The Key to Austen's Success

               As a child, I read a simplified version of Pride and Prejudice, but in the process of its simplification, a great deal of Austen’s characteristic writing style was removed from the book.  Although I thoroughly enjoyed the story, it did not stick out much; I did not understand the obsession any people have with the novel or the reason for Jane Austen’s large fan base.  However, reading the full novel as a college student has allowed me to appreciate and understand Austen’s prevailing popularity.  I now see that a true reason for the novel’s popularity is not its storyline, but rather Austen’s witty sense of humor that is illustrated throughout the novel.  This ironic humor is especially notable in her passages involving Mr. Collins.

               Austen shapes the personality of Mr. Collins as overly proud, pompous, and foolish.  She begins to do so from the moment she introduces him, perfectly describing him as “a mixture of servility and self-importance” (63).  Time and time again in the novel Mr. Collins expresses his immense regard for his patroness and is “eloquent in her praise” (65).  Despite Lady Catherine’s condescending attitude towards Mr. Collins, he lavishes her with praise and gratitude.  When the Collins family is “honoured with a call from her Ladyship” (165), she walks about the house finding fault in everything, inquiring about their work, and suggesting that they “do it differently” (165) in their very own home.  Nevertheless, Mr. Collins blindly accepts and appreciates her suggestions.  The reason for this can be rooted in the fact that “Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society” (69).

               Once especially amusing moment in the novel comes about when Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth.  Austen further illustrates Mr. Collins’ self-importance and pride as he begins to talk about life “when [he and Elizabeth] are married” (104) shortly after his proposal, without even waiting for a response from Elizabeth.  Elizabeth finds it “absolutely necessary” (104) to interrupt him at this point to assert her rejection of his proposal.  When Mrs. Bennet appeals to her husband to force Elizabeth to marry this absurd man, Mr. Bennet tells Elizabeth that she faces “an unhappy alternative” (109).  He goes on to tell her, “Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” (110)