Lizzy Bennett questioned Charlotte’s decision to marry the exceedingly awkward Mr. Collins, and so do I! Let talk about this.
I have trouble understanding academic papers and magazine articles that tell us why Charlotte was just being prudent or pragmatic in her choice of of Mr. Collins as a marriage partner, and that she was, more or less, forced by circumstances. There are academic articles that imagine that Jane Austen had nothing in mind but illustrating the lack of choice for women in Charlotte’s situation. While I can agree that it wasn’t easy for women to find a good husband during the Regency Period, when Jane was coming of age, people may not understand the cause. It was hard to find good marriage partners at that time, because most eligible men were away in Europe, fighting the Napoleonic wars. Yet while many marriages are described in Pride & Prejudice, Charlotte’s is one of the worst!
Sure, it’s easy to agree that she was just being pragmatic, yet I am not convinced that the, “desperate times call for desperate measures” mode of thinking was the best way to go in this case. And it may be common for people to marry for money, almost too common to kvetch about. Still, Charlotte’s marriage was not ‘kosher.’ Why? Well, Jane Austen clearly recognized that a sufficient income is important, but there are some considerations which impact the ultimate happiness of those who only think in terms of financial security while choosing a partner.
We see that the heroine’s (Elizabeth Bennett’s) “stamp of approval” for her friend’s marriage to Mr. Collins is not given readily. In fact, while speaking with Mr. Darcy about it, a few days later, Lizzie could only mention the “good” of her friend’s choice by seeing it in a ‘prudential’ light. During the Regency period, this would mean that the marriage is being considered only in terms of “practical advantages” of income, or being settled near family, (Charlotte will be living 50 miles away from her family, which cannot be considered near), rather than emotional fulfillment. She is placing an emphasis almost entirely on what benefits the body while imprudently ignoring the needs of the real self.
We know that Jane Austen has a message in mind, because the heroine discusses Charlotte’s upcoming marriage in a more frank conversation with her older sister, Jane Bennett, and what is her real opinion? That anyone who could think of Mr. Collins as a proper marriage partner is making a huge mistake. So what exactly is wrong with this Mr. Collins? Here is what Lizzie has to say about him“
My dear Jane, Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man: you know he is, as well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who marries him cannot have a proper way of thinking. You shall not defend her, though it is Charlotte Lucas. You shall not, for the sake of one individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility of danger security for happiness.’
By the way, the ‘danger’ Lizzie mentions is in settling for a loveless marriage, or a marriage to an idiot, simply for the sake of material comfort. Indeed, Charlotte Lucas has abandoned her powers of discrimination by concluding that a good marriage partner is all a matter of chance! She claims only to have an interest in “marrying well” In her mind, “[Marriage] was the only honorable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.”
It may be that Charlotte’s first mistake was to forgo a normal courtship, which is so essential, vital and necessary for getting to know the one on whom one’s “marital happiness” will depend. And just consider Jane Austen’s (hilarious) description of how courtship goes on between them…”The stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for its continuance.” (P&P)
It would be natural to assume that happiness with such a man is decidedly a lost cause, yet Charlotte chooses to invert rational priorities, and go forward with the marriage—all for the sake of material security! This is what Jane Austen is trying to warn her readers about, despite the difficulties of remaining single. Unfortunately, Charlotte is clueless-
“Her reflections were in general satisfactory. Mr. Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.” (P&P)
It is hard to believe that there are women foolish enough to agree to this kind of thing. After all, there are other men out there. Charlotte might have had to give up some material security in favor of finding someone with less wealth, yet who really loved and respected her. The point is, Charlotte’s match with Mr.Collins is perverse because it is truly a ‘transactional’ relationship. Charlotte is conducting herself like some ‘gold-digger’ who will marry anyone (whomever will have her), as long as she gets what she wants—a comfortable home! The heroine (Lizzie) disagrees with Charlotte, which means Jane Austen disagrees! So much for academics who think this is just about portraying Charlotte’s meager choices.
Spelling it out: Marrying a Mr. Collins is throwing oneself away. No romantic love, no attraction of any kind and, what is more, divorce laws were strict during the Regency Period. It required (literally) an act of Parliment to get a divorce! Mr. Collins simply cannot provide his wife with a loving relationship because (even if he knew what love was), he is absorbed in his social status, his improvements on “his humble abode” and his obsequious adulation of his patroness. He would never be Charlotte’s real partner.
Virginia Woolf (1882-1941), expressed her belief that Austen had a much deeper understanding of love than most people. Almost a century later, and like poor Charlotte, many people seem confused as to what a good ‘catch’ really is. If we analyze the ethics taught by Aristotle, friendships may be based in one of three catagories–pleasure, utility or virtue. For example, a friendship based in pleasure would be based simply on using another person’s body for temporary gratification, and motivated by selfish desires. Think of how Lydia Bennett (a foolish and thoughtless character) “left all her friends” and almost wrecked all of her sisters’ chances to marry, in order to run off with the useless and penniless Mr. Wickham. Charlotte’s marriage is based in a ‘friendship’ of utility. She wants a home and her awkward husband wants a wife. That’s all they get. Very little love involved in this kind of arrangement. Still, Charlotte thinks she’s being rational. Sadly, there’s no chance of their relationship ever developing into anything more meaningful. However, Lizzy demands more than a mere ‘comfortable home. Why? Because she values a virtuous partner who respects and loves her. How romantic is that? Very!
It is very clear that Charlotte’s choices leave her with only a shadow of the perfect happiness that we see in Elizabeth’s marriage to Mr. Darcy. From the beginning, Charlotte is compelled to go out of her way to arrange her life in order to avoid her husband’s company as much as she can. There are no romantic feelings between them. Another sad truth is brilliantly shown when Mr. Collins, who is proud of his material comforts and position in life, and still apparently holding a grudge against Lizzy (for her rejection of his marriage proposal). Attempting to rub his matrimonial triumph in her face, he states that he and his wife, Charlotte seem ‘designed’ for each other.” Interestingly, this is the fact.
Mr. Collins and his indifferent wife are indeed “perfectly designed for each other”–and not as a blessing. On the other hand, Elizabeth and Darcy treasure and respect each other. Darcy is her perfect partner, a thoughtful man who is intelligent, generous and concerned about her. Austen makes the vast difference between Elizabeth and Charlotte’s situation very clear. Darcy is also very wealthy, so Elizabeth is not a loser and has not thrown herself away for love.
I feel that articles and videos that defend Charlotte’s choice might be misleading their readers, by ignoring what Austen has set up her novels to do—which is to make us think more deeply about what our best happiness looks like. Lizzy herself laments-
“Poor Charlotte! It was melancholy to leave her to such society! But she had chosen it with her eyes open;… she did not seem to ask for compassion. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms.“
Austen here expresses her own feelings through the heroine Elizabeth, who feels as any friend must feel. Especially because she predicts that her friend will not be contented after the ‘charms’ of the honeymoon phase are over.
Here is a link to a wonderful talk by Professor John Mullan, who goes into the comic and tragic awkwardness of Charlotte’s marriage situation. If you enjoyed this blog please subscribe!
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