earticle

영어

The late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century witnessed the rise of the Industrial Revolution as well as the birth of the consumer society. During this period, the competitive marriage market came into being alongside the consumer market. In Northanger Abbey, Austen realistically portrays the ways in which the commodity value and exchange value govern both of the markets. While criticizing the prevalent materialistic concerns in the marriage market of the period, Austen vividly shows some characters’ behaviors as consumers in the pursuit of an eligible spouse. While criticizing the tyrannical patriarch General Tilney and the mercenary and hypocritical Isabella Thorpe, she valorizes Henry Tilney’s choice of Cahterine Morland as a marriage partner only because he fully appreciates her excellent character and her internal, sterling values. Through Henry Tilney’s and Catherine Morland’s marriage, Austen posits the idea of the marriage that is based on the understanding and esteem of each other’s inherent qualities and inner characters, and thereby promotes the new values of the ideal marriage that transcends the commodity value of the market place in this period.