character who exaggerates while listing his
reasons of marriage he seems to use a lot of body language to say what he
really wants. There is a lot of
information Mr Collins adds in which is not relevant to the conversation
"and it was the very Saturday night before I left Huns ford - between our
pools at quadrille, while Ms Jenkinson was arranging Miss de
Bourgh foot stool" This shows that he seems to pay more attention at
Lady Catherine de Bourgh than providing a focus on his reasons for
marriage. Mr Collins uses many I’s as in “I am, I think,” showing
marriage is about what he wants and nobody else’s feeling or objections
matter.
In this proposal Mr Collins feelings come last of all
instead of first. We therefore have the impression that his patron Lady
Catherine is more important than his wife especially when he quotes her
as saying," Mr Collins you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry
choose properly, choose a gentle woman for my sake and for your own"
Mr Collins seems to remember all her words by heart. He uses long
sentences to describe each motive. Elizabeth had not replied to Mr
Collins at that moment but as he went on without her saying yes he was
telling her how to act in front of Miss de Bourgh and that he would never
shout at her for not being so rich. "I shall be uniformity silent, and you
may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips
when we are married. Mr Collins seems to be very tactless in mentioning
the death of Elizabeth's father and mother and how much she will inherit
after their deaths. This shows that Elizabeth is not his only choice and is
implying to her that she should be very grateful to be proposed to by him.
Mr Darcy's proposal starts with how much he loves her. That was the
first and last motive of this proposal. "In vain have I struggled. It will not
to do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you
how ardently I admire and love you." Mr Darcy seems to be very serious
about this proposal, he considers he is likely to be accepted because of his
wealth, estate and position. However he is shocked when rejected. “He
was struggling for the appearance of composure and would not open his
lips, till he believed himself to have attained it. Darcy is
anxious to find out the reason for rejections “I might perhaps wish to be
informed why with so little endeavour at civility I am thus rejected.” He
was unable to except the refusal as he thought there would be no answer
such as No. Before he speaks he is silent to collect his thoughts and
emotions to him and what he has to reply back as. “At length in a voice of
forced calmness he said”. Much emphasis is placed on.
Mr Darcy’s body language seems to be very outstanding at first when he
enters he seems to walk from one end of the room to another.
In both proposals both men are very tactless about Elizabeth’s parents
and both expected to be accepted.
Elizabeth’s response to Mr Collins proposal was very polite. It was a
conventional decline as she uses words such as ‘Thanks and honour’.
“Accept my thanks, I am very sensible of the honour” This shows that she
respects his offer but is unable to take it. She uses short and direct replies
but speaks in a calm and polite way so it does not offend Mr Collins.
She has not been given a chance to speak, up till now.
The response to Mr Darcy's proposal was not so firm or concise. She
speaks directly and in anger and is furious. ”In such cases I believe the
established mode to express a sense of obligation for the sentiments
avowed, however unequally they may be returned” Elizabeth uses long
sentences. She is aware of the conventions of refusing a proposal, but
does not follow them easily. She is critical of him separating Bingley and
Jane. She also reminded him of his supposed ill treatment of Mr
Wickham. And lastly she accuse him of not being a gentleman “You are
mistaken Mr Darcy. If you suppose that the mode of your declaration
affected me in any other way than as it spared me the concern which I
might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentleman –
like manner” and Lastly but not least, she criticises him for being selfish,
arrogant and conceited “your manners impressed me with the fullest
belief of your arrogance, your conceit and your selfish disdain of feelings
of others”.
The end of Mr. Collins’ proposal Mr. Collins does not accept that he
has been rejected. He is very obtuse about this idea. He is stubborn in
believing that he is turned down.
His patronizing attitude towards women, leads him to believe that
Elizabeth’s rejection of him is not serious and implies that he continues to
ask then she will say Yes. “That it is usual with young ladies to reject
the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept when he first
applies for their favour and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a
second or even a third time”. He also emotionally blackmails her by
saying he will apply pressure on her via her parents. “I am therefore by
no means discouraged by what you have just said and shall hope to lead
you to the altar ere long”.
When Mr Darcy finishes his proposal he is very angry and so is she.
They are both struggling to compose their feelings. They ask direct
questions . A lot of tension builds up here. Elizabeth is very accusatory.
As Elizabeth gives her last and fierce speech he accepts her feelings
towards him and apologizes to her for wasting her time. He acts like a
gentleman at last. “You have said quite enough madam. I perfectly
comprehend your feelings and have now only to be ashamed of what my
own have been. Forgive me for having taking up so much of your time
and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness”.
Men had more power than women because most of them were educated
for careers in law, the church or the Army, they earned more than what
women earned. There were only two jobs a woman of the gentry class
could have was a school teacher or a governess, both were of a low status.
Men had better prospects in that they could inherit wealth and estates. If a
women were fortunate in this, on marriage their wealth would be
absorbed by their husband.
Mr Collins reasons believed he’d be accepted because of his connection
with Lady Catherine de Bourgh. So far he has been positioned as a
clergyman which, was a highly respected profession.
He thought that the reason why he would never be rejected because then
Elizabeth was denying herself a secure home and lots of money so she
would not need to worry about anything.
Mr Darcy be accepted because of his status and high class. He earns
£10,000 a year a great deal of money. He owned an therefore considered
he’d never be refused by a woman.
In the novel Elizabeth contrasted with her best friend Charlotte Lucas.
Charlotte was 27, not married and only wanted to marry to achieve
independence from her parents and a home to live in no matter who she
married. She had no financial resources and if she had not married she
would have lived as a dependant on her father and brothers. In those days
a married women's status was higher than a single woman's no matter
whom they marry or what age they married at. Charlotte felt she would
not receive another proposal and therefore accepted Mr Collins.
In contrast with Elizabeth who was 20. She considers love as well as
finances in marriage to be important.
She is not a conventional woman. She does see herself as equal to Mr
Darcy, even though she does not have the same amount of money or the
estate, but in her eyes she is equal.
In Conclusion I would say that during these two proposals the
similarities were that the both characters proposing were very tactless
about Elizabeth's parents. They both were expecting to be accepted
because of their high status in the community and their wealth and
property. The differences were that only Mr Collins asked Mrs Bennets
permission Mr Darcy did not ask permission as he proposed
spontaneously. The settings were in completely different.
Mr Collins had motives in which love came last. Mr Darcy only had 1
motive which, was love and came first.
In both cases these proposals have a important function in the novel.
After the refusal from Mr Collins proposal he proposed to Charlotte after
2 days which she accepted. This facilitates Mr Darcy’s proposal which
happens when she visits her friend Charlotte.
Mr Darcy's proposal was serious, it created conflict between the two
characters in his proposal and drama. After that disturbing
proposal Mr Darcy changes to be more like a gentleman and seeks to
salvage the Bennet’s reputation by facilitating a marriage between
Wickham and Lydia. When Darcy proposes for the second time for which
he is accepted at the end of the novel.
