Female Boldness in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey

Abstract

This research work studies Jane Austen’s novel, Northanger Abbey from the feminist perspective. In all societies, however, some individuals do not identify with some of the aspects of gender that are assigned to their biological sex. In most societies, there exists a gender binary, a social dichotomy that enforces conformance to the ideals of masculinity and femininity in all aspects of sex and gender: biological sex, gender consciousness, and gender expression. Some societies have third gender categories that can be used as a basis for a gender consciousness by people who are uncomfortable with the gender that is usually associated with their sex; in other societies, membership of any of the gender categories is open to people regardless of their sex.

The novel, Northanger Abbey is also no exception because the character Catherine Morland, visits and revisits her mouthpiece characteristic. The then time should be taken into consideration very well. Ending of eighteenth century and beginning of nineteenth century was that period of time, where women’s roles and actions were confined within four walls of a room. As matchmaking is generally used to deal by males, the character of Catherine reflects some feminist elements. While independence as the feminist elements is reflected in Catherine determination in making judgments on her own. She decides to stay single and faces every obstacle boldly. Unlike the other women of the nineteenth century, Catherine does not follow what the males tell her to do; instead she dares to question everything that her male counterparts say. Catherine independently makes decisions of her own and takes responsibilities of those decisions as well. The feminist elements of independence have helped not only Catherine herself to be mature and responsible person, but the independence will make her a better person eventually.