Sir Francis Bacon is often cited as the progenitor of the phrase “knowledge is power”. This sentiment, if true, would render Catherine Morland of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey powerless. When the reader first meets Catherine, she is a naive girl and unfamiliar with the mores of fashionable society. His first companion, Isabella Thrope, foils his character. Isabella is sophisticated, beautiful, and seems to be able to behave favorably in instances of human interaction that confuse Catherine. However, Isabella's ruin at the end of the novel indicates that while she may have some knowledge, this is ultimately false and thus puts her in greater danger than her naive friend. In this way, the character of Isabella offers a fascinating study in how social, psychological, and ideological misinformation can lead to personal destruction. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay The first chapters take care to explain that Catherine, the heroine of the text, is very atypical compared to the heroines of Gothic novels. She is simple, unfinished, unwanted by lovers and leads a safe and ordinary life. Isabelle, however, appears to be an excellent gothic heroine. She is beautiful and enjoys undeniable success with suitors. Her verbose and overly emotional speech patterns parallel the heightened sensuality of the characters in Ann Radcliffe's The Italian. She never simply feels something but is “driven mad” (32); she never waits just five minutes but rather “this age” (31); she does not agree, she “promises faithfully”. (155) Catherine, the narrator, and even Isabella truly believe in the characterization Isabella creates for herself as the embodiment of the sentimental heroine. Although this belief ultimately puts Catherine in danger, Isabella's refusal to recognize the indicators that she is not a hero puts Isabella at the greatest risk. Isabella expects the whole world to accept her as she presents herself and never doubts her own abilities as an actress. While not evil per se, Isabella's false knowledge is the root of many of Catherine's problems in the novel. Isabella manages to obtain a marriage proposal from Catherine's brother, James Morland. However, when she discovers that he is not as rich as she initially thought, she sets her sights on Captain Tilney. It was this reaction that earned Isabella her reputation as a gold digger. If this is true, then she is a manipulative and egocentric young woman in search of social advancement. Although she is unaware of her own character, she is well aware that she lacks most of the assets (such as wealth or family connections) to bring to a marriage that would make her desirable to potential suitors. Isabella's bet with James in trying to secure Captain Tilney reveals a deficit on her part in her interpretation of the world. Being beautiful, Isabella has a habit of dazzling men with her beauty and seducing them. However, she has yet to meet her male counterpart, capable of manipulating women the way Isabella manipulates men. Her relative naivety on the subject causes Isabella to fall in love with Tinley, a man who plays romance like her. Additionally, her attempt to marry the Captain reveals her lack of understanding of true emotional suffering to the extent that she seems to think she can only avoid James to get him back when her other plans fail. The letter that reveals Isabella's misfortune in chapter 27 brings together all of her gaps.