Published posthumously in
1818, Jane Austen wrote Northanger Abbey, her
third novel, at the age of 25. It was Austen's
shortest major work and began as a satire on the
improbable plots and characters of the typical
gothic novel. Northanger Abbey developed into a
treatment of Jane Austen's favourite theme, the
initiation of a young woman into the
complexities of adult social life.
Catherine and Henry (Catherine Schlesinger and Peter Firth),
General Tilney (Robert Hardy) and Catherine (Catherine
Schlesinger)
General Tilney (Robert Hardy), Henry Tilney
(Peter Firth) and Eleanor Tilney (Ingrid Lacey)
The Allen's (Geoffrey Charter and Googie Withers)
Northanger Abbey tells the story of Catherine
Moreland, who is from a comfortable family of
a village clergyman and is invited to Bath for
the season by her wealthy friends, Mr. and
Mrs. Allen. In Bath she meets Isabella Thorpe,
a sophisticated young woman whose brother John
is a friend of Catherine's brother, James.
Isabella encourages Catherine's interest in
romantic fantasies and after she becomes
engaged to James, she tries to promote a
romance between Catherine and her
irresponsible brother, John Thorpe. Catherine
is however more interested in Henry Tilney, a
young clergyman and son of General Tilney of
Northanger Abbey.
General Tilney is led to believe by John
Thorpe that Catherine is wealthy and invites
her to stay at Northanger Abbey where she
imagines numerous gruesome secrets surrounding
the General and his house. Henry proves that
her suspicions have no substance by, while she
is still recovering from the humiliation, she
finds herself ordered out of the house by the
General. She returns home and is followed by
Henry. He explains that the General,
mistakenly believing her to be penniless, had
been anxious to keep her away from his son.
Restored to a sensible humour by the truth,
the General finally gives his blessing to
Henry's marriage to Catherine.
Shortly before her death, Jane Austen prepared an
"Advertisement" for the novel in 1816. She asked the public
"to bear in mind that thirteen years have passed since it
was finished, many more since it was begun, and that during
that period, places, manners, books, and opinions have
undergone considerable changes". Time has proved this
apology unnecessary.
Below is a selection of photographs from
Mike Daw's personal collection that capture the filming on
the Crescent.
Click here to link to the Jane Austen Centre
in Bath
return
to top of page /
return to Filmographgy
