heroine, is supposed to encounter a villain. Catherine complements the narrator's technique of expecting Gothic circumstances by reading Gothic literature throughout the novel. The books she reads make her believe that she is on her own Gothic adventure, and forces her to assume there must be a villain in her adventure. Because she is so inexperienced at reading people, she assumes that the closest thing to a villain in her circumstance is General Tilney. As she lets her imagination get the best of her, she suspects that the General has murdered his wife and sets out to prove he is the villain.

In conclusion, there are several characters in the novel whose objectives oppose those of our protagonist, but they do not meet the qualifications of a villain. Furthermore, although there is no authentic villain in the Gothic sense of the word, Catherine's delusions force another character to take the role of a villain.

Murky Villainous Evil Doing

1) Does Northanger Abbey have a villain? If so, which character is the villain? Why do you think that?

Northanger Abbey has many antagonistic forces within it; John and Isabella Thorpe and General Tilney are three such powers. In a story that doesn’t really have a hero, the villain would also be present on a murky almost plane of existence.

John Thorpe is an almost villain. He is selfish and egotistical. He cares only for his own goals and desires. He almost abducts her for a carriage ride, and refuses to let her off when she begs to leave. In modern day that would be considered kidnapping. Thorpe also gives wrong information to General Tilney in the belief that it will further his own interests to make her seem wealthier and better connected than she is. This information is what first pushes General Tilney towards Catherine as a future daughter-in-law. John then proceeds to give more wrong information after his marital hopes are dashed that Catherine is practically destitute that leads to General Tilney kicking him out.

General Tilney is another such almost villain. Catherine attempts to paint him as a Gothic Villain from one of her stories, an unrepentant murderer. While that turns out to be a false accusation he is guilty of being greedy and incredibly ill mannered. When he finds that she is penniless—which she is not—he turns her from his house under false pretenses. He makes her leave by hack post-chaise with no servant to accompany her and no time to write home. Not only is this abominably rude but it is also incredibly dangerous for her. A single young woman traveling by herself is considered dangerous even now a days.

Isabella Thorpe is probably the most obviously evil. She is manipulator, a user, and to some extent abusive to her friends. She befriends Catherine specifically to further her own interests with James Morland. She keeps the friendship going after she finds that Catherine is incredibly naïve and easily lead about. After she becomes engaged to James and finds out how little money will be coming their way she is openly disappointed and then proceeds to openly flirt with other men in front of Catherine. This is rude, but the way she brushes off Catherine’s worries about her behavior is borderline abusive. She makes Catherine out to be stupid and her father to be miserly.

In this gothic parody the existence of a heroine is perhaps the most mocked. The existence of a villain is only mentioned when General Tilney fails to live up to expectation. So in that case, does there even have to be a villain? All of the characters are mixed bags of good and bad. The point is Catherine learning that she is not a Gothic Heroine and so that there is no Gothic Villain and that reality lays far away from the books she has read. If this story parades as a Gothic Narrative what lies underneath is a domestic fiction which needs only the actions of everyday life to succeed. And in that, Northanger Abbey does flourish. 

Villainy in Northanger Abbey

As I brought up in class, Northanger Abbey could be viewed largely as a coming of age story; Catherine is introduced in chapter 1 as having "by nature nothing heroic about her," and is noted to have built up an image of herself as a heroine by reading so many (gothic) novels. However, as the novel progresses, and Catherine finds herself trying to fit the plot of her life with that of her favorite books (i.e. suspecting General Tilney of murder), it becomes clear that Catherine is not truly a hero, and she has no true villain to combat.

While Isabella is shallow, basing her social relationships on how much they will benefit her, and John is obnoxious, consistently making advances toward Catherine while assuming she's interested, neither of these are truly villainous behaviors in the grand, fictitious sense of the word. Both characters are still relatively tolerable toward Catherine, and neither go out of their way to undo Catherine's 'heroism.'

While at Northanger Abbey, it becomes clear that the force most antagonistic to Catherine is her own naivete. As she takes in the details of the room she is staying in, she notices and old chest in the corner and spends an entire paragraph fantasizing about what mysterious thing could be in it. She later searches every drawer in the room for "treasure," even checking them for false linings, and finding nothing. Her desire to live out a gothic novel at the abbey goes so far that she begins to suspect General Tilney of murdering his wife, a notion that offends Henry to the point that Catherine believes their chance to romance utterly destroyed. In her time at the abbey, Catherine has caused the most trouble for herself, and this fits with a reading of Northanger Abbey as a coming of age story.

The biggest part of Catherine's maturation is overcoming her naive desire to live like the heroine of a gothic novel. Isabella and John both help Catherine further along on this path by serving as fairly antagonistic characters, but this ultimately serves to help Catherine overcome her own shortcomings and grow into the more realistic person she is by the end.