#general tilney

[bethanydelleman]

Northanger Abbey Readthrough Ch 23

So the joke of this chapter, which I will admit to not understanding on my first read, is that General Tilney is deliberately showing Catherine everything he has renovated, so the newest and most fancy parts of the abbey, while all that Catherine wants to see is the old stuff. She's basically getting the brag tour and she wants the historical tour.

When the general had satisfied his own curiosity, in a close examination of every well-known ornament

Eleanor wants to take Catherine further, but the General is against it because "Had not Miss Morland already seen all that could be worth her notice?" The real meaning here is that nothing else is fancy enough for his pleasure, but Catherine's imagination is running again, "Something was certainly to be concealed"

The General’s improving hand had not loitered here: every modern invention to facilitate the labour of the cooks had been adopted within this, their spacious theatre; and, when the genius of others had failed, his own had often produced the perfection wanted.

General Tilney sounding a lot like John Thorpe here, but again, just more educated:

He told her of horses which he had bought for a trifle and sold for incredible sums; of racing matches, in which his judgment had infallibly foretold the winner; of shooting parties, in which he had killed more birds (though without having one good shot) than all his companions together; and described to her some famous day’s sport, with the fox-hounds, in which his foresight and skill in directing the dogs had repaired the mistakes of the most experienced huntsman, and in which the boldness of his riding, though it had never endangered his own life for a moment, had been constantly leading others into difficulties, which he calmly concluded had broken the necks of many. (Ch 9)

It's like the Thorpes were a nice warm-up for Catherine's discernment and now she's up against the real boss of liars.

As a mom, I can never read this without a bit of distress: by passing through a dark little room, owning Henry’s authority, and strewed with his litter of books, guns, and greatcoats. Litter of guns!!! What if a child toddles into this room, sir? I know there are no children about but STILL. Litter of guns, indeed.

Also, Catherine's general displeasure with this tour reminds me of Mary Crawford's speech about viewing houses in Mansfield Park:

“That she should be tired now, however, gives me no surprise; for there is nothing in the course of one’s duties so fatiguing as what we have been doing this morning: seeing a great house, dawdling from one room to another, straining one’s eyes and one’s attention, hearing what one does not understand, admiring what one does not care for. It is generally allowed to be the greatest bore in the world, and Miss Price has found it so, though she did not know it.” (ch 9)

I love Catherine being shocked about how numerous the servants are, since in Gothic novels only one or two are needed. Also, the note of how Mrs. Allen found that unrealistic. Catherine hasn't had to manage household staffing, cleaning, and cooking yet!. This is one of the things I liked about Emma 2020 by the way, the little touches they added with the servants always being around.

Catherine compares General Tilney to Montoni, and for those like me who have not yet read The Mysteries of Udolpho:

Montoni is a prototypical Gothic villain. Brooding, haughty and scheming, he masquerades as an Italian nobleman to gain Madame Cheron's hand in marriage, then imprisons Emily and Madame Cheron in Udolpho in an attempt to take control of Madame Cheron's wealth and estates. He is cold and often cruel to Emily, who believes him to be a captain of banditti. (Wikipedia)

Okay, Catherine. (Then again, it is weird that he just paces back and fourth for a full hour in the drawing room. Sit down, sir.)

Catherine sometimes started at the boldness of her own surmises, and sometimes hoped or feared that she had gone too far; but they were supported by such appearances as made their dismissal impossible.

Oh Catherine. This is the part where it's nearly impossible not to feel some secondhand embarrassment. I want to send Fanny Price or Anne Elliot to the abbey to straighten her out.

Also, here is some more information about those pamphlets the General is reading. He may be looking for traitors.

#northanger abbey readthrough #northanger abbey #general tilney #brag tour

[thoumpingground]

Shoutout to the man-shaped plot device that is Eleanor's husband. They had an *actual* gothic romance complete with forbidden love, and sudden wealth resolution, and Jane Austen doesn't care. Cause considering Northanger Abbey is all about how gothic tropes play out in reality, we have to consider the real life tragedy behind the "character conveniently comes into money by sudden death of rich relation" trope. At least one, most likely several, members of that young man's family died a sudden early death. And what is Jane Austen's interest in the matter? It is joy over El being able to leverage his score or a husband's tragedy into a love marriage and mending Henry's and General Tilney's relationship. Otherwise he's only incidentaly of interesting cause it just so happens in his servant who left the disappointing laundry list Cathy found in that cabinet. RIP El's husband's family. You will hardly be remembered.

#jane austen #northanger abbey #henry tilney #eleanor tilney #general tilney #lord washingbills

[mariesstudying]

General Tilney is evidence that age doesn’t always mean wisdom. This man trusted the word of a guy he barely knows (I'm not 100% they never knew each other before this but I think so) about Catherine’s wealth without seeming to bother checking. Maybe it's just me but if what I cared about was money and wealthy connections, I'd double check that these people my children and I associate with are truly wealthy.

#academicsunite #jane austen #northanger abbey #general tilney

[theartofdreaming1]

NORTHANGER ABBEY VISUAL NOVEL - MORE TILNEYS

General Tilney (Ch. 10)

“He was a very handsome man, of a commanding aspect, past the bloom, but not past the vigour of life;”

Captain Tilney (Ch. 16)

“a very fashionable–looking, handsome young man, [...] [Catherine] supposed it possible that some people might think him handsomer than his brother, though, in her eyes, his air was more assuming, and his countenance less prepossessing.”

#northanger abbey #northanger abbey visual novel #general tilney #captain tilney #frederick tilney #my sketches and drawings

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Read Northanger Abbey the other day and it is funny on so many levels.

First - imagine, 200 years later, if Twilight has fallen into obscurity but a book satirizing Twilight is still well-known and the source of most of some people’s knowledge of the genre. (Note: Should I read The Mysteries of Udolpho, just out of curiosity?)

Second - I don’t favour modern retellings of Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice because the plot and characterizations are so fundamentally connected to the time period - to the nature of marriage as an economic arrangement and the lack of options for gentlewomen to earn an independent living - that removing that element to focus just on the romance cuts out something central to the book. (Emma is independently wealthy, which is why a modern ‘retelling’ of the book like Clueless works better than for P&P or S&S.)

Northanger Abbey? Is perfect for a modern retelling. A teenage girl goes on a summer vacation, meets a new bestie, gets a crush, dives into Twilight, becomes convinced on the most flimsy of evidence that her new crush’s family are vampires. The exact nature of General Tilney’s misunderstanding about her can be finessed, and she and Henry don’t marry at the end they just start dating, but everything else works, down to the small details! Deciding which friends you want to hang out with, keeping your commitments to people, the pain of finding out that someone you trusted isn’t trustworthy! Henry Tilney going on a tear about the misuse of ‘literally’ or ‘like’! The main stories and conflicts of the novel fit easily into the present day.

Third - yes, Catherine’s Gothic assumptions and ideas are very funny, but General Tilney makes assumptions that are nearly as ridiculous about her, on just as little evidence, and with the benefit of far more life experience! He decides she’s madly wealthy and assiduously seeks to attract her for his son on the word of one guy - one fratbro no less, that’s not even an anachronism, John Thorpe is a fratbro - and then, when the same guy changes his story to ‘no, she’s practically destitute’, the general, instead of considering that maybe this dude is an unreliable source, immediately takes it as truth instead. Catherine’s credulity is driven by fantasy novels, General Tilney’s by worldliness, but they contrast each other very well!

#jane austen #northanger abbey #catherine morland #henry tilney #general tilney #john thorpe

[showmethesneer]

Sorry-- before i continue my reading today, i still need to process how off the rails Catherine went. This man allows you to stay in his cool gothic house with your friend and her hot brother. He is minding his own business, being an odd little man in his own home. Your friend mentions that her mother died in this house and that she happened to be away at the time.

And you immediately think "oh, this dad super killed her. He chained her up and locked her up in a dark room. He must've. There's no other explanation. I better investigate. Obviously a man like that would leave the evidence behind for five years. "

#catherine girl what are you doing? #northanger abbey #catherine morland #general tilney #liveblog of me reading jane austen if you wanna laugh

[bethanydelleman]

Northanger Abbey Readthrough Ch 22

Well the manuscript is a washing bill. (The Thing About Austen podcast has a great episode about this btw).

She felt humbled to the dust. Could not the adventure of the chest have taught her wisdom? A corner of it, catching her eye as she lay, seemed to rise up in judgment against her. Nothing could now be clearer than the absurdity of her recent fancies. To suppose that a manuscript of many generations back could have remained undiscovered in a room such as that, so modern, so habitable!—Or that she should be the first to possess the skill of unlocking a cabinet, the key of which was open to all!

Catherine also deduces that she had so much trouble with the lock because she was the one who locked it, it was left open for guests to use. She is mortified and doesn't want Henry to find out what she's been doing. So she smoothly transitions into... loving hyacinths.

it is well to have as many holds upon happiness as possible

Who said this book has bad writing, there are so many quotable lines! So much to dwell on. I love Henry saying it will help Catherine go out of doors and she's like, "Pft, you can't get me inside." Also asking if Eleanor has a pleasant mode of instruction is totally a callback to Catherine comparing learning to torment!

The General talks about needing to purchase a new tea set soon and Catherine was probably the only one of the party who did not understand him. ✈️✈️✈️ Then Catherine asks about Woodston and the General does that thing again where he pretends to defer to Eleanor, but then actually just steamrolls over her and answers himself. Grrrr

So then the General gaslights Catherine so hard she thinks she is disappointing him by going on a walk. I hate this man. He clearly wants to go for a walk but pretends that it is her idea which leaves Catherine super confused. Catherine did not exactly know how this was to be understood. He's selfish and regimented, Catherine., that's the whole mystery.

The general listened with assenting gratitude; and it seemed as if his own estimation of Northanger had waited unfixed till that hour.

He is kind of funny though...

General Tilney demanding praise reminds me of Mr. Collins:

The general was flattered by her looks of surprise, which told him almost as plainly, as he soon forced her to tell him in words, that she had never seen any gardens at all equal to them before

Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind... (this is his own grounds) Elizabeth was called on by her cousin to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which, for Charlotte’s sake, she made more favourable than it really was. But her commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her Ladyship’s praise into his own hands. Pride & Prejudice

Also, it's a tiny line, but the fact that General Tilney is growing greenhouse pineapples is apparently a huge indicator of his wealth. For those who don't know, pineapples take about 2 years per fruit and each plant only grows 1. In England, you would need year-round heated greenhouses, and just an insane amount of wealth. Especially if he's just eating them himself and not selling them, this would be so expensive I can't even.

Catherine cannot resist a Gothic looking path, struck by its gloomy aspect, and eager to enter it, but the General will not join them. This is the beginning of Catherine's ill founded suspicions that General Tilney did not love his wife and also... murdered her. Or locked her up! Every word Eleanor says only seems to confirm her notions!

I love this: She had often read of such characters, characters which Mr. Allen had been used to call unnatural and overdrawn; but here was proof positive of the contrary. Listen to wise Mr. Allen, Catherine!

Now, at some point I have to address the elephant in the room that is Catherine letting her imagination get the best of her and believing that General Tilney is either a wife murderer or... Edward Rochester 30 years too early. I think it has a lot to do with things like this:

Catherine was shocked to find how much her spirits were relieved by the separation. (from General Tilney)

Catherine's confusion is between mundane evil (verbally abusive towards his children, overbearing) and dramatic evil. General Tilney is not a good person, Catherine's final conclusion way at the end is that she didn't actually get him wrong in character, but she erred in the expression of that character. Which is probably why Henry is pretty quick to forgive her, it's not like his father is a super nice person and he knows it.

It is clear that Catherine is picking up on something real. General Tilney does have an explosive temper, his children are afraid of him, he was cruel to his wife (if he treated her anything like Eleanor that couldn't have been fun), and his kindness feels oppressive because it is ultimately false. Not knowing anyone like the General, Catherine defaults to the evil she does know, which is in her dramatic horrid novels.

Anyway, the point is, General Tilney is still the worst even if he didn't murder his wife and Catherine wasn't totally insane to think of it.

Oh, also her confusion about the tour of the house. What Catherine is not picking up on is the General's deep desire to brag about his house.

#northanger abbey month #northanger abbey readthrough #northanger abbey #general tilney #catherine morland #learning to love a hyacinth

[haunted-phantom-student]

Catherine Morland: This dress looks great!

General Tilney: And I bet it would look even better on Henry's floor.

Henry Tilney: Are you hitting on Catherine...for me?

#incorrect jane austen #catherine morland #henry tilney #general Tilney #incorrect northanger abbey quotes #classic lit #jane austen

[talkaustentome]

Jane Austen novels as the BuzzFeed homepage, Part II: Northanger Abbey

[Image description: A screenshot of the BuzzFeed homepage, but heavily edited so that it is now titled NorthangerAbbey instead, with pictures from the 2007 adaptation.

The categories on top are “Dark Secrets”, “Haunted Houses”, “Muslin”, and  “Novels”. A small line below that reads: “Eleanor Tilney engaged to viscount! @talkaustentome”.

The headlines are:

“Did General Tilney Kill His Wife? 12 Things You Have Been Dying to Know About Northanger Abbey” below a picture of General Tilney in front of Northanger Abbey

“Is This Cancel Culture? Woman Loses Best Friend Over ‘Misunderstanding’ With Friend’s Brother” next to a picture of Isabella and Catherine. A yellow lightning bolt has been added between them and the word “Cheated” has been added in yellow font next to Isabella, with a yellow arrow pointing towards her.

Under the heading “Trending”: “‘Now I Must Give One Smirk, and Then We May Be Rational Again’: Henry Tilney’s Flirting Tips (for a Guaranteed Engagement by the End of the Season)” next to a picture of Henry Tilney smiling.

End ID]

#Jane Austen #Jane Austen memes #Jane Austen meme #northanger abbey #general tilney #isabella thorpe #catherine morland #mr tilney #henry tilney #eleanor tilney #miss tilney #Austen BuzzFeed #Jane Austen BuzzFeed #memes

[literaryromps]

Catherine Morland: Oh General Tilney is so gallant and handsome and good-natured and altogether charming! How queer that Henry and Eleanor feel uncomfortable around him. Surely it’s not his fault! General Tilney would never.

[a few chapters later]

Catherine Morland:

#northanger abbey by jane austen #Catherine Morland #General Tilney #Henry Tilney #Eleanor Tilney #mina memes #and then it turned from murder to his keeping her imprisoned in a hidden room at the abbey #i love this girl #favorite austen heroine

[collectifnoname]

Subir ou choisir, écrite par Mellyn7

#la chute du fandom immortel #northanger abbey #henry tilney #general tilney

[janeaustentextposts]

#General Tilney #Northanger Abbey #Jane Austen

[showmethesneer]

General Tilney: *minding his own business in his house*

Catherine:

#general tilney #catherine morland #northanger abbey #liveblog of me reading jane austen if you wanna laugh