Comparing the Three Proposals that Elizabeth Receives in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice, contains many opinions given
by the narrator about the characters, but the true personalities are
shown in the way their feelings and words are portrayed. Austen uses
dramatic irony to allow the reader to appreciate the hidden feelings
of the characters. The unseen feelings of Elizabeth, Mr Darcy and Mr
Collins are revealed to others in the novel during the three proposals
that occur.
There are a number of similarities between the first two proposals
that Elizabeth receives. When Mr Collins made his "declaration of
form" he expects Elizabeth to say yes, as did Mr Darcy. He "had no
doubt of a favourable answer." This shows that they are both bad
judges of character, because Elizabeth has no intention of marrying
either of them. In fact, at the point in the novel when Mr Darcy
proposes, she holds the biggest grudge against him.
In both proposals they do not respect Elizabeth's feelings and insult
her and her family. Mr Collins believes that "it is by no means
certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made to her". He
thinks this will make her want to marry him, but it has the opposite
affect. Austen uses irony to make what Mr Collins says more effective.
He emphasizes the fact that she is poor and that nobody else will want
to marry her because of it, when actually he has said previously that
he will be "uniformly silent" about how much money she will inherit.
Mr Collins reminds her that he is "to inherit her estate after the
death of her honourable father." He tries to make what he is saying
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resulting in the acceptance from Elizabeth.
Austen uses irony throughout the novel but it is very clearly
noticeable during Mr Collins' proposal to Elizabeth. Austen satirizes
Mr Collins during the novel, and informs the reader of his character
prior to the proposal to let the reader appreciate his language and
actions. On the other hand when Mr Darcy proposes for the second time
Austen uses the way in which Mr Darcy and Elizabeth act to let the
reader be aware of his, and Elizabeth's feelings. After the proposals
the reader is not made to feel sorry for Mr Collins, but is made to
feel pleased for Mr Darcy. Throughout the novel Austen satirizes the
characters that marry for money, and uses the marriage of Elizabeth
and Mr Darcy to show that she thinks the most successful marriage is
when they marry for love.
In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen used the character of Elizabeth Bennet to epitomize the harmonious balance between reason and emotion in a woman, making her a truly admirable and attractive character.
Thinking that he truly has lost Elizabeth brings out a more sensitive and sympathetic side of Darcy, and he proposes a second time. This proposal however, marks the real release of his prideful ways, and as Austin put it “was as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do"(Austin 157). This proposal marks Darcy giving up his pride about social class, and Elizabeth being hurt by him and his judgments. She accepts, and they finally allow themselves to be happy.
Austen disapproves of Mr. Collins and that is why she attacks and satirizes him. Mr. Collins is a "suck-up." His living with Lady Catherine has caused him to demoralize himself. He thinks and talks highly of people higher than himself, such as, Lady Catherine DeBourgh. An example of this is when they were invited to dine with Lady Catherine DeBourgh and Mr. Collins then tells Elizabeth,
Shakespeare’s “Richard III” portrays a ‘serious’ yet passionate declaration of love to Anne greatly contrasting with the more solemn and composed confession given by Mr Collins in Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”. Where Richard III seems to be unable to hold back his feelings Mr Collins appears to quite calmly lay out his reasoning for his proposed match to Elizabeth Bennet. Thus both extracts could be said to be giving us very different depictions of the idea of a ‘declaration of love’.
Throughout Jane Austen’s, Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennett faces many challenges to realize that she was in the wrong and her prejudice against Mr. Darcy was misguided. Austen emphasizes the importance of wisdom through Elizabeth who faces the challenge of overcoming her prejudiced judgement to reach maturity and recognize the man she loves.
Elizabeth's lively, straightforward, daring character and her disregard for considerations of rank show through clearly in her reaction to Darcy's proposal. Her pride is also evident, for the lack of civility in her refusal is due primarily to injured pride resulting from Darcy's frank explanation of his reservations about proposing to her because of her inferior connections.
Psychologist Robert Sternberg developed the "Triangular Theory of Love" which defines the three components of love needed for a "perfect" relationship as commitment, passion, and intimacy (companionship) (Wikipedia). "The amount of love one experiences depends on the absolute strength of these three components, and the type of love one experiences depends on their strengths relative to each other" (Wikipedia). In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, she introduces five couples which enter into marriages in all different types of love. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have an infatuated love that fades to no love at all, Charlotte and Mr. Collins enter into an empty love, Lydia and Mr. Wickham fall into a fatuous love, Jane and Mr. Bingley focus on a companionate love, and finally, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy find an all consummate love for each other. Throughout the novel, Austen uses these five variations of love to employ characters and define their futures.
Darcy begins to reexamine his corrupt tone, motives, and the consequential end result of his proposal. In reviewing this, he has a change of heart and proceeds to assist in the reunion of Jane and Mr. Bingley and in the locating of Lydia from Wickham. Through these generous actions, Mr. Darcy proves he does care deeply about Elizabeth and his feelings for Elizabeth are true. Proposing a second time, Mr. Darcy completely changes his approach and therefore hopes for a different outcome. This second proposal catches Elizabeth off guard, yet she does have a more docile reaction than she did to the first proposal. Mr. Darcy’s true love for Elizabeth shines through in the sincere and loving tone of his proposal. Also, he apologizes to Elizabeth for his former arrogance, extreme pride, and rudeness in his prior proposal. Not only does his tone shift, he now has a new set of motives to support his proposal. Mr. Darcy explains to Elizabeth how fervently he loves her and how he does not care about money or social status as much as his love for her. Unlike the last proposal, he is not sure of what her answer will be, but this only causes the proposal to be more sincere. Mr. Darcy also does not want to pressure Elizabeth into marriage, so he tells her, “‘If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.’” (314). She then informs
During this time period, men are expected to marry accomplished women who are on the same intellectual level as them, but it is almost impossible for women to be on the same intellectual level as men because they do not receive the same level of education as the men do. Also, women are expected to marry man whose family has a high social status, whether he is accomplished or not. Darcy and Elizabeth disobey this social value at the end of Pride and Prejudice where they get married to each other. Darcy is looked down on for getting married to someone of a lower social status, while Elizabeth is seen as someone who has married up into a higher social standing. Their marriage is seen as an untraditional one because instead of getting married because of society’s social values, they were getting married because of their love for each other. This is an example of how Darcy’s horrible first impression on Elizabeth was turned around by his ability to change his manners because of his love for
Darcy has such a high opinion of himself that he creates a pariah reaction from Elizabeth.... ... middle of paper ... ... After the proposal, they talk about their past relationship by having a very benign conversation, and many misunderstandings are cleared “In vain I have struggled.
Darcy approaches the proposal in a manner that shows his regard for Elizabeth, and he also asks about her feelings rather than expecting an acceptance. In telling Elizabeth his thoughts for helping out her family Darcy professes “I thought only of you”(346), and shows a change in character when he humbly admits “you are too generous to trifle with me”(346). Rather than demanding and expecting marriage, Darcy reveals to Elizabeth that his actions stem from a desire to please her, but that he also understands why Elizabeth might reject him. As a result, Darcy initiates a conversation about getting married, as opposed to his initial proposal where he went in expecting an acceptance. To further the ability for conversation between Darcy and Elizabeth, Darcy says to Elizabeth “if your feelings are what they are last April, tell me so at once. My feelings and wishes are unchanged”(346). Although Darcy mentions his proposal for marriage, he does not directly address it and is more concerned with Elizabeth’s feelings for him than receiving a yes to his proposal. Not only does Darcy’s approach to the proposal allow for one that turns out successfully, but Elizabeth shows remorse for her words and she and Darcy talk about large events that have had an effect on their relationship. While discussing the words
While this is going on, Mr. Darcy realizes he has feelings for Elizabeth and proposes to her, this is the climax of the novel. She is astonished by his actions, and turns him flat. She explains that she feels he is arrogant, and feels he stood in the way of Jane and Mr. Bingley marrying, and also feels he is a cruel man, especially in his treating of Mr. Wickham, she is expressing her prejudice towards him. He leaves and they part very angry with each other. Mr. Darcy then writes Elizabeth a letter, explaining his feelings, defending his actions, and revealing the true nature of Mr. Wickham.
In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy both go through dramatic changes in their attitude towards each other. Darcy is devoted to Elizabeth, but denies it because of her family and her lower status. Elizabeth believes Darcy to be arrogant and interfering. Through conversations these characters have, their true regard for each other is discovered. Austen effectively uses dialogue to develop the change in the principal characters’ moral temperament, and also to advance significant concerns in the novel such as marriage and wealth-based status.
Pride and Prejudice, one of Jane Austen’s masterpieces, makes use of satire to promote social change, because the English society of the 19th century only saw marriage as a ticket that would help you move upward on the social ladder. Throughout the book, the reader gets front row seats as Austen mocks both the conservative middle class and upper class, giving the dissentient characters a chance to be seen in society with a better image. Austen expresses her feelings on why social changes must occur to her audience by making use of satire to describe Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Hurt, and Miss Bingley in comparison to the way she develops characters such as Elizabeth Bennet and the wealthy gentleman Fitzwilliam Darcy. Furthermore, while the reader gets to witness dramatic moments from Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Hurst, and Miss. As Bingley strives to comply with the traditions of the 19th century, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy play a significant role in trying to demonstrate to the reader why love should be the chief reason for marriage.
I suppose I shall have to follow suit in the beginning of an essay of