Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey was published posthumously in 1817 and belongs to a range of genres. It is often identified as a bildungsroman (a novel of education or moral development) because it charts the development of Catherine Morland. The very first chapter provides insight into her physical and mental development from childhood to adolescence, and the rest of the novel covers her adventures to Bath, Fullerton, and Northanger Abbey. Each stage in her journey teaches her new lessons about life, love, and friendship.
This story is also a satire of Gothic and sentimental fiction. This becomes especially evident in the second half of the novel, when Catherine imagines herself to be a part of a Gothic drama in which Northanger Abbey is a decrepit old castle and General Tilney is a murderer (neither of which is true).
As a whole, the novel embodies a lighthearted comedy that brims with satire and sarcasm. Austen is famous for her witticisms, and Northanger Abbey showcases her signature humor. The characters themselves make quips and jokes, and the intrusive narrator never fails to make fun of them. The narrator's criticisms never become harsh or didactic; rather, they guide the reader's understanding of each character's foibles and cultivate a fondness and good humor for Catherine, the General, and many others.
