It is through Mr Bennet that we are introduced to Mr Collins, from the letter explaining his arrival “…I was kept back on my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone, with whom it had pleased him to be at a variance”. This first implies that he is pompous and ridiculous, which is supplemented by Elizabeth’s comment, “can he be a sensible man?” As Elizabeth has already been established as an intelligent person, her observation seems to be accurate. Proof of this opinion comes throughout the novel; he “begged pardon for having displeased her …he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour”. The ‘ridiculous’ character of Mr Collins develops. When talking about paying compliments, he explains, “I always wish to give them an unstudied air as possible”. Mr Collins is a pompous, unintelligent person who uses excessive flattery: “he had never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life”, to make people like and admire him, rather than to give them pleasure. Mr Collins’ “very good opinion of himself” provides many humorous scenes in the novel, and again demonstrates how Austen prefers to describe her characters through their own actions and words.
A similar side of Mr Collins is also presented early in the novel: “there is a mixture of servility and self importance in his letter”. Mr Collins is a self-centred person with limited understanding. He actually firmly believes that a woman would “reject the addresses of the man whom secretly means to accept, when he first applies for their favour”. Mr Collins is an arrogant man. The “proposal itself is delivered in such a way that it seems more appropriate for a business deal than for a declaration of love”. Elizabeth’s refusal hurts his pride: “in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made to you”. Mr Collins is “fond of making long and silly speeches and stating formalities which have absolutely no meaning in themselves”. Therefore Austen allows Mr Collins’ words to convey him as an obsequious, supercilious man and allows the reader to share Elizabeth’s dislike of and amusement at his antics.
While claiming that he possesses much admiration for the opposite gender, it becomes apparent that this is actually not true. When coming to Longbourn with the idea of marrying one of the daughters, he settles on Elizabeth as a second choice:
“Mr Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth – and it was soon done – done while Mrs Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course”. Later on Mr Collins confirms the fact that he thinks that men are superior: “…I have the highest opinion in the world of your excellent judgement in all matters within the scope of your understanding”. Clearly, Mr Collins genuinely believes that females are inferior to males; his words indicate this attitude. This, however, was the general view in the nineteenth century, and by using the ridiculous character of Mr Collins to present this true representation of the society, Austen recognises that this opinion is unjust.
Mr Collins’ opinions on this subject also demonstrate how he is a material person, placing too much importance on mere wealth and titles: “twice she has condescended to give me her opinion (unasked too!) on this subject ”. To anyone else, this would appear very rude. However, Mr Collins thinks that it is almost a compliment to be envied. Before visiting Rosings, “Mr Collins was carefully instructing them in what they were to expect…[so that it] might not wholly overpower them”(p109). Mr Collins bases the respect he has for people on wealth, “he had never seen anything but affability in her…she had always spoken to him as she would to any other gentleman”. His complete failure to see what Lady Catherine really is, a person who interferes in other people’s problems, adds to the ridiculousness of his character and the humour of the book. Again Austen allows the characters to reveal themselves through their own dialogue, with very little narration, and also indicates Austen’s opinion; the absurd character of Mr Collins indicates that respect should be based upon the good qualities of a personality, not social standing.
Mr Collins possesses a definite sense of vanity. He is in no way concerned about his own opinion of his character, for as we see his character leaves much to be desired. All he cares about is what others think of him. He seems to always need the approval of his present company. When he gives Elizabeth the grand tour of his nothing spectacular home, he is looking for her approval of his position and possessions. It is not important to Mr Collins for people to like him as a person; they just had to be impressed by his status in life and his connections. Austen uses this kind of class-consciousness to satirize the characters, in particular Mr Collins who spends most of his time toadying to his upper-class patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Though Mr Collins offers an extreme example, he is not the only one to hold such views. His conception of the importance of class is shared, among others, such as Mr Darcy, who believes in the dignity of his ancestry; Miss Bingley, who dislikes anyone not as socially accepted as she is; and Wickham, who will do anything he can to get enough money to raise himself into a higher station. Mr Collins’s views are merely the most extreme and obvious. The satire directed at Mr Collins is therefore also more subtly directed at the entire social hierarchy and the conception of all those within it at its correctness, in complete disregard of other, more worthy virtues.
The sense of vanity is also shown in his letter and his actual behaviours. In his letter it is filled with long and formal words, Mr Collins’ long-winded words and worldly action serves as a stiff tone to contrast and also to restrain the bulk of bright tone in the novel. Through the contradiction, what the author praises and opposes are more obvious and the motif of the novel is more sensible.
Getting married was a top priority for almost every character in Pride and Prejudice. It was no surprise when Mr Collins asked Charlotte to be his wife she accepted without hesitation. Charlotte had never shown any signs of love or sweet emotion towards him and she was never really interested in any prospect of marriage. Therefore, we are led to believe that Charlotte married Mr Collins just to be married. There was no love shared prior to their marriage and after they were married, they led a pretty dull life and had generally the same schedule day after day. This couples development is limited by phasing them out of the novel. There is not much said about the Collins’ after they marry. Austen’s use of Mr Collins and Charlotte as flat characters is to show that marrying just to be married can lead to an unhappy life and to show the importance of marrying for love, this can be linked to a variety of main themes in the novel, such as marriage for security and perhaps reputation.
In conclusion I feel that Austen uses the character of Mr Collins very well in a way that it is the minor characters that provide the basis and understanding of many of the events and it is they who provide much that is memorable in the novel. Austen’s subtle characterisation, through their own words and actions rather than authorial description, invites readers to share her amusement and ironic understanding of both the situations and characters she describes.
