Abstract

Northanger Abbey was the first of Jane Austen’s novels which is completed for publication. It is treated as Cinderella among her works. Although Northanger Abbey is not the most well-known work of her, it still attracts reader’s interests by its satire. This paper analyzes satire from three aspects: satire on Gothic novel, satire on training for heroine and satire on improper value to marriage. In Northanger Abbey , Jane Austen uses parody about Gothic novel so as to enable readers to realize that there is a huge gap between the Gothic novel and real life. Critics hold the view that Jane Austen totally negates the value of Gothic novel. Nevertheless, after the intensive reading of this novel, we can discover that it is the imitation of Gothic novel. In the 18th century, Gothic novel was suppressed and vilipended in England. Satire on training for heroine aims to show the distance between novel and reality. The rationality of this education mode is proved through the happy marriage of Catherine and her final entrance to upper class. Jane Austen disagrees with improper value to marriage which puts money in the first place but admits the rationality of General Tilney’s value.

Keywords: Jane Austen; Northanger Abbey; satire

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Researches both at Home and Abroad-1

1.2 Deficiencies of Previous Studies-1

2. Satire on Gothic novel-1

2.1 Gothic plots in the novel-2

2.2 Influence of Gothic novel on Catherine-2

2.3 Rationality of Gothic novel-3

3. Satire on training for heroine-3

3.1 Catherine's characters-4

3.2 Catherine's parents' education mode-4

3.3 Rationality of Catherine's parents' education mode-5

4. Satire on improper value to marriage-5

4.1 General Tilney's and Isabella’s value to marriage-5

4.2 Henry and Catherine's value to marriage-6

4.3 Rationality of General Tilney's value to marriage-6

5. Conclusion-7

References-9