Northanger Abbey, chapter 4: Every Rose Has Its Thorpes

Credit to Ada Piccolo. Visit their NA series here!

Some great friendships begin under the most conventional circumstances. During the first day of school. Working at the local grocery store or franchised coffee house. Yes, while on vacation, too. The bonds of friendship strengthen over time as we gain appreciation for others as events test our fortitude.

This is not gonna be that kind of friendship.

It’s so telling of Mrs. Allen’s laziness that she stumbles on Mrs. Thorpe and her daughters while going through the motions, rather than attempting to seek out a friend in town. And it’s actually Mrs. Thorpe who takes pains to renew the acquaintance—though this involves sharing mindless details of her offsprings that nearly bores Mrs. Allen to tears. Maybe she’s remembering why she forgot Mrs. Thorpe in the first place.

Given the impact Isabella Thorpe will have over the course of the story, her introduction here is not as dynamic as Henry Tilney’s. Though her mother emphasizes her over the other Thorpe daughters, the narrator doesn’t seem as invested in Isabella. Catherine’s brother James (first time we hear about his existence) “had lately formed an intimacy with a young man of his own college, of the name of Thorpe,” which is the glue that initially draws them together. It’s also used as the explanation as to why both girls are happy to speed-run their friendship.

What appeal does Isabella Thorpe have beyond being the prettiest of the Thorpe girls? “[B]eing four years older than Miss Morland, and at least four years better informed, [she has] a very decided advantage” in knowledge about flirting, gossiping, and fashion. All of this information might be intimidating, but Catherine is taken with “the easy gaiety of Miss Thorpe’s manners, and her frequent expressions of delight on this acquaintance with her.” Though she came here in vague hopes of seeing Mr. Tilney again, making a friend provides “the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.” 

So we know why Catherine likes Isabella. Now, why would Isabella like Catherine? Forget the brother thing for a second. So far, Isabella is “great personal beauty” with knowledge of “the fashions of London,” whose sisters mimic her “air” and “style.” She’s been to balls in Bath and in Tunbridge. To me,young woman who is bored with her sisters and wants a chance to show off in front of the awestruck country girl. However, it’s impossible to ignore that while we were given much of Catherine’s conversation with Henry Tilney, Isabella’s conversation with Catherine here goes unrecorded. It’s a hint that though Isabella wins Catherine over, there’s nothing valuable in what she says. 

Will Isabella surprise us with hidden depths, or give new meaning to the word “shallow”? Find out next time on Bath Time Adventures! (Should I rework that?)

The Shapard Shelf: Both James Morland and the eldest Thorpe brother attend Oxford, which was one of the only two universities in this period. Catherine and Isabella walk up and down the Pump Room; Shapard notes that this type of indoor activity was common, quoting from a guidebook at the time that “[it] presents a picture of animation which nothing can exceed” (jazzercise wasn’t a thing yet). Shapard analyzes Austen’s decision to forego a critique on“lords and attorneys,” an allusion to other novels of the time that included “general moral lessons” or sermons hoping to attain praise from critics who “[argued] that it raised a work above the level of mere entertainment.” A piece of media that only wants to be fun? How gouache!