Jane Austen and Societal Exposure in Northanger Abbey
Biographical Summary Jane Austen, a classic literary author, was born on December 16, 1775 in Hampshire, England. Her parents are Cassandra Leigh Austen and Reverend George Austen, who raised eight children: James, George, Edward, Henry, Jane, Cassandra, Francis, and Charles. Austen was introduced to her love of writing through the plays she and her family wrote and performed for each other. For most of their life Austen and her sister Cassandra-also her best friend- were educated at home, but spent a short time at the Abbey School in Reading located in Berkshire, England. Jane based quite a few of her literary characters on Henry Austen because Jane and him became the closest. Overall …show more content…
Through the characters of Northanger Abbey, readers know Austen “strongly oppose[s] female conformity to social norms and believe[s] women to be equal to men in their rational capacities” (Whitecotton). Whitecotton writes that throughout Northanger Abbey, Austen argues women should not have to conform to society’s expectations and they are are as capable as men in society. In the novel, Austen immediately introduces Catherine as a boyish character who does not represent the expected interests of women because “by nature, [she] prefer[s] cricket ball, base ball and running about the country” (Austen 9). In a pursuit to make her a proper heroine and woman, Catherine is sent to Bath, but she does not completely conform to the social standards set up for her. As stated in Whitecotton’s essay, Catherine is expected to court with John Thorpe because he is the first man that dotes on her, but she resists him because he is self-absorbed and she is uninterested. By writing Catherine as a woman growing into independence and maturity, Austen breaks the social standards set up for women in the
Biographical Summary Jane Austen, a classic literary author, was born on December 16, 1775 in Hampshire, England. Her parents are Cassandra Leigh Austen and Reverend George Austen, who raised eight children: James, George, Edward, Henry, Jane, Cassandra, Francis, and Charles. Austen was introduced to her love of writing through the plays she and her family wrote and performed for each other. For most of their life Austen and her sister Cassandra-also her best friend- were educated at home, but spent a short time at the Abbey School in Reading located in Berkshire, England. Jane based quite a few of her literary characters on Henry Austen because Jane and him became the closest. Overall …show more content…
Through the characters of Northanger Abbey, readers know Austen “strongly oppose[s] female conformity to social norms and believe[s] women to be equal to men in their rational capacities” (Whitecotton). Whitecotton writes that throughout Northanger Abbey, Austen argues women should not have to conform to society’s expectations and they are are as capable as men in society. In the novel, Austen immediately introduces Catherine as a boyish character who does not represent the expected interests of women because “by nature, [she] prefer[s] cricket ball, base ball and running about the country” (Austen 9). In a pursuit to make her a proper heroine and woman, Catherine is sent to Bath, but she does not completely conform to the social standards set up for her. As stated in Whitecotton’s essay, Catherine is expected to court with John Thorpe because he is the first man that dotes on her, but she resists him because he is self-absorbed and she is uninterested. By writing Catherine as a woman growing into independence and maturity, Austen breaks the social standards set up for women in the