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Title
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A most unwilling messenger
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Description
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Here we see Catherine slouching on a couch while Eleanor consoles her. While staying at Northanger Abbey, Catherine had begun to fear she was overstaying her welcome. Soon, both General and Henry Tilney had to go out of town, leaving the two girls home alone. One night, a messenger arrived unexpectedly, with a note from Eleanor's father, General Tilney, bringing news that he remembered an engagement and Catherine was to leave Northanger Abbey immediately. Both girls are horrified, unable to imagine why the General might have thrown Catherine out so suddenly. Catherine was to leave the following morning, and the General would not supply transportation, leaving Catherine to “ride the post”. This scene occurs in chapter 28 as noted underneath the title of this image. The characters are shown in the traditional regency style, with Catherine and Eleanor wearing the regency style dress with an empire waist. Their hair is worn tied up, as was tradition for women after their “coming out” before the queen, signaling her entrance into society. The regency period dated to the early nineteenth century (1811-1820) when George, Prince of Wales, later George IV (r. 1820-1830), reigned as regent for his mentally ill father, King George III (r. 1760-1820). The regency period is associated with the rise of neoclassicism in art and fashion. The same image appears as an insert between pages 210 and 211 for the Dent 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, and 1897 editions of Northanger Abbey.
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Image Creator
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William Cubit Cooke (engraver)
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Identifier
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mta:25549
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Source Name
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Northanger Abbey
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Image
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