And his final reason is that Mr Collins dear friend Catherine De Bourgh says to him to go and get someone who she will approve of and she tells him to choose wisely. Mr Collins is very fond of her & listens to what she says “A clergyman like you must marry…choose properly, chose a gentle woman for my sake”.
During this part of the proposal Mr Collins she had not mentioned his love. Towards the proposal he announces that he is prepared to ignore Elizabeth’s lack of wealth, to this he will not hold it against her if he doesn’t receive a dowry. Mr Collins proposal shows the harsh economic realities of wedlock in a most unfavourable manner.
Whilst Mr Collins was talking, Elizabeth knew it was time for her to interrupt him. “You are too hasty sir,” she answers polity. This shows the huge strength of character from Elizabeth. She also tries to be courteous when she says this. This is a difficult scene for Elizabeth as she is trying to say no to Mr Collins in a ladylike manner but mR Collins will not listen to what she says. “That it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept” At this point Mr Collins is flattering himself and does not want to accept no as the final answer.
Mr Darcy is a highly respected member of the society. He is the friend of Mr Bingly who Jane (Elizabeth’s sister) is in love with. Mr Darcy admired Elizabeth Bennet when he first saw her but Elizabeth had taken a liking to Mr Wickham. Both Mr Darcy and Mr Wickham detest each other.
Mr Darcy’s arrival catches Elizabeth of guard as she is expecting Colonel Fitzwilliam. Elizabeth does not know that Mr Darcy loves her and wants to marry her and is surprised when he declares his love. She is surprised as he did not ask her parents before proposing and he thinks there is no need as he is higher in social status.
Elizabeth’s language in Mr Darcy’s proposal is impolite and uncivilized for to a woman in nineteenth century. It was taboo for a woman to ever answer back to a man in a disrespectful manner, as their stereotypical role was to be subordinate to men. Through out Mr Darcy’s proposal he continuously refers to his social superiority to Elizabeth.
Mr Darcy’s starts his proposal negatively with the words “in vein I have struggled, it will not do”. The word “struggled” is quite a powerful word to use, as it shows that he does not want to feel for Elizabeth, as she is lower to him in social status. But in contrast to his negative start for his first reason for her hand in marriage.
From Mr Darcy’s use of words you can clearly see that he feels for Elizabeth, but his conceited personalities over shadows his true feelings. Mr Darcy feels he is doing a honourable thing by marring a lower class girl, he dwelt on the fact that because he is a high class he shouldn’t interact with her family and her family would be and obstacle in their marriage. Mr Darcy has made an assumption that Elizabeth will accept his proposal, “his countenance expressed real security”.
The spotlight is turned on Elizabeth although she has a deeply rooted dislike to Mr Darcy she is flattered by his affection towards her. However she declines his proposal. He is insulted her by degrading her family by stating her family lower social status. She knows that she is going against her stereotypical role by refusing his marriage proposal. Elizabeth portrays herself to be an independent woman of her time.
Elizabeth is antagonistic towards Mr Darcy and makes it clear she has never desired his affections, “you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly”. The author Jane Austin can easily identify with Elizabeth as she would not marry for money, she would have to fall in love before they marry. Both Austin and Elizabeth would rather die as single than give in to the corrupt society they were born into.
Mr Darcy completely taken by her refusal and is insulted, an s a woman in her situation would not turn away such a proposal. “His complexion became pale with anger, and the disturbance of his mind was visible in every feature”. We can tell from the way Jane Austin describes Mr Darcy’s reaction he is aggravated. He maintains his dignity and inquires the reason for her decline in a courteous manner.
Although Mr Darcy speaks civilly towards Elizabeth she responds in an ungracious manner as she is offended from his insults. Elizabeth wants to make clear to Mr Darcy she does not intent to marry him by any means necessary. She states all her reason clearly without hesitation. She is very offensive towards Mr Darcy, as we can see from the language she uses “I have every reason in the world to think ill of you”.
She later accuses Mr Darcy of forcing Wickham out of a job. Mr Darcy gives his response abruptly and does not hold back on what he has to say. He claims Elizabeth pride is the reason that is holding her back to marry him, if he had not said about her inferiority she would have gladly accepted, again Mr Darcy assumes she likes him.
Mr Darcy’s language is insensitive and arrogant, he could not leave the fact that she was inferior, which infuriated her even more. Mr Darcy feels he has heard enough and before he bids her farewell, he apologizes politely for causing her distress. This sincere apology deeply affects Elizabeth and she begins to cry.
Mr Collins and Mr Darcy went about there proposal in a very similar blinkered manner knowing that their status was higher than Elizabeth according t the ster4otype of their time. They both considered their feelings o be more significant than that of Elizabeth as they repeatedly talked about themselves rather than enquiring after her. They both emphasised how fortunate Elizabeth would be to marry into a high class and wealthy family as it was a truth universally acknowledge that a single man in the 19th century would marry someone who had the same social status.
