Search results
General Tilney Character Analysis. A rich man with many acquaintances, the General is obsessed with his social rank and the wealth of his family. His children all know that he would never want them to marry someone without wealth or high rank. He shows exaggerated kindness to Catherine because he believes her to be rich.
First the General takes John's word for it when John tells him that Catherine is rich. And then he believes John again when he insists that Catherine is dirt poor. Who actually just believes random, gossipy people, especially when they bluster about like John Thorpe?
General Tilney comes the closest of any character to being an antagonist in Northanger Abbey, though that term is too strong to describe his role. When Catherine suspects Tilney of murdering his wife, she perceives him as a villain. In fact, the General's true crimes consist of being too concerned with wealth and finery, and perhaps of robbing ...
- Chapter XIII
- Chapter XIV
- Chapter XV
- Chapter XVI
- Analysis
Catherine has been at Northanger Abbey for a month. She expresses concern at overstaying her welcome, but Eleanor assures her there is no problem, and Catherine is quite pleased to stay. General Tilney has to go on a business trip for several days, leaving Catherine, Eleanor and Henry to do as they please. Henry must go to Woodston for a few days. ...
On the way home, Catherine tries to figure out what offence she could have caused the General. He could not have found out that she briefly suspected him of murder, so she has no idea what she did to offend him, especially after he was so nice to her. She returns to Fullerton where she is welcomed by her family. She explains what has happened, and ...
Two days later, Catherine is still sulking. Suddenly, Henry arrives in Fullerton. Henry tells Mrs. Morland that the reason for his arrival is to make sure that Catherine made it home all right. Henry suggests that he pay a visit to the Allens, and Catherine joins him. On the walk to the Allens' house, he proposes to her, and she accepts. He explain...
Henry asks the Morlands for Catherine's hand in marriage. They are surprised, but they quickly give their consent to the marriage. However, in order to be proper, they refuse to allow the marriage until the General has given his own consent. Henry and Catherine also want the General's consent, but they fear that it will be some time before he will ...
General Tilney and Catherine clash frequently over the course of the novel. Catherine almost always finds the General grumpy and disagreeable, even if he is not a killer. She also dislikes the way he treats his children. It is possible to argue that the climax of the novel occurs when the General sends Catherine away. There is a sense of finality a...
People also ask
Why was John angry with General Tilney?
Is General Tilney a villain in Northanger Abbey?
What does General Tilney do in Northanger Abbey?
General Tilney is a character in Northanger Abbey. He is a high-ranking member of the military, and is also the head of the very wealthy Tilney family of Northanger Abbey. His name is likely "Frederick", after the custom of naming the eldest male child after the father. Tilney married a very wealthy heiress, a Miss Drummond, who brought in a dowry of £20,000. He had three children with her ...
General Tilney has fixed up everything and even replaced an entire wing of the building. Only a few of the original touches of the old structure remain, such as the arched windows. The General quickly sets about describing everything in the Abbey to Catherine in painful detail, then halts abruptly when he realizes it is time for dinner.
John convinces Catherine to go on another carriage ride by saying he saw the Tilneys driving out of town. From the carriage, Catherine sees the Tilneys walking through town. She is angry at John, who seems to have lied about seeing the Tilneys, but he refuses to stop the carriage so she can get out.
