In Defense of Mr. Collins
Mr. Collins is a dreadful bore, with his long speeches and his constant apologizing. He’s a wretched dancer and a ghastly whist player. He is completely obsessed by his one true love – his relationship to Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I admit that I would not want to spend many evenings with him!
Still, there are qualities to admire in Mr. Collins, and I think they should be acknowledged.
First, he is a peace-maker. Obviously there was some quarrel going on between Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins’s father. We do not know the grounds for the quarrel, but it had gone on for years. Probably it was the fault of the senior Collins, as our Mr. Collins said he was always uneasy about it. At any rate, when his father dies, he takes the first step and writes a letter to Mr. Bennet.
Second, Mr. Collins does his best to make amends. He resolves to marry one of his cousins, thereby making sure that they will be cared for when their father dies. Now, he was certainly influenced by the fact that he had been told to marry by Lady Catherine, and the Bennets had a family of five daughters who had reason to welcome him. Even though he points out that there are many eligible young ladies in his neighborhood, we later learn that most of his neighborhood live rather high, so his cousins may have been the most eligible set of ladies available to him. He promises to Elizabeth that he would never reproach her for her lack of funds (which is more than Darcy does in his first proposal). Even though his affection for Elizabeth may be imaginary, his proposal is generous and honorable.
Third, he demonstrates affection for family. Perhaps because his father was his closest relative and is now dead, he is eager to have cousins. In Pride & Prejudice we never become aware that he has any other relatives besides the Bennets (or perhaps none who will tolerate him) and his in-laws the Lucases. Once he decides to marry Charlotte (and she accepts him) he not only declares himself the happiest of men and always refers to her as “my dear Charlotte.” Even though Elizabeth has refused his offer of marriage, he is still an attentive host to her when she comes to Hunsford to visit.
He is proactive. Not only does he mend the breach with Mr. Bennet, he keeps up an active correspondence with that cousin. He makes an offer of marriage, and when that does not work, goes off and makes another. He does not give up.
He tries things. Mr. Collins is ready to try anything, even when he is not good at it (dancing and whist). He is not reserved like Mr. Darcy.
It is true that Mr. Collins sometimes judges harshly. The most notable case is in chapter 57 when he reacts to Lydia and her situation with Wickham: “I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydia’s sad business has been so well hushed up, and am only concerned that their living together before the marriage took place should be so generally known. I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station, or refrain from declaring my amazement, at hearing that you received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice; and had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them, as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.”
As Mr. Bennet exclaims, "that is his notion of Christian forgiveness," which does not seem to be forgiving at all. But we should remember that only a few chapters earlier, Mr. Bennet himself was planning never to admit Lydia to his sight. In chapter 50, Mr. Bennet declares: “Mrs. Bennet, before you take any or all of these houses for your son and daughter, let us come to a right understanding. Into one house in this neighborhood they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the imprudence of either, by receiving them at Longbourn.”
So Mr. Collins’s harsh attitude, in keeping with his time, is not so surprising. Mr. Collins is not Lydia’s father, so he does not have the love a father has for a daughter; nor is he softened by actually seeing Lydia. We all know that it is much easier to express harsh opinions at a distance than it is to do so in person – consider the unpleasantness to be found in many online comments – and his sentiments are expressed by letter.
I concede that Mr. Collins has more than his share of irritating qualities. He is pompous. He is certain that he is always correct. He stands in the middle of the room and makes speeches (his soliloquy on music and singing at the Netherfield is infamous). He may not be especially bright, but how is someone who is not quick-witted supposed to become quick-witted? He does the best with what he can.
So, although I would not want to be married to Mr. Collins, I love reading about him!
P.S. If you can tolerate meeting Mr. Collins on the page, and would love to spend some more time with Elizabeth Bennet Darcy, take a look at my recent offering,
Still, there are qualities to admire in Mr. Collins, and I think they should be acknowledged.
First, he is a peace-maker. Obviously there was some quarrel going on between Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins’s father. We do not know the grounds for the quarrel, but it had gone on for years. Probably it was the fault of the senior Collins, as our Mr. Collins said he was always uneasy about it. At any rate, when his father dies, he takes the first step and writes a letter to Mr. Bennet.
Second, Mr. Collins does his best to make amends. He resolves to marry one of his cousins, thereby making sure that they will be cared for when their father dies. Now, he was certainly influenced by the fact that he had been told to marry by Lady Catherine, and the Bennets had a family of five daughters who had reason to welcome him. Even though he points out that there are many eligible young ladies in his neighborhood, we later learn that most of his neighborhood live rather high, so his cousins may have been the most eligible set of ladies available to him. He promises to Elizabeth that he would never reproach her for her lack of funds (which is more than Darcy does in his first proposal). Even though his affection for Elizabeth may be imaginary, his proposal is generous and honorable.
Third, he demonstrates affection for family. Perhaps because his father was his closest relative and is now dead, he is eager to have cousins. In Pride & Prejudice we never become aware that he has any other relatives besides the Bennets (or perhaps none who will tolerate him) and his in-laws the Lucases. Once he decides to marry Charlotte (and she accepts him) he not only declares himself the happiest of men and always refers to her as “my dear Charlotte.” Even though Elizabeth has refused his offer of marriage, he is still an attentive host to her when she comes to Hunsford to visit.
He is proactive. Not only does he mend the breach with Mr. Bennet, he keeps up an active correspondence with that cousin. He makes an offer of marriage, and when that does not work, goes off and makes another. He does not give up.
He tries things. Mr. Collins is ready to try anything, even when he is not good at it (dancing and whist). He is not reserved like Mr. Darcy.
It is true that Mr. Collins sometimes judges harshly. The most notable case is in chapter 57 when he reacts to Lydia and her situation with Wickham: “I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydia’s sad business has been so well hushed up, and am only concerned that their living together before the marriage took place should be so generally known. I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station, or refrain from declaring my amazement, at hearing that you received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice; and had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them, as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.”
As Mr. Bennet exclaims, "that is his notion of Christian forgiveness," which does not seem to be forgiving at all. But we should remember that only a few chapters earlier, Mr. Bennet himself was planning never to admit Lydia to his sight. In chapter 50, Mr. Bennet declares: “Mrs. Bennet, before you take any or all of these houses for your son and daughter, let us come to a right understanding. Into one house in this neighborhood they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the imprudence of either, by receiving them at Longbourn.”
So Mr. Collins’s harsh attitude, in keeping with his time, is not so surprising. Mr. Collins is not Lydia’s father, so he does not have the love a father has for a daughter; nor is he softened by actually seeing Lydia. We all know that it is much easier to express harsh opinions at a distance than it is to do so in person – consider the unpleasantness to be found in many online comments – and his sentiments are expressed by letter.
I concede that Mr. Collins has more than his share of irritating qualities. He is pompous. He is certain that he is always correct. He stands in the middle of the room and makes speeches (his soliloquy on music and singing at the Netherfield is infamous). He may not be especially bright, but how is someone who is not quick-witted supposed to become quick-witted? He does the best with what he can.
So, although I would not want to be married to Mr. Collins, I love reading about him!
P.S. If you can tolerate meeting Mr. Collins on the page, and would love to spend some more time with Elizabeth Bennet Darcy, take a look at my recent offering,
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Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Hi Victoria.Somewhere on GR I have "taken Mr Collin's part."
I thought he was truly generous in making up his mind to marry one of his penniless Bennett cousins and thus putting himself in a pos..."
Austen was very young when she wrote P&P; I wonder if her attitude would have mellowed with time. I have discovered, over the years, that there are good points to most of the characters - even the loud Mrs. Bennet!
You make some excellent points but he does come across as kind of pompous and holier than thou in his letter denouncing Lydia. What else can Mr. Bennet do but defend his daughter? Don't you know people who always take the other side of an argument, even if it's not a position they formally took? Charlotte manages him very well while Lizzie would never respect him.
There's still no way I would ever want to be married to him, at least not in a true marriage. His comment at the end about the little olive branch makes me cringe for poor Charlotte.
Somewhere on GR I have "taken Mr Collin's part."
I thought he was truly generous in making up his mind to marry one of his penniless Bennett cousins and thus putting himself in a position to look after them when Mr Bennett dies.
He was lacking in tact when he mentions to Lizzie her lack of a dowry, but this is no less that the truth that Lizzie has nothing to contribute but her own self. She is very proud but Mr Collins, still not looking for a rich marriage as is Mr Elton from Emma, but marries Charlotte, who probably doesn't have much of a dowry either.
I will go a step further and defend his constant deference and praise of Lady Catherine. de Bourgh.
I have a sneaking suspicion (going outside of what JA actually wrote) that the living that her Ladyship finances is a generous one. I first thought of this when I read Middlemarch by George Eliot. In case you haven't had a chance to read that book, one of the supporting characters, Rev. Fairbrother, has a living with a salary of £40 per year. He also is supporting his widowed mother, his unmarried adult sister and his aunt (mother's sister) each of these ladies live with him. He is unmarried too (I wonder why).
So I give Mr. Collins credit.
So I think while JA was very uncharitable in choosing to emphasize his faults, I think he has good points.,