The thesis will sum up the protagonist’s characteristics as they illuminate the theme
of the passage. A successful essay will analyze:
¯ Roman’s awareness of the victimization of his people;
o The fury and pride that Roman is heir to;
¯ Roman’s conflict with the dominant society in the person of Mr. Williams, and
the danger that his anger will get in the way of his goals;
¯ Roman’s expert and aggressive use of language to undermine the power of his
antagonist.
The conclusion will identify Roman’s internal conflict, which is central to the meaning of the passage.
from Pride and Prejudice
.lane Austen
Collins’ formal speech reflects his rigid, snobbish personality. Elizabeth comes
close to laughing at him because he says, with "solemn composure," that he is
afraid that he will be "run away with by his feelings." His words don’t match his
manner, and this ironic incongruity invites her ridicule.
Collins first refers to Lady Catherine as "the very noble lady whom I have the
honour of calling patroness." He is in awe of her because of her social position,
unconsciously painting her as a snob who doesn’t let people forget her title.
Collins is also impressed with Lady Catherine’s power: she chose him to be the
rector of the parish church, and apparently reminds him often that he owes his
livelihood to her. She gives advice, unasked, that he should find a wife, but
rather than resenting this impertinence, he says that she "condescended" to
give him this invaluable recommendation. The second time she does so, she
specifies that the wife must be a gentlewoman for her sake (so she will have
suitable companionship other than a servant) as well has for his own: she must
be "able to make a small income go a good way." Her major concession if he follows her advice will be to honor the new wife with a social call--another condescension that he thinks will thrill Elizabeth. Lady Catherine would doubtless agree that her "notice and kindness" are huge inducements to any prospective wife. Collins also tells his lively cousin that her "wit and vivacity I think
must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and
respect which her rank will inevitably excite." The incongruity of this statement shows that Collins has learned from her ladyship that the most delnure "
respect should be paid her. In short, Lady Catherine is an aristocratic snob
with an inflated notion of her personal worth; she can easily dominate a social
climber like Collins.
English Literature
The pompous clergyman is the perfect vehicle for satire. As a suitor, there is nothing
acceptable about Collins. His first reason for proposing to Elizabeth is impersonal and
unemotional. To "set the example of matrimony" is the "right" social and moral action
for a clergyman to take; Collins is nothing ff not proper. His second reason is entirely
selfish: "it will add very greatly to my happiness." A wife will make him more comfortable than a servant would, and requires no wages! His third reason, which he thinks
is too low on the list, is that Lady Catherine has advised him to marry, and he values
above all her good opinion. Because there is no other male heir to inherit the family
estate, this dull cousin gets the entire fortune but intends to make up for the financial
"loss to them, when the melancholy event takes place," through a marriage. This fourth
reason is hardly a sound basis for a happy union between a man and a woman.
Finally, last on the list is "the violence of [his] affection," but the assurance
Collins offers is flat, without any genuine emotion. Austen humorously has the
clergyman refer to his wooden speech as "the most animated language." Collins
undercuts even this tepid declaration of love by first blaming Elizabeth for her
poverty, and then declaring that "no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips"
after the marriage has taken place. Has he forgotten that Elizabeth has no dowry
because he himself gets all her father’s fortune? Would anyone believe that he
would not continue to reproach her?
In this passage, Austen gently satirizes the superficiality of conventional
courtship and the marriage of convenience. She also challenges the prevailing
assumption that a woman is ’always better off married than single. In Austen’s
world, marriage is a way to ally oneself with someone with social position and
money. Austen’s readers would have concurred that it is also not quite proper for
a gentleman to remain unmarried, especially when the gentleman is a member of
the clergy. Any woman of good family with the correct social graces would be a
suitable marriage prospect. So Collins is typical in believing that no matter how
modest a suitor’s income or ridiculous his manner, a woman without a dowry will
accept the gentleman’s offer rather than remain unmarried.
Gu|~e~|~es ~@r Respond§rig t@ the Essay
A successful essay will provide ample relevant evidence in support of the thesis, which
is implied in the prompt: The dramatic irony of this passage is largely produced by
Collins’s use of language, such as diction, connotation, hyperbole, and syntax. The
essay may be organized around several of these literary elements or in the order in
which the evidence is presented in the passage. Consider:
The effect of Collins’s diction on the production of dramatic irony;
The effect of Collins’s hyperbole on the reader;
¯ The complicated syntax of Collins’s sentences and its unintended effect on the
reader.
A conclusion will sum up the disparity between the impression Collins intends to
make and what he actually reveals about his character through his use of language.