He thought it best to let the girls to their own ‘trifling amusements’ whilst he sat for a game of backgammon with Mr Bennet. This seems absurd that he feels backgammon a suitable activity in place of a novel, especially with his post as a clergyman. At one point he said ‘I know little of the game at present, I shall be glad to improve myself’ talking about whist, whilst sitting at a card table with Mr Wickham. Gambling is certainly no activity a rector should pride himself in. Mr Collins’ views during the novel are constant reminders that he is not suitable as a clergyman. His connection with the church tends to mock religion as a whole.
His outlook on marriage is no exception; he sees marriage to one of his cousins as a convenient arrangement (due to inheritance of the Longbourne estate). The scheme to marry was constructed by the words of Lady Catherine De Bourgh ((‘’)), Mr Collins naturally agreed with her entirely. Mr Collins’ hasty change of affection from Jane to Elizabeth shows that he was more concerned about being married than to who he was married, not quite the example expected from a rector. Mr Collins’ proposal to Elizabeth was utterly ridiculous it was spoken like a sermon, where his oversized ego dominated the entire conversation and where he continually tried to make it appear that in fact doing her a huge favour proposing. As she had little money and he was generously willing to be ‘perfectly indifferent’ to fortune. Mr Collins said to Lizzy that he was ‘well aware that it [any large demand] could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in four per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother’s decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to’. This illustrates his ignorance because by saying this he insulted and angered Lizzy, making an acceptance far less likely. Mr Collins takes her refusal in his characteristic self-centred way, unable to accept Lizzy genuinely does not want to marry him (it is a harsh reality). He tries to convince her with a list of reasons, broken down into points, ‘firstly…secondly….’ why a partnership between them would be so successful, not only is this dim-witted it is also a very unsuitable way in which to propose; therefore suited to Mr Collins’ caricature style.
He concludes ‘you are not serious in your rejection to me’ and goes on to describe her as ‘uniformly charming’ when she continues to refuse the offer.
As soon as Charlotte Lucas focuses her attentions to him, he proposes to her just three days after proposing to Lizzy, and seeming so adamant that they would still marry. Due to his earlier sudden change of heart (from Jane to Lizzy) this hardly surprises the reader. It is clearly seen that this is more a marriage arrangement for security and finances (as Charlotte intended to marry) and it has an obvious lack of any of the proper feelings that ought to accompany a proposal of marriage-especially as such a devote Christian.
His Christian values are also questioned following the elopement of Lydia and Wickham- he is cruelly unsympathetic and visits Longbourne to share his non-existent apologies and to gloat in his own fortunate happy situation. His only genuine apology was for them to be so unfortunately closely related to her. At one point he suggests ‘The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this…Let me advise you…to throw off your unworthy child from your affection forever, and to leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence’ a typical spontaneous and dreadful comment. He later recommends to the Bennet family ‘you certainly ought to forgive them as Christians, but never to admit them in your sight.’ To which Mr Bennet replied ‘That is his notion of Christian forgiveness.’
It is not only his view that makes the reader question his post as a clergyman; he looks up to Lady Catherine in a godlike way, a form of polytheism. From being so closely acquainted with her he constantly describes himself as ‘the happiest of men.’ When Lady Catherine suggests it may be appropriate for him to marry he is immediately ‘in want of a wife.’ Mr Collins always attempts to impress/please Lady Catherine; she is his highest social acquaintance, which is a fact he is very proud to share with anyone willing to listen. Mr Collins is the only representative of the church/religion in Pride and Prejudice; this implies that Austen did not have a very high opinion of the church and Christianity. She is using satire to mock the situation.
Mr Collins is the only character to be introduced through a letter; this singles him out immediately. Elizabeth asks her father ‘there is something very pompous in his style…Can he be a sensible man, sir?’ to which Mr Bennet correctly replied, ‘No my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter which promises well’. Through getting to know the other characters our impressions/views have very frequently changed, however this is not the case with Mr Collins. He successfully lives up to his foolish introduction and throughout the story continues to irritate the reader, whilst providing important comedy in the novel. Every aspect of his speech brands him as a monster of foolishness and self-congratulation; his is such a caricature that he is in danger of boring the reader. During the novel the omniscient narrator seems impatient with his own creation because he often sums up Mr Collins’ repetitive, lengthy and boring conversations via reported speech. This helps maintain the novels short, captivating and interesting chapters.
By
Kate Heller
Yr 10
Mrs Start-Walter
DRAFT 2
