Austin uses satire through situational irony and verbal irony when Mr. Collins meets the Bennet family for the first time to marry so that the Bennets can inherit the house. When Mr. Collins attempted to have Elizabeth marry him since it would be a good match, “she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state” (Chapter 20). The author uses verbal irony because Mr. Collins is not looking for love but for a wife so it doesn’t hurt his reputation. This goes to show that marriage was only for social class, and inheritance and not for love. Another way Austin shows situational irony is when Ms. Bennate insists of Mr. Collins marry Elizabeth, she exclaimed “ Lizzy marry Mr. Collins for she vows she will not have him; and if you do not make her haste he will change …show more content…
Again Austin shows situational irony because Ms. Bennate intends for Elizabeth to marry Mr. Collins, but it doesn’t quite happen since Elizabeth doesn’t like Mr. Collins and wants to marry for love. In addition, this also shows that marriage is not for love, but for class and inheritance since marriage back then did not have the same meaning as it does today. In addition to showing satire through the use of situational irony, the author also shows her message through hyperbole and verbal irony.
Another way Austin shows satire through hyperbole and the verbal irony is to show the idea that women have expectations to marry into a better social class to gain social status and not for what it truly means, for love. A hyperbole is shown when there is a hard decision to make whether or not to marry Mr.