Revealing the Unspoken Truth: The Correlation between Letters and Character Traits in Pride and Prejudice
Within Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen, letters are often employed by characters to express implicit feelings explicitly. As shown in the novel, many characters often have difficulty expressing their true beliefs: their thoughts and emotions are not truly indicated until written out in a letter. As shown in the text, Lydia Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Darcy utilize letter writing to express what they are too embarrassed or nervous or prideful to say. Each character exhibits a different and personal approach to their writing. Ignorant and inconsiderate Lydia uses letters to showcase her marital desperation, egoism, …show more content…
Collins’ letters reveal his tendency to boast, his inclination to hurt others, and his vain personality. In a letter personally inviting himself to Longbourn, Mr. Collins elaborates on his position as clergyman to Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Collins writes to the Bennet family, “I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish” (Austen 55,56). Collins continues to vainly explain how the Church relies on him to promote peace in families; his account of his position in the Church reveals his supercilious and arrogant disposition. In addition to being boastful, Mr. Collins uses letters to directly hurt others. When Mr. Collins writes to Mr. Bennet regarding Lydia’s elopement with Mr. Wickham, Collins states “The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this” (Austen 258). Collins’ letter reveals his rude and ill-mannered personality. After Elizabeth rejects his proposal, Mr. Collins seems to finds pride in belittling and hurting the Bennet family. Later in his letter to Mr. Bennet, Collins states “Let me advise you then, my dear Sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave [Lydia] to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence” (Austen 258). Though completely uninvolved in the situation
Within Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen, letters are often employed by characters to express implicit feelings explicitly. As shown in the novel, many characters often have difficulty expressing their true beliefs: their thoughts and emotions are not truly indicated until written out in a letter. As shown in the text, Lydia Bennet, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Darcy utilize letter writing to express what they are too embarrassed or nervous or prideful to say. Each character exhibits a different and personal approach to their writing. Ignorant and inconsiderate Lydia uses letters to showcase her marital desperation, egoism, …show more content…
Collins’ letters reveal his tendency to boast, his inclination to hurt others, and his vain personality. In a letter personally inviting himself to Longbourn, Mr. Collins elaborates on his position as clergyman to Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Collins writes to the Bennet family, “I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish” (Austen 55,56). Collins continues to vainly explain how the Church relies on him to promote peace in families; his account of his position in the Church reveals his supercilious and arrogant disposition. In addition to being boastful, Mr. Collins uses letters to directly hurt others. When Mr. Collins writes to Mr. Bennet regarding Lydia’s elopement with Mr. Wickham, Collins states “The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this” (Austen 258). Collins’ letter reveals his rude and ill-mannered personality. After Elizabeth rejects his proposal, Mr. Collins seems to finds pride in belittling and hurting the Bennet family. Later in his letter to Mr. Bennet, Collins states “Let me advise you then, my dear Sir, to console yourself as much as possible, to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave [Lydia] to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence” (Austen 258). Though completely uninvolved in the situation