This thesis is mainly focused on discussion of Austen's attitudes to the Gothic. Northanger Abbey has been considered as a parody of the Gothic for a long time. These critics often perceive the parody as a complete denial of the Gothic. I disagree with this. In my thesis, I maintain that Austen parodies the Gothic in order to refine it. In addition, while analysing these refinements to the Gothic, I discovered that Austen has distinct attitudes towards the 'masculine' and 'feminine' Gothic, a topic which has often been neglected by critics. The main structure of my thesis is as follows: (1) Defining the Gothic, including a distinction between the 'masculine' and 'feminine' Gothic; (2) How Austen parodies the Gothic in Northanger Abbey; (3) Austen's attitudes towards the 'masculine' and 'feminine' Gothic. Key words: Gothic, Jane Austen, Parody, Masculine Gothic, Feminine Gothic