NORTHANGER ABBEY (Jane Austen)
It is a beautiful story of Catharine Moreland, the daughter of a clergy man who lived in a country village. She is invited by her neighbors Mr. & Mrs. Allen to visit Bath. There she introduced to a young man Henry Tilney whom she begins to like. But,
soon he left the town and the
family of an acquaintance of Mr. Allen takes his place as Catharine’s friends. Isabella Thorpe though is a little older than her, yet soon they become close friends. Then, Isabella’s and Catharine’s brothers who were fellow students at Oxford arrive there and provide the girls with escorts and partner for ball. But, next evening, Henry Tilney along with his sister retuned to Bath to live with there father General Tilney. John Thorpe impressed Catharine by his attention but after a close intimation she finds him rather disagreeable. When Henry invites him to join them on walk she except it but on the appointed day it is raining. John Thorpe attempted to break her engagement with the Tilneys but she resolutely refuses to join in the deception. So she goes out with Tilneys. During the walk she feels that her attachment to Tilney is growing stronger. After the drive Isabella announced that she is engaged to James Moreland. But while James is at home telling his parents about his engagement, Isabella prepared to flirt with Fredrick Tilney .Henry’s elder brother and Catharine is distressed by her by her loose character. Then she is invited to Northanger Abbey, the home of Henry Tilney.
Catharine’s taste in fiction has given her romantic ideas about life in Northanger Abbey.She finds it difficult to control her imagination and the indulgence of her fantasy leads her to ludicrous results. She begins to weave a fanciful story around the Tilney family. She also has been puzzled by the General. She also detects some mystery about the fate of his wife who died when Eleanor Tilney was a child. She thought could the General be one of those who practices cruelties on their own families?
Henry guesses all her apprehensions and tells her that her fears are groundless and she feels humiliated but Henry helps her to regain her self respect.
News from Bath that Isabella has rejected James for Fredrick reminds them the world outside but the Tilneys was certain that there father will disapprove Isabella and it leads Catharine to wonder if he will approve of her. But the General approved her.
Soon after this Catharine is told that she is to leave Northanger Abbey immediately. Alone in despair she returned back to her family who try to comfort her.
Next day Henry came to explain; the General had believed that Catharine was an heiress. When he discovered that she is not, he dismissed her. But, Henry resolves to marry her. After a year when Henry’s sister engaged with a rich man enough to satisfy General’s sense of family pried, they got married.
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