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Northanger Abbey · Theme
The Role of Women
How Northanger Abbey develops The Role of Women.
The novel examines the limited options and societal expectations for women in Regency England, from marriage as a financial necessity to the pressure to be accomplished and agreeable.
Where it surfaces
- Chapter I
Catherine's lack of traditional feminine accomplishments and her mother's pragmatic approach to child-rearing challenge contemporary ideals of womanhood.
- Chapter VI
The conversation about fashion, romance, and novels reflects the limited social roles and preoccupations expected of young women in the period.
- XIV
Henry's comments on women's understanding and the narrator's remarks about ignorance in women reflect contemporary gender expectations.