From Northanger Abbey
General Tilney
Master of Northanger • Proud and strict
Henry and Eleanor’s stern, wealthy father, who cares about grand estates, punctual dinners and keeping up appearances.
Who is General Tilney?
General Tilney is the proud, strict master of Northanger Abbey and the father of Henry and Eleanor. He likes punctual meals, grand gardens and, above all, money and rank. He is very polite to Catherine at first, but his reasons are not as kind as they seem.
General Tilney is a character in Northanger Abbey, the 1817 novel by Jane Austen, retold for ages 6–9 by Sean Lee.
What is General Tilney like?
- proud
- strict
- greedy
General Tilney’s story
The General meets Catherine in Bath and is unusually attentive to her. He praises her, asks her to visit Northanger and urges Henry to be kind to her. Catherine does not know that John Thorpe has told him she is very rich.
At the abbey, the General is proud of his modern improvements, his huge kitchen gardens and his hothouses, and he insists on every meal being on time. His stern manner and the sudden death of his wife years before make Catherine wonder if he is a storybook villain, but he is only a hard, selfish man.
When he learns from John Thorpe that the Morlands are not rich after all, he hurries home in a rage and sends Catherine away early the next morning with no servant to look after her. He forbids Henry to marry her. He gives way only after Eleanor marries a viscount, which puts him in a good mood, and he learns that the Morlands are respectable after all.
“it waits only for a lady’s taste!”
A moment to remember
At Henry’s house in Woodston, the General smiles and hints that the pretty drawing room is only waiting for a lady to furnish it.
Family and friends
- Henry Tilney: son
- Eleanor Tilney: daughter
- Catherine Morland: guest he misjudges
- John Thorpe: source of false stories
Talk about it
The General was nice to Catherine only because he thought she was rich. Why is it unfair to treat people differently because of money?
Questions about General Tilney
- Is General Tilney a villain?
- Not the kind Catherine imagines. He did not harm his wife, but he is greedy and unkind, and he treats Catherine very badly.
- Why does General Tilney send Catherine away?
- John Thorpe tells him in London that Catherine’s family is poor. The General, who wanted a rich wife for Henry, is furious and sends her home.
- Does General Tilney agree to Henry’s marriage?
- Yes, in the end. After Eleanor marries a viscount and he learns the Morlands are respectable, he gives his consent.
Read the story in
Northanger Abbey
Ages 6–9, 72 pages
