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.