Darcy's vs. Collins's Proposals

This is another of my essays I wrote when I studied Pride and Prejudice last year which I have adapted, a little, into a blog post about Darcy and Collins's proposals. 


‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife’ - one of the most famous openings to one of the most famous novels of all time.  It is referring to one the major themes in pride and prejudice – marriage, and the importance of it! This theme is the cause of a lot of the events which take place throughout the novel. Two of the major events which are a result of this theme would have to be Mr Darcy's (first) and Mr Collins's proposals!

Both proposals are quite similar. Both the addressers assume Lizzy is going to accept.  Collins is Lizzy’s cousin and Mr. Bennet’s estate, where she lives, is entailed to Collins which is one of the main reasons, if not THE main reason (but the Lady Catherine reason he also put rather high on his lists of reasons!), why he assumes she’ll accept him and why he asks her in the first place - he does know how to flatter the ladies!  He believes that because marrying him will keep the estate in the family, and therefore helping the rest of Lizzy's family, this should be reason enough for her to accept him and “impossible” to not agree, especially as is would secure a safe future for her and her family, so why would she refuse?

 

Darcy’s proposal is similar in that he talks about how advantageous a marriage between them would be and not only for Lizzy herself, but again for her family.  He explains how the connections he has will be very beneficial to her family, which he doesn't hesitate to conceal what he thinks of their low status and poor connections!  He also adds how his wealth will be of great help to her as he knows she is never to inherit a large fortune, which maybe wasn't the best way to phrase it ;)  Collins also talks about money as he says that marrying him will provide sufficiently well enough for them as he  also knows how she will not be entitled to much on her father’s death.  In this way, both Collins and Darcy are very (I don't like to say this but at this point it is true >.<) arrogant and confident in assuming her acceptance and they also both talk about the advantages to her family which, in their opinions, make it seem too good an opportunity to miss, and everyone is pining over Darcy aren't they? Well Darcy thought so! They pretty much place the advantages to her family over the advantages to her, and neither of them consult Lizzy’s own feelings and think about what she wants, and her own happiness!

The 'form' of Darcy’s proposal to Lizzy is very different, even though the underlying assumption is nearly the same as in Collins.  Darcy’s feelings for Elizabeth are very real  and genuine, whereas Collins doesn’t feel for Lizzy at all - no one can disagree with me on that point! Darcy, instead of beginning his proposal by stating his reasons for marriage (does that ring a bell?), he immediately tells Lizzy that he is in love with her and then continues onto the advantages of the match and making it clear that him marrying her is a big sacrifice on his part, what with her small fortune and low connections and all! What a sacrifice on his part...  Collins, on the other hand, launches straight into why he wants (and needs!) to get married and why, in particular, he has picked such a wife from among the Bennet daughters! (Luckily he doesn't quite go as far to mention how Jane was actually his first choice...)

The proposals are also very similar because, because of their arrogance, they don’t particularly flatter her; her beauty or her intelligence or... her at all! Darcy says that he didn’t want to hide his struggles and flatter her because “disguise is in every way my abhorrence” and Collins doesn’t mention any particular reason why he has chosen Lizzy, just told her the general reason for marriage and why he picked one from the Longbourne household - great reasons! Collins is quite rude to Lizzy, perhaps unintentionally (perhaps not...), when he says “it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you” and when he talks about needed a “useful wife” who is “not brought up to highly”!  Darcy is also insulting towards her family and in regards to Jane as Bingley as he rejoices in his success of splitting them up! (That was not the right road to go down ;) )

A difference though, is that Lizzy did have some idea of Collins intention to marry her before he actually proposed whereas she had no idea with Darcy as she believed that he disliked her as much as she did him!  Also, Collins never says to Lizzy that he loves her (as he doesn’t!) whereas Darcy does; “how much I admire and love you.”  Lizzy is not worried about refusing Collins and doesn’t feel guilty when refusing him, whereas to start with she is worried about the pain she would cause in refusing Darcy - until he insults her and then that feeling of guilty is quickly removed!   Also, Darcy wants Lizzy to marry him because he does truly loves her so it is what HE wants, not Lady Catherine (Lady Catherine definitely doesn't want Darcy to marry Lizzy!), but one of Collins main objectives is to please Lady Catherine, not himself, or even Lizzy!

 It is again made clear that Darcy feels for Lizzy and Collins doesn’t as before Darcy proposed he “sat down for a few moments and then getting up walked about the room” in an “agitated manner” because he is very nervous about proposing to her as he really loves her (which I find so sweet!), on the other hand Collins seems very relaxed and not nervous at all when he proposes to Lizzy and he pretty much just launched straight into it!

Lizzy, to both proposals, rejects immediately.  Collins, to start with, will not accept her refusal because he believes “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.”  (I didn't know that was the normal for young ladies?) Darcy accepts that she has said no, (just about!), but wishes to know why.  So therefore, after her rejection, neither proposers leave straightaway after being rejected. 

Collins explains how he is sure they will be married before long, not taking no for an answer, and Darcy wants to know why he is rejected; “I might, perhaps, wish to be informed why, with so little endeavour at civility, I am thus rejected”.   However, Lizzy is much more rude and insulting in rejecting Darcy than Collins as, although she says it would be “impossible” for her to accept Collins and soon after walks out on him (which is so funny and Lizzy was also enjoying this refusal!), with Darcy she insults his character very powerfully when she says (one of my favourite ever lines!) "From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry." (What a put down, but this was definitely not as enjoyable for her as it was refusing Collins!) On hearing this Darcy leaves Lizzy, whereas Lizzy leaves Collins.  When Darcy has left, “she knew not how to support herself, and from actual weakness sat down and cried for half an hour,” as Lizzy has been much more affected by the manner of Darcy’s proposal than by Collins’s, even though she was upset by Collin’s a little (but I think she was more entertained!), not nearly as much in comparison.   

Another similarity is that before both proposals, Lizzy dislikes both men.  Her opinion of Collins doesn’t change after the proposal (I wonder why?), whereas after Darcy's proposal it does and Darcy begins to improve in her estimation as she finds out some of the reasons that she held against him and therefore contributing to her choice of refusing him, turned out to be false - that letter is so important!

I think that Austen makes you more sympathetic towards Darcy, as he does love Lizzy and she refuses him in a pretty harsh way! Collins however, she makes you laugh at Lizzy's refusal!  You don't feel sorry for Collins at all because he isn’t in love with Lizzy and Austen has portrayed Collins as a laughable and pompous character earlier in the novel, making the reader more likely pleased (and entertained) than upset when he is rejected! 


Unlike Darcy, Collins just wants a “useful wife.” At the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, Austen describes Darcy as an incredibly proud man.  She makes you take Lizzy’s view and therefore dislike him, but after the proposal, you might (and should a little) feel sorry for Darcy because Lizzy was so harsh! 

Austen makes Collins seem equally as undesirable and arrogant as she does Darcy but your opinion of Darcy will is likely to change (again, it should!) after his proposal compared to Collins. Your opinion of Collins after his proposal won't as he is such a comic character! Lizzy can do much better and will be better of without him! Not to mention the fact that he shortly after proposes to Charlotte Lucas, proving he never felt for Lizzie in the slightest, which couldn't have been any more obvious anyway! 




An interesting point I think is that Austen contrasts the style of both proposals.  Darcy’s proposal and the conversation between them consists of many short sentences; Darcy is finding the whole experience difficult (bless!) and the conversation is very tense and quickly moving backward and forward between them! Whereas Collins uses long, boring sentences (reflecting his character ;) ) 






In addition, Austen builds up the reader to be expecting both these refusals.  Collins is such a silly man and you know Lizzy dislikes him, a lot, and they also know that Lizzy’s view on marrying for love is very important to her and she is known to be very strong willed so not likely to drop her opinion and sacrifice her chance of happiness easily! Darcy has at this point in the novel been shown to be proud and disagreeable, and again, you know Lizzy does not like him at all and as we see everything from Lizzy's point of view, we will therefore dislike him as well, especially with regards to Jane and Bingley and Wickham’s 'tragic' past (*rolls eyes!* but then we are likely to believe this story to be true as at this point Lizzy believes it and likes Wickham, so we are likely to as well!)  Therefore, you would be glad that Lizzy doesn’t accept Collins or Darcy, but are more likely to be upset that she doesn’t accept Darcy’s offer of marriage because they know it was genuine.  But, I am sure most people (woman at least!) would understand (and agree!) with Lizzy’s reason for rejecting him - every girl wants a romantic proposal, Darcy's second proposal springs to mind ;)

Despite his selfishness and pride Darcy really does love Lizzy, whereas Collins definitely does not! But, he made the fatal error, just like Collins, of assuming that Lizzy would marry anyone if it offered her security, money and comfort and was also very advantageous for not only her, but her family as well.  It proves that Lizzy does not agree with the ‘rule’ of marrying as quickly as possible to secure a good future without consulting her own feelings in the matter, again making Lizzy very different to how woman were expected to act and behave during the regency period, and making her such a strong (and my favourite) heroine! 



Your affectionate friend,