Well, I was wondering if any can help me out with a task I have been assigned. I am to write a paper in which I justify the presence of Mr.Collins and Charlotte Lucas in the novel Pride and Prejudice and using them to help understand the theme of a bad marriage and its consequences. Any help will be greatly appreciated--whether it be your own interpretations or perhaps links to information that can provide some ideas. Again, thanks in advance.
Originally Posted by Silas
In the novel Jane Austen examines different types of marriage and different types of love. She juxtaposes pure reason ( i.e. dry calculation ) and wild passion as sole factors in choosing a mate, emphasizing the need for both intelligent reason and sensible romantic love to create a good marriage. With regard to reason, it should be particularly exercised when prudently considering the financial potential of a partner.
An example of a successful (even ideal ) marriage is that of Lizzy and Darcy, since their union is based both on reason and controlled passion. Although attracted to Darcy, Elizabeth also understands how beneficial their marriage can be for both parties. To paraphrase, by his great learning her own understanding could be improved and by her liveliness, his manners could be softened. Not to mention the fact, that the marriage will be financially secure. We sense that their marriage will be successful on all levels : physical, intellectual and financial.
By contrast, Lydia's and Wickham's marriage is based on folly and lust, with both partners being irresponsible, leading to chaos in their lives. Similarly, Mr. Bennett's marriage is based solely on physical attraction which leads to his choosing a frivolous and a silly mate. Both marriages are unsuccessful, with financial problems, lack of respect for a partner and inability to raise children intelligently.
In Charlotte's case, due to her constricted material situation, the choice of a mate is made solely for mercenary reasons in order to survive. She doesn't love her husband, spending as much time as possible away from him which makes it the worst marriage in the novel. Although making her secure financially and respectable, we sense that eventually ( although she describes herself as " not romantic " ) it will cause great emotional pain for both her and her husband which will affect their children as well. Thus reason alone also produces a bad marriage, albeit a different type of a bad marriage .
The unfortunate Collins/Charlotte situation was introduced when Austen revised the original version of the book, called " First Impressions ". By that time, she underwent a bitter life experience herself involving a proposal from a wealthy, but unattractive and uncouth man. Although marrying him would have greatly improved her impoverished situation, she could not bring herself to marry him, as she was repulsed by him. This experience coloured her perception of the world : material security had to be bought at the cost of one's principles and taste, a very unpleasant compromise indeed. Perhaps in describing Mr.Collins' and Charlotte's marriage, she re-examined the way her own marriage would have turned out. As a matter of fact, she herself referred to this aspect of the novel (to paraphrase ) as a dose of bitterness in an otherwise sparkling and cheerful work.
Hope this helps somewhat. Also, you can always go to the critical editions of the novel---just look them up in the library.
Last edited by olichka; 02-20-2007 at 04:44 PM.
Wow! I am extremely grateful, olichka. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Your insight and the way you articulate it is very impressive. The information you have provided will very much get me a introduction to how I can approach this assignment. Again, much obliged, olichka; I greatly appreciate your intelligent response.
As well, if anyone else out there has anymore input, it would again be greatly appreciated! The more the better, I suppose.
Last edited by Silas; 02-20-2007 at 11:36 AM.
Right here on this website, you can read one person’s opinion of the scope of the book,
including comments on the marriage relationship of Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas.
I have copied and pasted some pertinent comments,
but you would do well to read the whole page,
so you can see how their marriage contrasts the others.
I pasted the link for you down below.
“Pride and Prejudice, similar to other Jane Austen’s novels, is written in gentle or Horacian satire. The main object of Jane’s satire in the novel is the mercenary and the ignorance of the people, a common criticism of the 18th century.”
“The last example of a marriage is a of a different nature than the ones mentioned above. The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte is based on economics rather than on love or appearance. It was a common practice during Austen’s time for women to marry a husband to save herself from spinsterhood or to gain financial security. However, Jane Austen viewed this as a type of prostitution and disapproved of it. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen dramatizes this form of women inequality and show that women who submits themselves to this type of marriage will have to suffer in tormenting silence as Charlotte does:
"When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she [Elizabeth] would involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear." (Chapter 28)”
http://www.online-literature.com/austen/prideprejudice/
Additionally, this website is helpful in that you can search the entire contents of the book electronically.
You can search for every incident of Charlotte’s name.
I also recommend you search for “Miss Lucas”.
Your question presupposes that their marriage was a bad marriage and had bad consequences,
but I don't know that there is actual proof of that.
Is that your actual assignment? To prove they had a bad marriage?
Yes, they chose each other for very scientific reasons,
and I agree with Charlotte who believed that their chances of happiness were just as good as anyone else's,
but as you can see from the screen name I chose,
I am rather fondly disposed to science.
But if you are supposed to be proving they had a bad marriage,
you are not in want of my argument that it was otherwise.
I agree with Charlotte that every relationship has its vexations,
even if you are married to the man of your dreams, as I am.
If you have to prove they had a bad marriage,
I would do a search in the Pride and Prejudice searchable text,
for every instance of the word Collins.
From your results you can scan for comments from Charlotte or Elizabeth
where there is a commentary on Mr. Collins or their relationship,
beginning at chapter 28 with Elizabeth's visit to their home.
The director of the movie with Kiera Knightly said that Austen had thought
her story was too sweet, that it was not dark enough.
I'm not sure if that was before or after she added Mr. Collins.
I personally believe that after 15 years of marriage,
Mr. Darcy's natural tendency to be shy and withdrawn
could be just as much of an irritant to Elizabeth
as Mr. Collins's lack of sense would be to Charlotte.
Again, I am so grateful for another response! And what a response on that point! Thank you so much for your effort; I am now beginning to re-consider how I may approach this task. And if I am so lucky as to receive another response such as the ones olichka and sciencefan have provided, I thank you in advance.
In my opinion, I think the reason Austen added Mr. Collins and Charlotte's marriage was to give another example of how marriages came about in her day.
Charlotte and Mr. Collins are quite logical in their approach to matrimony and are the only two in the book who are so.
By reading the things that Charlotte says, to Elizabeth especially, you get a feel for what Charlotte thinks about courtship and marriage.
There is a huge revelation of Charlotte’s philosophy in chapter 6.
I cannot post the whole dialog.
Here we see the truth in that saying:
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Charlotte, in giving her opinion and advice, is revealing the thinking of her own heart,
and Austen very cleverly reveals it to us through Elizabeth’s eyes.
“... In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better shew more affection than she feels.''”
“``When she is secure of him, there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses.''”
“``Your plan is a good one,'' replied Elizabeth, ``where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design.''”
Here Charlotte’s plan is revealed by Austen:
She is willing to be designing and calculating in the catching of a husband.
“``...Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to each other, or ever so similar before-hand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always contrive to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.''”
``You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.''
This is where we learn that Elizabeth thinks this advice is foolish,
and that she doesn’t know Charlotte as well as she thinks she does.
Chapter 18
“Charlotte could not help cautioning her, in a whisper, not to be a simpleton, and allow her fancy for Wickham to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man of ten times his consequence.”
I personally thought this advice of Charlotte’s was wise.
Elizabeth had prejudicially misjudged Darcy to begin with anyway,
but it shows more of Charlotte’s science of catching a man at almost any price, I think.
Chapter 20
“...Charlotte, detained first by the civility of Mr. Collins, whose inquiries after herself and all her family were very minute, and then by a little curiosity, satisfied herself with walking to the window and pretending not to hear.”
Charlotte is about to learn that Mr. Collins is a man ripe for the capture.
Chapture 21
“He [Mr. Collins] scarcely ever spoke to her [Elizabeth], and the assiduous attentions which he had been so sensible of himself, were transferred for the rest of the day to Miss Lucas, whose civility in listening to him, was a seasonable relief to them all, and especially to her friend.”
Charlotte makes herself a desirable companion to Mr. Collins by listening to him.
Chapter 22
“... and again during the chief of the day, was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins. Elizabeth took an opportunity of thanking her. ``It keeps him in good humour,'' said she, ``and I am more obliged to you than I can express.'' Charlotte assured her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and that it amply repaid her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was very amiable, but Charlotte's kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had any conception of; -- its object was nothing less than to secure her from any return of Mr. Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards herself. Such was Miss Lucas's scheme...”
“She [Charlotte] had gained her point, and had time to consider of it. Her reflections were in general satisfactory. Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still, he would be her husband. -- Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at the age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all the good luck of it.”
After Elizabeth reacts:
“``I see what you are feeling,'' replied Charlotte, -- ``you must be surprised, very much surprised, -- so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think it all over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.''”
Chapter 15 affords an excellent synopsis of Mr. Collins’ person:
“MR. COLLINS was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his rights as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.
Having now a good house and very sufficient income, he intended to marry...”
When you also read Mr. Collins’s reasons for marrying, which he spells out to Elizabeth in chapter 19, you see that Mr. Collins and Miss Lucas are both equally calculating in their decision to marry.
I think it’s important to remember that arranged marriages, where there were NO feelings considered, were not that long gone before, and perhaps were still in existence.
Compared to THAT, I don’t think Charlotte or Mr. Collins behaved that badly.
In another place, Jane reminds Elizabeth that difference of temperaments needs to be taken into account, and she shouldn't be so harsh on Charlotte.
The dialog in the movie with Kiera Knightly where Charlotte explains how she has no money and no prospects and that she is already a burden to her parents is an excellent commentary on Charlotte’s desperate situation, even though it is not spelled out that way in the book.
In our day in America, we are brainwashed into thinking there is such a thing as happily ever after.
Our divorce rate shows we are deceived.
I'm reminded of the line from the movie "Sleepless in Seattle"
"Attraction is when your subconscious is attracted to their subconscious.
Fate is two neuroses knowing they're a perfect match."
I have no doubt all the couples in Pride and Prejudice deserved each other.
I cannot think you enough, sciencefan. I'm beginning to really consider your opinion; now, I only need to come up with a solid theme in my paper to work this around. Again, your effort is quite admirable and I greatly appreciate it. Perhaps, when I used what you have shared with me, I will let you know how my assignment went in the future. Thank you
You are very welcome.I cannot think you enough, sciencefan. I'm beginning to really consider your opinion; now, I only need to come up with a solid theme in my paper to work this around. Again, your effort is quite admirable and I greatly appreciate it. Perhaps, when I used what you have shared with me, I will let you know how my assignment went in the future. Thank you
I would love to hear how it turns out.
Concerning a theme, here is a quote I pasted in post #4:
"The marriage between Mr. Collins and Charlotte is based on economics rather than on love or appearance."
Therein lies the key to your theme.
I just wanted to say that overall, I think this is an excellent post.
The writer brings some pieces of "insider knowledge" as it were, that are truly fascinating.
In truth, I would love to read these first hand sources myself!
Excellent post from someone who has obviously gone below the surface to further investigate the truth.
Therefore, I may be the only person in the world who feels this way,
but I don't feel that Charlotte's marriage is the worst one in the book.
In being a reflection of real life, there were probably thousands and thousands
of marriages just like Charlotte's in that time in England.
I thought that the reason it was introduced was more to show a contrast to
how a girl would prefer to marry for love,
though many times she did not end up doing so.
Even though Charlotte didn't marry for love,
she had spent two days listening to Mr. Collins;
she knew what she was getting into.
She judged herself capable of tolerating him.
If Charlotte, like Austen herself, had been "repulsed"
by Mr. Collins, I dare say she would not have married him.
I cannot believe any human being would be that
little concerned for their own happiness.
Coming from a family of frightful gossips and busybodies,
I'm sure Charlotte felt quite at home with Mr. Collins.
We forget that romance, and dating, and "love at first sight"
are inventions of the American Industrial Revolution.
In Austen's day, I am given to understand that
marriage was a way of improving one's situation in life,
as much as getting a good job is now.
I am under the impression that Elizabeth's parents would have had the right
to force her to accept Mr. Collins' proposal,
and she would have had to obey them.
Mr. Collins says as much as she leaves the room.
"``...and I am persuaded that when sanctioned by the express authority
of both your excellent parents,
my proposals will not fail of being acceptable.''"
And here Austen displays Solomon-like wisdom in presenting
the response of Elizabeth's father! Incredible!
"``An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth.
From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. --
Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins,
and I will never see you again if you do.''"
She is SAVED!
Charlotte's and Mr. Collins' life is one of financial stability
and relative physical comfort.
I guess I have compassion for her situation because
even though I have been married to the man of my dreams for 25 years,
I hardly ever see him in a day's time either.
He works 70 hours a week,
and when he is not working,
he finds other projects to work on.
In his spare time he relaxes in front of the tv,
and I in front of the computer.
But as Jane says, when you consider our temperaments,
you see that we are both introverts and need time alone to recuperate.
Charlotte has her space,
and Mr. Collins, who is most obviously not an introvert,
gets his stimulation out and about in his parish and
in company with Lady De Bourgh.
All in all, in thatr society, they are considered respectable people.
I'm not saying their marriage was perfect,
I'm just saying it was probably typical.
Mr. Bennett spent as much time alone as possible, too.
(Perhaps all the acclaimed critics in the world see it otherwise but...)
I think Lydia's marriage is the worst.
She is married to a man who never intended to marry her in the first place.
They frequently move about and never settle anywhere;
they have no financial stability.
He is not even a respectable or honorable man,
and perhaps he will even be unfaithful.
"...it was yet a well known fact that on his quitting Derbyshire
he had left many debts behind him,
which Mr. Darcy afterwards discharged." ch 44
"``I must confess that he [Colonel Forster] did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did.
He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant.
And since this sad affair has taken place,
it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt;
but I hope this may be false.''" ch 47
"He was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place,
and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction,
had been extended into every tradesman's family" ch 48
(I'm not sure what this means, but I think it means he is a womanizer.)
"He [Wickham] confessed himself obliged to leave the regiment,
on account of some debts of honour, which were very pressing;
and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight
on her own folly alone." ch 52
And here we discover the end of Lydia and Wickham:
"It had always been evident to her [Elizabeth]that such an income as theirs,
under the direction of two persons so extravagant in their wants,
and heedless of the future, must be very insufficient to their support;
and whenever they changed their quarters,
either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some
little assistance towards discharging their bills.
Their manner of living, even when the restoration of peace
dismissed them to a home, was unsettled in the extreme.
They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation,
and always spending more than they ought.
His affection for her soon sunk into indifference;
her's lasted a little longer; and in spite of her youth and her manners,
she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her."
(I would like to know what this means:
"...even when the restoration of peace dismissed them to a home...")
Here we see Wickham was never allowed at Pemberly,
and the Wickham's dared too frequently mooch off the Bingleys.
"Though Darcy could never receive him at Pemberley, yet,
for Elizabeth's sake, he assisted him farther in his profession.
Lydia was occasionally a visitor there,
when her husband was gone to enjoy himself in London or Bath;
and with the Bingleys they both of them frequently staid so long,
that even Bingley's good humour was overcome,
and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone." ch 61
No. I would rather have Charlotte's life than Lydia's.
First of all, thanks for the compliment on my post. I really appreciate it !
( N.B.-- Edited ) : I wish I could help you with the sources where I got the information ( actually, second- hand, not first-hand -- I read biographies and literary criticism , but a long time ago, so don't remember the titles ! )
You have made good points about Lydia's and Charlotte's respective marriages. I guess discussing different marriages is a complicated matter because everybody has a different view of what a good marriage constitutes, based on their own values, needs and temperament.
When saying that Charlotte's marriage is the worst, I was referring to the fact that Charlotte can't even stand the sight and sound of her husband, whereas Lydia at least is attracted to her own, wants to be around him and admires him, although, off course, only in the initial stages of marriage. Their marriage is certainly very chaotic.
But then how would Charlotte later feel about her husband and he about her, if she doesn't even want to be around him ? I think that constantly having to be devious in order to avoid his " irksome " company would be a drain on psychic and emotional energy. Also, even for an unromantic person like herself, wouldn't she eventually become lonely and frustrated at not having a normal reciprocal relationship with a spouse ? Wouldn't she eventually need a companion ? I guess it's hard to speculate. But maybe, as you said, being an introvert, she wouldn't really need a partner, and just having friends would be enough society for her ?
Also, I'd like to point out the fact that you yourself mentioned with regard to Austen's view of marriages of convenience : namely, that she thought of them as a form of " prostitution " .You suggest that if Charlotte found Collins repulsive, then she would not have married him. But perhaps Austen wants to describe a marriage that she considers a form of prostitution ? For how can you be romantically attracted to a man that you despise as a person ? And Charlotte, seemingly proper, does not appear to be a sexual animal for whom physical attraction ( here I mean attraction for the physical body only of the individual ) would be enough to engage in sex. Perhaps, it's actually the fact that she's " not romantic " that would make it easier for her to "disengage" herself from Mr. Collins in their intimate moments, thus performing an act of prostitution ?
So, perhaps due to Austen's point of view that Charlotte's marriage is a " form of prostitution " , her marriage can be considered the worst type of arrangement, even though there were quite a few marriages like hers in the 18th-19th centuries. After all, Austen herself was from that time period, but she rejected this arrangement, considering it distasteful !!!
As to Lydia, at least she wants to sleep with her husband !
Last edited by olichka; 02-22-2007 at 09:59 PM.
You are most welcome.
Your post was excellent and deserved commendation,
and I didn't want you to think I was quarreling with you.
I agree with you that everyone's definition of what
constitutes a good marriage is probably a little different.
I didn't for one split second even consider their sex life!
(I guess that makes me an old woman who has been married too long!)
Lydia's sex life is bound to at least exist, and I agree with you,
she is probably apt to enjoy it.
Charlotte, on the other hand, probably will not have a
very enjoyable sex life, but who did in those days?
I got the impression that Mr. Collins looked for a bride among his cousins-
who would be desperate to say yes to him for financial reasons-
because he didn't have much to offer in the way of "manliness".
I don't think they will have very much sex at all,
except to procreate.
I think back in those days, marriages were arranged,
or based on financial considerations, foremostly.
I thought that Austen was trying to suggest that some other criteria
should be looked at, like compatibility of intelligence, of temperament,
tastes, style of living, etc.
For instance, I think one of the things Darcy likes about Elizabeth is
the fact that she likes the outdoors.
This is the second thing that impresses him about her, if I recall,
when she comes in the room all "wild" and muddy,
her "fine eyes" having been "brightened by the exercise".
Probably all those city women he was used to would never have
appreciated the "delightful grounds at Pemberley" the way Elizabeth will.
"Mrs. Gardiner...``the grounds are delightful. They have some of the finest woods in the country.''" Ch. 42
Jane, we know, thinks Bingley is "just what a young man ought to be".
He is her ideal.
And Bingley thinks Jane is ""the most beautiful creature I ever beheld!''" Ch. 3
Certainly we hope he has more criteria than that for marrying her.
But many men before him have done the same.
I have heard of several stories of men who on the first moment of seeing
a woman "knew" she was the one he wanted to marry.
Last edited by sciencefan; 02-23-2007 at 12:13 PM.
I would agree with your opinion, if you are correct that Charlotte can't stand the sight or sound of her husband, but I don't think it's really that bad.When saying that Charlotte's marriage is the worst, I was referring to the fact that Charlotte can't even stand the sight and sound of her husband, whereas Lydia at least is attracted to her own, wants to be around him and admires him, although, off course, only in the initial stages of marriage. Their marriage is certainly very chaotic.
We can’t take Elizabeth’s opinion about Mr. Collins as the gospel truth.
What is annoying to one person is not necessarily annoying to all.
If Charlotte had felt toward Mr. Collins the exact same way Lizzy did, I don’t think she would have married him.
I guess I just refuse to believe that any woman would be so stupid as to marry anyone she couldn’t stand for one second, no matter HOW much money or security is involved.
I’d rather give her the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, she sought solitude in her home, but avoiding someone’s company because you can’t stand them is different than avoiding them because you don’t want to be around them 24/7.
Mr. Collins isn’t just a person who talks too much, he seems to have no boundaries and could easily steal away all of someone’s free time without even realizing it.
In today’s America, I agree with you, such a situation would never do.But then how would Charlotte later feel about her husband and he about her, if she doesn't even want to be around him ? I think that constantly having to be devious in order to avoid his "irksome" company would be a drain on psychic and emotional energy. Also, even for an unromantic person like herself, wouldn't she eventually become lonely and frustrated at not having a normal reciprocal relationship with a spouse ? Wouldn't she eventually need a companion ? I guess it's hard to speculate. But maybe, as you said, being an introvert, she wouldn't really need a partner, and just having friends would be enough society for her ?
There are not that many clues concerning how Charlotte feels about Mr. Collins, but here are some passages I found that tell us something.
AFTER a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity, Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of Saturday. ch 25
Charlotte spent a week entertaining him and making herself amiable to him.
She apparently finds herself up to the task of being his companion.
...and [Elizabeth] rather looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful an air, with such a companion. When Mr. Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear.
Charlotte has a cheerful air.
She ignores what she has no control over.
To work in his garden was one of his most respectable pleasures; and Elizabeth admired the command of countenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned she encouraged it as much as possible.
Here we see that he probably does pester her, and she encourages him to pursue other interests.
When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there was really a great air of comfort throughout, and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten.
Perhaps this is true, and my point is this: in those days, that’s what women did, but again this is Elizabeth’s reading of it because that’s how SHE would feel about it.
``Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed,'' added Charlotte, ``and a most attentive neighbour.''
``Very true, my dear, that is exactly what I say. She is the sort of woman whom one cannot regard with too much deference.''
Charlotte has learned to parrot her husband to make him happy.
... Elizabeth, in the solitude of her chamber, had to meditate upon Charlotte's degree of contentment, to understand her address in guiding, and composure in bearing with her husband, and to acknowledge that it was all done very well.
Charlotte does have a degree of contentment; she guides him and bears with him, and she does it all very well. Surely it must take a woman of a certain mild and steady temperament to do that.
...for the chief of the time between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden, or in reading and writing, and looking out of window in his own book room, which fronted the road. The room in which the ladies sat was backwards. Elizabeth at first had rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining parlour for common use; it was a better sized room, and had a pleasanter aspect; but she soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did, for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own apartment, had they sat in one equally lively; and she gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement.
Charlotte has to work at gaining her peace and quiet.
``My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There is in every thing a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas between us. We seem to have been designed for each other.''
This is remarkable. I assumed it was true, or at least half true.
Charlotte does an excellent job of making her husband happy.
She has accepted her lot in life with the patience and grace of a saint.
And perhaps that is all owing to her expectations for as we know she had neither a high opinion of men or of marriage.
Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness where that was the case, and with equal sincerity could add that she firmly believed and rejoiced in his domestic comforts. She was not sorry, however, to have the recital of them interrupted by the entrance of the lady from whom they sprung. Poor Charlotte! -- it was melancholy to leave her to such society! -- But she had chosen it with her eyes open; and though evidently regretting that her visitors were to go, she did not seem to ask for compassion. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms. ch 28
Charlotte seems satisfied with her new life- and so is Mr. Collins.
She is making the best of her situation.
Last edited by sciencefan; 02-23-2007 at 12:09 PM.
This was a very good, thorough analysis. You're right, Austen gave the description of Charlotte's marriage through Elizabeth's eyes which would make it a very biased and judgemental analysis. Perhaps Elizabeth interprets what is simply annoying some of the time as constantly unbearable because that's how she would feel about it. It's true that all couples have to ignore the unappealing traits in their spouses, and some do it better than others. Charlotte has a much milder, tolerant personality than Elizabeth, so her marriage works for her.
The passages that you cited help create a much more positive impression of Mr.Collins --- he spends a lot of time in his garden ( actually, not only a useful and a respectable occupation, but a very tasteful and creative one ), he reads a lot, does work in his parish, etc. Charlotte certainly has a respectable husband and a respectable position as a minister's wife with her own parish work and her household duties. I guess it's either a suitable occupation for her or she adjusted to it well because of her temperament.
All in all, I want to add that every reader interprets characters and situations as presented by a writer in their own way, particularly since some situations/characters are described in an ambiguous fashion. That's why various literary interpretations exist, with each presenting valid points and insights.
Last edited by olichka; 02-23-2007 at 12:53 PM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote