Oh, Mr. Collins. We all think you’re a fool. Why are we so hard on you?
It might be because of the novel’s narrator, who doesn’t hold back. Here are some of the ways the omniscient narrator describes Mr. Collins:
Weak headed
Not a sensible man
Possessing a stupidity with which he was favoured by nature
Conceited
Full of pompous nothings
(That last one is a little funny.) For many years, I laughed at Mr. Collins along with the narrator, never questioning her pronouncements. After all, don’t we all feel that the narrator is Jane Austen? Every English teacher tells us, No! The writer and narrator are not the same! But every reader goes ahead and equates them anyway.
But now I’m wondering, what if the narrator is just a narrator? And what if maybe, just maybe, there are things to like about Mr. Collins? For this post, I’m stripping away my prejudices and taking a judgment-free look at the clergyman.
The other characters are too hard on Mr. Collins.
This site is ending, so I moved this post. Click here to read the rest & hear about the characters’ judgments on the clergyman—and his good qualities!
16 responses to “Is Mr. Collins Really That Bad?”
I would probably say loveable goof! I think he tries just not always in the best way!
I think so, too. He makes me laugh (but I probably wouldn’t want to be married to him).
An annoying goof, certainly not the worst male character in P&P.
True! Not a villain. Charlotte could have done worse.
Austen never mentions that he has greasy hair, either. Personally, I just think he is completely clueless (even moreso than I). So while I roll my eyes at his portrayals, I appreciate even more the books where he grows and matures.
I like to think of him growing and maturing, too, especially under Charlotte’s direction. The greasy hair! You’re right. That is a funny addition that gives a visual dimension to his grossness. Let’s hope Austen imagined him well groomed.
I agree with Elizabeth. He’s conceited, pompous, and clueless. (And she’s 20—her propensity to laugh at him is normal). But he has learned the manners disciplines, and he’s likely very insecure…..and, as Charlotte learns, quite controllable. There are worse guys.
Hm. Insecure but controllable. That might sum him up well.
All I know is that at an AGM years ago, I–also bearing the Collins name–was offered a free bar of Mr. Collins soap because, while the Darcy and Elizabeth soaps were selling briskly, no one wanted poor Mr. Collins. (I declined.)
You didn’t take the free Collins soap?! You are a man of principles.
I would have taken it. Now I must spend the afternoon contemplating what this says about me.
I recently read an ARC for “Mr. Collins in Love” by Lee Welch, which gives a quite plausible alternative to Mr. C’s behavior. The story is told from his POV and the reader can see why he acts and reacts the way he does in P&P. I actually felt I understood him better and have even seen moments when I was a “Mr. Collins”!
I like that! Bravo to that author for explaining Mr. Collins’ foibles. I think I might like to hear his thoughts. That sounds like a comical read.
He’s definitely not a villain. Comic relief, perhaps, but his heart is mostly in the right place. And we really do see much of the story – and the characters – through Elizabeth’s eyes. The only time where he crosses the line is when Lydia runs off, and Mr Collins suggests that her death would be a blessing in comparison. That wasn’t cool. But he’s trying… he’s really trying!
That was a low point (and he has some low points).
Here’s hoping Charlotte will moderate the letter writing in the future…although Charlotte seemed pretty condemning of Lydia, too, though not as tactless, along with the whole neighborhood and even Mr. Bennet. Society seemed to be lost to sexism and victim blaming on that one.
Considering JA wrote that men could improve themselves with a sensible wife of good character (John Dashwood and Charles Musgrove) I think PERHAPS she was saying Collins might improve. Charlotte certainly knew how to manage him. I can see her running Longbourn happily.
Yes, I like to think Charlotte could have nudged him in the right direction and made a happy life for herself, even if he wasn’t the man of her dreams.