Does Collins Present Elizabeth's Vanity Of Marriage In Pride And Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is a novel set Georgian England times focusing on the relationship between classes and the legitimacy and true reason for marriage. In the novel Jane Austen, the author, satirizes the vanity of the people during the time of the plot by outlining the fact that they get married for economic gain, are not educated about humility at a young age, and look at others flaws before their own. Charlotte and Mr. Collins relationship and marriage are used by Jane Austen to show the problems with marriages in the time of the novel. As exemplified in this marriage, women married for economic gain and stability. Austen describes Charlotte’s view on marriage,“Without thinking highly of either men or marrying, marriage had always been her object; it was the only provision for a well- educated young women of a small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasant preservative from want” (Austen

Collins says, “Because I know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the female character (Austen 66)”, this passage highlights two important characteristics of the characters who are interacting. It reflects Elizabeth’s prejudice, but more importantly, Mr. Collin’s vanity. Elizabeth’s Prejudice is very apparent throughout the novel so Mr. Collin’s vanity and his approach to the situation is the focus of this quote. After he proposes to Elizabeth, she responds with the an answer he did not anticipate, therefore he goes in the tirade that shows his true colors. Instead of listening to her and understanding why she doesn’t want to marry him he starts pointing out her flaws and forgets his own flaws. As shown in Mr. Collin’s view of only other people 's flaws and not his own, this vanity is a running theme throughout the novel with several other