What if Elizabeth had married Mr. Collins?

[Hallie]

Knowing Elizabeth, she would certainly never accept Mr. Collins' proposal, but I still began wondering what would have happened to her if she had married him. Unfortunately, I keep giving it a thought through a more modern perspective, so I'd love to hear what others with more idea about Austen's characters think about her being Mrs. Collins.

The only reason I can think of is that she married him for social status and to help her family - which, candidly, does not sound like Lizzie. I can't think of why she would abandon her opinion that marriage should be more than simply social and monetary gain as she had told Charlotte. Also, I find Collins to a be a laughable person and so does Lizzie. So I suppose she would be pretty unhappy, but would she sit there and whine about it all the time? My vote is on no, but if that's the case, what would she do? Since the society back then wasn't in great favour of women earning (please correct me if I'm wrong), what could she have done to fill in the lack of love in life and marriage? Like she had made Darcy realize his flaws, would she have been able to make Collins realize his idiocy mundanity in his personality? Would she be able to change him to be a less boastful person? Would her own prejudice, which she realized only after Darcy pointed them out, still stand strong as one of her flaws? Also, do you think Jane would have married Mr. Bingley, for the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy seems to be the reason why Caroline's plans to get her brother marry someone else was ruined?

What do you think would have happened to Elizabeth as well as the others if she had accepted Collins' proposal?

[MediSN]

Interesting question! I think Lizzie may have accepted Mr Collins' proposal if it had come right after Lydia had eloped with Wickham; especially if Darcy hadn't been there to smooth the whole situation over. I think it's very possible she may have been inclined to say yes to him, because even as a woman far ahead of her times, Lizzie could not overlook the shame to her family after Lydia's decision to elope. And, if she had accepted it in that situation, I feel she may have gone on to resent her family for it. Regardless of her ability to change Collins, she would always know she settled for him.

Pretty interesting plot line for a book anyway... maybe she would have had a scandalous affair with Darcy, who knows! ;)