Northanger Abbey: Metafiction

Northanger Abbey is the earliest novel written by Jane Austen, an English novelist in 18th century. And this novel displays the distinctive characteristics which is different from the other five novels. This work attracted more and more attention from critics in the post-modern 20th century. Thus, it is grouped into the early metafiction. According to the phenomenon set above, this thesis focuses on this work's characteristics of metafiction from three parts. Firstly, the author analyzed and discussed the characteristics of metafiction of Northanger Abbey. Secondly, the author intends to explain the cause of the characteristics of metafiction of this novel. Thirdly, the author tried to compare the characteristics of Northanger Abbey with the metafiction in 20th century.The whole thesis can be divided into three parts. In Chapter I, based on the intensive reading over the novel Northanger Abbey, the author develops the discussion through four aspects which are the work's four characteristics of metafiction, they are self-reference, readers'intervention, intertexuality and parody, consideration on the novel itself. In Chapter II, it explains the reason why the work's characteristics of metafiction was formed through two points of view. The first one is the developing situation of English novels in 18th century; the second point of view is the idea about Austen's works. In Chapter III, the author of this thesis made detailed comparison of Northanger Abbey with The French Lieutenant's Woman, which is a typical product of metafiction in 20th century, about some elements such as parody, the intervention of both author and readers, and also the uncertainty of plots and ends. In this way of discussion and comparison, the author can make a more comprehensive organization on the metafiction of Northanger Abbey.The six novels written by Austen are always regarded as a kind of miracle for a long time, in fact, this can reflect that critics ignore the studies on the thoughts of creation of Austen's novels. In this thesis, the author intends to fill in the blanks according to study on metafiction reflected in Northanger Abbey in order to enrich and deepen our recognitions and understandings about this novelist.