Reading Group Discussion of “Gothic Novels And Northanger Abbey”
Discussion Leader: Pauline Beard
Hostess: Pauline Beard
By Vonnie Alto, Secretary
Discussion Leader: Pauline Beard
Hostess: Pauline Beard
By Vonnie Alto, Secretary
| behind_the_veil.docx |
| ja_castle-abbey_comparison.docx |
| ja_7_gothics.docx |
Reading Group Discussion of “Gothic Novels And Northanger Abbey”
Discussion Leader: Pauline Beard
Hostess: Pauline Beard
By Vonnie Alto, Secretary
In September, Professor Emeritus, Pauline Beard both hosted and led our reading group discussion at her lovely home, Chateau Beard on “Gothic Novels and Northanger Abbey.”
We dined on a lovely tea spread of finger sandwiches, chicken broccoli salad, berry pie, grapes, banana nut bread, short breads, an assortment of cheese, crackers, and gourmet cookies,.
Elections were held. We now have two Co-Region Coordinators. Margaret Christmann stays on board but now Marcia Hamley is Co-Region Coordinator with her. Also new on board is Sylvia Foster as Treasurer 2. Suzanne Frye remains as Treasurer 1 and Vonnie Alto as Secretary.
We then discussed “Gothic Novels and Northanger Abbey.” A fascinating and intoxicating exchange of ideas followed!
First, we looked at Gothic Tropes from The Gothic Wanderer: From Transgression to Redemption by Tyler Tichelaar:
This led us to examine the Gothic books that Isabelle Thorpe recommended to Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey (1798-1799). They are known as the “Horrid 7” in the following order of their appearance: The Castle of Wolfenbach, (1793) Clermont (1798), The Mysterious Warning (1796), The Necromancer (1794), The Midnight Bell (1798), Horrid Mysteries (1796), and The Orphan of the Rhine (1798). Interestingly, these titles were part of a heyday clustering of Gothic books published by both women and men in the 1790s.
Then there’s Ann Radcliffe’s influence (1764-1823). Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) was one of the most popular Gothic novels during its time. Catherine Morland is completely obsessed with reading it. Our group had a fun time comparing and contrasting the description of Radcliffe’s castle with that of Northanger Abbey. Although there wasn’t time for us to read more than a one page comparison, none of us fainted or required smelling salts to recover from our macabre dissection.
.
Lastly, we turned our attention Catherine Morland; her interest in Gothic novels, her lively imagination, and the harsh reality of her life as a Gothic heroine. For some of us, Northanger Abbey is our favorite Jane Austen novel. We all agreed that Northanger Abbey is a more complex work of fiction than initially seems and that Catherine is a strong heroine who doesn’t faint or go into a coma.
For more on this topic, see the accompanying handouts.
Discussion Leader: Pauline Beard
Hostess: Pauline Beard
By Vonnie Alto, Secretary
In September, Professor Emeritus, Pauline Beard both hosted and led our reading group discussion at her lovely home, Chateau Beard on “Gothic Novels and Northanger Abbey.”
We dined on a lovely tea spread of finger sandwiches, chicken broccoli salad, berry pie, grapes, banana nut bread, short breads, an assortment of cheese, crackers, and gourmet cookies,.
Elections were held. We now have two Co-Region Coordinators. Margaret Christmann stays on board but now Marcia Hamley is Co-Region Coordinator with her. Also new on board is Sylvia Foster as Treasurer 2. Suzanne Frye remains as Treasurer 1 and Vonnie Alto as Secretary.
We then discussed “Gothic Novels and Northanger Abbey.” A fascinating and intoxicating exchange of ideas followed!
First, we looked at Gothic Tropes from The Gothic Wanderer: From Transgression to Redemption by Tyler Tichelaar:
- Confusing and convoluted plot devices.
- A beautiful, vulnerable heroine, who is orphaned with some secrecy about her family and who eventually becomes rich.
- The heroine’s guardian is after her fortune, which she is unaware of (often involving land and property and money.
- The heroine is often abducted and forced into frightening situations, sometimes helped by maids or ancient housekeepers.
- Exotic settings: France, Italy, etc. with forests, castles, abbeys with locked rooms and closets and dark secrets of the ancestors of the families.
- The hero is always dashing and good looking.
- The lovers can’t get together.
- Secret passageways
- Gloomy passages.
- Clanging trapdoors.
- Evil men are often related to the heroine.
- Supernatural warnings.
- Ghosts and demonic beings.
- Women fleeing.
- Servants help/hinder.
- The secrets are revealed and the heroine is rescued by a gallant young man who falls in love instantly with the heroine but has to suffer before they're married.
This led us to examine the Gothic books that Isabelle Thorpe recommended to Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey (1798-1799). They are known as the “Horrid 7” in the following order of their appearance: The Castle of Wolfenbach, (1793) Clermont (1798), The Mysterious Warning (1796), The Necromancer (1794), The Midnight Bell (1798), Horrid Mysteries (1796), and The Orphan of the Rhine (1798). Interestingly, these titles were part of a heyday clustering of Gothic books published by both women and men in the 1790s.
Then there’s Ann Radcliffe’s influence (1764-1823). Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) was one of the most popular Gothic novels during its time. Catherine Morland is completely obsessed with reading it. Our group had a fun time comparing and contrasting the description of Radcliffe’s castle with that of Northanger Abbey. Although there wasn’t time for us to read more than a one page comparison, none of us fainted or required smelling salts to recover from our macabre dissection.
.
Lastly, we turned our attention Catherine Morland; her interest in Gothic novels, her lively imagination, and the harsh reality of her life as a Gothic heroine. For some of us, Northanger Abbey is our favorite Jane Austen novel. We all agreed that Northanger Abbey is a more complex work of fiction than initially seems and that Catherine is a strong heroine who doesn’t faint or go into a coma.
For more on this topic, see the accompanying handouts.