Pride and Prejudice Group
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podunc Teacher
College - FreshmanPosted by podunc on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 4:53 AMBoth Collins's and Darcy's proposals are extremely condescending to Elizabeth. Both men give the impression that they would like to marry her in spite of the considerable drawbacks. In Collins's case, he hilariously declares "the violence of [his] affection" but reminds Elizabeth that she is poor and that her "loveliness and amiable qualifications" may not be enough to elicit another proposal.
In Darcy's case, his declaration of love to Elizabeth almost sounds like an admission of defeat. He says, "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." He has battled with his feelings because he sees her family as very inferior to his own. For Darcy, it is not so much a matter of money as the fact that he views Elizabeth's family as ill-mannered and lacking in propriety.
Elizabeth, of course, rejects both proposals, but she is much more vehement in her rejection of Darcy. She is not only angry about the tone of his proposal, but about the way he has treated Jane and Wickham.
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sullymonster Teacher
Community / Jr. CollegePosted by sullymonster on Thursday May 15, 2008 at 5:01 AMMr. Collins marriage proposal is arrogant - he is convinced that Elizabeth will accept - but it is also flowery and obsequious. He over-explains himself, laying out all his reasons for marrying and explaining the "violence of [his] affection." He insults Elizabeth's fortune by insisting that he is "indifferent to it." He ends by insisting "no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married." He doesn't even wait for a response. His he assumes they are already engaged.
Mr. Darcy's speech is less flowery and more straightforward. He actually proposes, rather than just declaring that they shall be married. However, he is just as arrogant. He also disparages Elizabeth's family fortune and her family's behavior. He does not outwardly suggest that he assumes she will accept, but the overconfidence in his attitude intimates the same. Here is the narrator's comment of Darcy's attitude at the time: "He spoke of apprehension and anxiety, but his countenance expressed real security."
Elizabeth is kind to Mr. Collins and expresses gratitude for his attention. She has been amused by it all and therefore is not angry at his arrogance. Darcy, however, who has seemed to do so much to hurt people that she cares about, receives indignation and anger from Elizabeth, who refuses "to express a sense of obligation."
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