Austen uses this style of satire on these certain characters so that we favour the other characters better, making it easier for Austen to tell the love story, as we disregard the opinions of the characters who are being satirised, and there for the others seem more agreeable.
Mr. Collins, described by Lizzy as “a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man” is a character for our amusement, as a person and through his conversation and behaviour. He is Crucial to Pride and Prejudice as he
brings out clearly the soundness of Elizabeth's attitude to marriage, therefore enforcing her strong opinion on marrying for love, hence helping to develop the love story. This is evident in the scene in which Mr Collins arrives in Longbourn, and also the proposal scene. On arrival at Longbourn, Mr Collins had all intensions of leaving with a wife. His attentions were first directed towards Jane, though when finding out she was already taken “
had only to change from to -- and it was soon done -- done while was stirring the fire”. He later stated to Lizzy that “Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life.” Although this statement being true, realistically, he was only interested in Lizzy as Jane was unavailable. This shows how Mr Collins realistically didn’t care for either of them, and is just a conceited man. In the Proposal scene
between Mr Collins and Lizzy, Austen is able to satirise Mr Collins with great ease, showing his high opinion if himself. On first proposing, Lizzie accepted the compliment, but declined, this being the first of five. Mr Collins responded by saying “I am not now to learn,'' replied , with a formal wave of the hand, 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.” Mr Collins thinks of himself
with such superior, that he doesn’t believe that Lizzie could possibly decline him. This brings out his will to marry without the need of love, and Lizzie’s need for love.
Mrs. Bennet is an extreme example of a comic figure that is an irresponsible and immoral parent. She demonstrates a total disregard for her daughters' happiness in marriage but values materialistic assets, such as money or property. Austen uses Mrs Bennet’s husband as a character to help satirise her. Austen writes, "She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper." This is evident in the opening chapter when she is trying to
gossip to her husband about Netherfeild being let. She gets very impatient when Mr Bennet does not respond to her, and when he finally does, he makes a mockery of her by saying “you want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” Though Mrs Bennet being the sill women she is, doesn’t notice this mockery and continues to talk. Another aspect, which adds to her comic character, is how her opinion of people can change so quickly. For
example she dislikes Mr Collins greatly, though when she finds out that he is interested in one of her daughters, her opinion completely changes. “ treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have two daughters
married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before was now high in her good graces.” This shows how superficial she is when it comes to materialistic things. Also, near the end of the book, she changes her opinion of Darcy, when Lizzy says she is to marry him. She does not like him because of Lizzie, but because he
makes over ten thousand a year. This shows how Austen uses satire to give character less respect, and therefore when it comes to themes such as their opinions of love, they are not taken as seriously, hence helping to tell the love story.
