An Overview of Particular Aspects of National & EU Policies and Practice, their Impact on Rural Tourism and the Countryside in general

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Stephanie Larter

Compare and contrast the proposal of Mr Collins with the first made by Mr Darcy, and explain whether you think Lizzy was right to refuse them.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet had the offer of two marriage proposals within a few months.  She refused them both, but for very different reasons.  The first proposal, which was undertaken by Mr Collins, was declined under the circumstances that she did not love him.  The second proposal was from Mr Darcy, a man who owned vast property and wealth, and had a very high social status.  Lizzy refused his proposition on the basis that he asked her in an unacceptable manner.  She already had a dislike of Mr Darcy, because of his actions towards Jane Bennet and Mr Bingley.  In both situations, the men were surprised by her reply, as they expected a positive reaction.  Most 19th Century women would have accepted the proposals, as love was not always expected to be found in marriages, so Lizzy’s feelings were an exception to normal views of the period.  Jane Austen's description of Lizzy’s feelings and attitude are closely similar, and this is reflected in Lizzys personality.

Marriages in the early 19th Century were often arranged, which meant a daughter had little choice of whom she married.  The parental role was vital as it was their duty to get their children married well, and to improve their family’s social and financial status.  They wanted to know their children had security, and if one married very well, they could care for the rest of the family.  As Mr and Mrs Bennet did not have a son to inherit their household, their daughters’ cousin Mr Collins was to entail their current home when Mr Bennet died.  Therefore, Mrs Bennet and her children would have been left with little money and no permanent accommodation.  Mrs Bennet’s highest priority was to get all her five children married, as shown in the line, ‘The business of her life was to get her daughters married.’  Most mothers thought that their most important job was to get their children married well so they knew they had a secure home and a comfortable life.  The problem Mrs Bennet encountered was Lizzy and Jane wanted to marry for love alone, and they didn’t agree with her 19th Century views on marriage.    Love was often less important than any of the other factors.  Marriage was seen as a business prospect, as shown in the first line of Pride and Prejudice, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’  A wife was seen as a most wanted accessory to a wealthy man, and was not seen as a life long companion.  Most parents did not think love was the top priority for their daughter’s happiness, and so did most women as shown when Charlotte Lucas comments, ‘Happiness in marriage is purely a matter of chance.’  A woman would be very lucky to find love with a man whom her parents had chosen, and would have had a better chance of disliking him than loving him.  It was seen as unsuitable for younger siblings to be meeting men until the eldest child had married, if this was done, upper class people would frown upon the family.  When Lizzy visited Lady Catherine de Bourgh, she informed her that her younger sisters were already meeting men at the same level as herself.  Lady Catherine was not impressed and was fully against it.  When a man moved into a village, and if he was counted as an eligible bachelor, the ladies of wealthy households would fight to be his first acquaintance and introduce their daughters.  Mrs Bennet certainly embodied this idea when Mr Bingley arrived in Longbourne, by trying to get Mr Bennet to introduce himself and his daughters as soon as possible.

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When Mrs Bennet informed Lizzy that Mr Collins wished to speak with her, she wasn’t pleased, and tried to delay the encounter between them.  Against her will, her mother and her younger sister Kitty gathered their work, and they escaped upstairs.  Lizzy was forced to listen to a long proposal, which sounded prepared, and not loving in any way.  Mr Collins had not been living at the Bennet’s home very long, and was already proposing to one of their daughters, with their mothers approval, unlike Mr Darcy who had know Lizzy for many months and was not favoured by ...

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