Mr. Collins' Proposal

Mr. Collins's proposal to Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most memorably comic yet revealing episodes in the novel, a scene in which the clergyman's pompous self-regard, his mechanical view of marriage as a clerical duty and a means of atoning for the entail, and his utter inability to comprehend a refusal collide with Elizabeth's spirited independence and her refusal to sacrifice happiness for security. The proposal lays bare the transactional logic that governs marriage for many characters in the novel and marks a decisive moment in Elizabeth's assertion of her own judgment against the pressures of family and convention.

Background and Preparation

Mr. Collins, the Bennet cousin who will inherit Longbourn under the entail, has come to Hertfordshire with the explicit intention of choosing a wife from among the Bennet daughters as a form of amends for his future possession of the estate. After initially fixing on Jane Bennet, he shifts his attention to Elizabeth upon learning from Mrs. Bennet that Jane is likely to be soon engaged. Mrs. Bennet, delighted at the prospect of a second daughter married, actively encourages the match, and Mr. Collins, with his characteristic blend of servility toward his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh and self-importance as a clergyman, resolves to make his declaration without delay. His leave of absence from Hunsford extends only to the following Saturday, and he sets about the business in a very orderly manner, with all the observances he supposes a regular part of such proceedings.

The Proposal Itself

Finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and Catherine Bennet together soon after breakfast, Mr. Collins addresses the mother first, requesting a private audience with Elizabeth. Before Elizabeth can respond, Mrs. Bennet eagerly agrees and attempts to clear the room, but Elizabeth protests, insisting that Mr. Collins can have nothing to say that need not be heard by everyone. Mrs. Bennet overrules her, and Elizabeth, recognizing that it would be wisest to get the matter over as quickly and quietly as possible, sits down and tries to conceal her feelings, which are divided between distress and amusement. Once alone with Elizabeth, Mr. Collins begins his address by praising her modesty, assuring her that her initial unwillingness only adds to her perfections, and then proceeds to state his reasons for marrying: first, that it is a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances to set the example of matrimony in his parish; second, that it will add greatly to his happiness; and third, and perhaps most tellingly, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who has twice condescended to give him her opinion on the subject. He then explains that he has chosen a wife from among the Bennet daughters to minimize the loss to them when he inherits Longbourn, and he assures Elizabeth that he is indifferent to fortune, noting that her portion of one thousand pounds in the four per cents will not be hers until after her mother's death. He concludes with an assurance that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass his lips when they are married.

Elizabeth's Refusal

Elizabeth interrupts him, declaring that he is too hasty and that she must decline his proposals. Mr. Collins, however, refuses to take her refusal seriously, explaining that it is the established custom of young ladies to reject the addresses of the man they secretly mean to accept, and that he is by no means discouraged. Elizabeth insists that she is perfectly serious, that he could not make her happy, and that she is convinced she is the last woman in the world who could make him so. She even suggests that Lady Catherine would find her ill qualified for the situation. Mr. Collins, undeterred, replies that he cannot imagine her ladyship would disapprove and that he will speak in the very highest terms of her modesty, economy, and other amiable qualifications. Elizabeth, growing warmer, tells him that all praise of her will be unnecessary and that he must give her leave to judge for herself. She wishes him very happy and very rich, and by refusing his hand, she says, she does all in her power to prevent his being otherwise. She rises to leave, but Mr. Collins stops her, reiterating his belief that her refusal is merely words of course, pointing to his situation in life, his connections with the de Bourgh family, and his relationship to her own as circumstances highly in his favor, and adding that her portion is so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of her loveliness and amiable qualifications. Elizabeth, now thoroughly exasperated, declares that she has no pretensions to the kind of elegance that consists in tormenting a respectable man and that she would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. She asks him plainly, "Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart." Mr. Collins, still refusing to accept defeat, replies that she is uniformly charming and that when sanctioned by the express authority of both her excellent parents, his proposals will not fail of being acceptable. Elizabeth, seeing the futility of further argument, withdraws in silence, determined to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as to be decisive.

Aftermath and Consequences

Mrs. Bennet, who has been waiting in the vestibule, immediately enters the breakfast-room and congratulates Mr. Collins on the happy prospect, and he, with equal pleasure, relates the particulars of the interview, interpreting Elizabeth's steadfast refusal as flowing from her bashful modesty. Mrs. Bennet, however, is startled and declares that she will speak to Elizabeth directly, calling her a headstrong, foolish girl who does not know her own interest. Mr. Collins, for his part, begins to waver, suggesting that if Elizabeth is really headstrong and foolish, she might not be a very desirable wife. Mrs. Bennet, alarmed, hurries to her husband, demanding that he make Elizabeth marry Mr. Collins. Mr. Bennet, with characteristic dry humor, summons Elizabeth and tells her that her mother insists she accept the offer, but that he will never see her again if she does. Elizabeth, relieved, smiles at this conclusion. Mrs. Bennet, however, does not give up the point, coaxing and threatening Elizabeth by turns, but Elizabeth's determination never wavers. Mr. Collins, his pride hurt but otherwise suffering little, meditates in solitude, thinking too well of himself to comprehend why his cousin could refuse him. The immediate consequence of the failed proposal is that Mr. Collins, within days, transfers his attentions to Charlotte Lucas, who, with a pragmatic view of marriage as the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, accepts him. Elizabeth is astonished and dismayed by her friend's decision, seeing it as a sacrifice of every better feeling to worldly advantage, and the event marks a significant rift in their friendship.

Thematic Significance

The proposal scene crystallizes several of the novel's central themes. Mr. Collins's reasons for marrying—clerical duty, personal happiness, and the advice of his patroness—are presented in ascending order of absurdity, with Lady Catherine's recommendation carrying the greatest weight. His view of marriage as a transaction, a means of atoning for the entail, and a duty to be performed rather than a union of affection, stands in stark contrast to Elizabeth's insistence on marrying only where there is genuine esteem and regard. Elizabeth's refusal, delivered with increasing clarity and force, is a powerful assertion of her autonomy and her right to judge for herself, even in the face of maternal pressure and the threat of future poverty. The scene also foreshadows Elizabeth's later rejection of Darcy's first proposal, where she again insists on being treated as a rational creature and refuses to accept a man who, in his own way, is as condescending and self-assured as Mr. Collins. The proposal thus serves as a comic prelude to the more serious romantic conflicts of the novel, establishing Elizabeth's character and her unwavering commitment to marrying only for love.