Mr. Collins’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet
E857382
Mr. Collins’s proposal to Elizabeth Bennet is a famously awkward and presumptuous marriage offer in Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice," notable for Elizabeth’s firm rejection and its satire of social and marital expectations.
Statements (48)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
fictional event
ⓘ
marriage proposal ⓘ |
| addressee | Elizabeth Bennet NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| author | Jane Austen NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| CollinsAssumption |
belief that Elizabeth will accept him
ⓘ
belief that Elizabeth’s refusal is playful coquetry ⓘ confidence in his own eligibility ⓘ |
| CollinsMotivation |
desire to set a good example as a clergyman
ⓘ
obedience to Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s advice to marry ⓘ wish to make amends for inheriting the Bennet estate ⓘ |
| consequence |
Mr. Bennet’s support of Elizabeth’s refusal
ⓘ
Mr. Collins’s transfer of attentions to Charlotte Lucas ⓘ increased tension between Elizabeth and her mother ⓘ |
| contrastWith | Mr. Darcy’s first proposal to Elizabeth Bennet ⓘ |
| elicitsReactionFrom |
Mr. Bennet
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Mrs. Bennet NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| ElizabethReasonForRefusal |
awareness of their incompatibility
ⓘ
desire to marry for love ⓘ dislike of Mr. Collins’s character ⓘ lack of affection for Mr. Collins ⓘ |
| ElizabethResponse |
firm refusal
ⓘ
rejection ⓘ |
| illustrates |
comic misunderstanding of female refusal
ⓘ
entailment of the Bennet estate ⓘ limited options for genteel but not wealthy women ⓘ |
| includesDetail |
Elizabeth must insist several times that she is serious
GENERATED
ⓘ
Mr. Collins lists practical advantages of the match GENERATED ⓘ Mr. Collins minimizes Elizabeth’s objections GENERATED ⓘ |
| isFamousFor |
Austen’s ironic narrative commentary
ⓘ
Elizabeth’s clear and repeated rejection ⓘ its pomposity and self-importance ⓘ |
| literarySignificance |
frequently analyzed in studies of gender and courtship in Regency England
ⓘ
key example of Austen’s critique of mercenary marriage ⓘ |
| narrativeFunction |
characterization of Elizabeth Bennet as independent and discerning
ⓘ
characterization of Mr. Collins as pompous and obsequious ⓘ satire of marriage and social expectations ⓘ |
| proposer | Mr. Collins NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| relatedEvent | Mr. Collins’s subsequent proposal to Charlotte Lucas ⓘ |
| takesPlaceIn |
Hertfordshire
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Longbourn NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| takesPlaceInWorkPart | Volume I of Pride and Prejudice NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| theme |
economic pressures on women
ⓘ
individual choice versus social expectation ⓘ marriage as social contract ⓘ |
| tone |
awkward
ⓘ
comic ⓘ satirical ⓘ |
| workFrom | Pride and Prejudice NERFINISHED ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.