Northanger Abbey (Wordsworth Classics)

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen features an introduction and notes by David Blair of the University of Kent. This edition is part of the Wordsworth Classics series.

Key details

• Author: Jane Austen
• Series: Wordsworth Classics
• Introduction and notes by David Blair, University of Kent

Synopsis

Northanger Abbey follows Catherine Morland as she leaves her sheltered rural home for the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes, with insight and humour, Catherine’s interactions with the various people she meets there, while tracing her growing understanding of the world around her.

In her first full-length novel, Austen also turns a sharp, ironic gaze on contemporary fiction, particularly the Gothic school associated with Ann Radcliffe. Catherine’s reading becomes intertwined with her social and romantic experiences, contributing to the uncertainties and embarrassments she faces before finding happiness.