Key Quote
“"Lady Catherine de Bourgh... has condescended to advise me to marry as soon as I can, provided I choose with discretion"”
Mr Collins · Chapter 19
Focus: “condescended to advise”
Collins cites Lady Catherine's permission as a reason for marriage — revealing a man who cannot make personal decisions without aristocratic authorisation. The word 'condescended' is used admiringly, exposing his complete internalisation of class hierarchy.
Technique 1 — DEFERENCE AS CHARACTER DEFINING
The verb 'condescended' means 'lowered herself' — Collins uses it as a compliment, grateful that a noblewoman stooped to advise him. He does not see the condescension as patronising but as proof of her gracious superiority. This reveals his complete internalisation (absorption into his own identity) of class hierarchy: he genuinely believes Lady Catherine is a higher form of being.
The qualifier 'provided I choose with discretion' shows that even Collins's marriage must meet Lady Catherine's standards. He exercises no independent judgment — his patron dictates his career, his housing, and now his wife. Collins is less a person than an extension (continuation) of Lady Catherine's will.
Key Words
RAD — STAGNATE
Collins's subservience to Lady Catherine defines him entirely — he has no identity independent of his patron. He does not marry for love, for companionship, or even for self-interest, but because Lady Catherine told him to. His agency (ability to act independently) has been entirely surrendered to aristocratic authority.
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Technique 2 — COMIC SATIRE OF PATRONAGE
Austen satirises the patronage system — the practice of aristocrats controlling the careers and lives of lower-ranking dependents. Collins's living (his job as clergyman) was given to him by Lady Catherine, making him financially dependent on her approval. His proposal to Elizabeth is thus not really his proposal at all — it is Lady Catherine's, delivered through her proxy.
The phrase 'as soon as I can' reveals an urgency driven by obedience, not desire. Collins treats Lady Catherine's suggestion as a command — 'condescended to advise' means 'ordered in genteel language'. The comedy lies in Collins's failure to recognise that advice from a patroness is not kindness but control.
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Context (AO3)
THE CHURCH & PATRONAGE
Church livings in Regency England were often in the gift (power of appointment) of local landowners. Lady Catherine gave Collins his living at Hunsford, making him entirely dependent on her continued favour. This patronage system meant clergymen often served their patrons rather than serving God — a corruption Austen consistently satirises.
CLASS DEFERENCE
Collins represents the extreme of class deference — he worships Lady Catherine's rank rather than her character. Austen uses him to expose how class hierarchy distorts human relationships: Collins cannot see Lady Catherine clearly because her title functions as a blinding light, making genuine assessment impossible.
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WOW — FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS (Marx & Engels)
Marx and Engels describe false consciousness as the condition of oppressed people who adopt the beliefs and values of their oppressors. Collins perfectly embodies this: he celebrates the very system that keeps him subordinate. He doesn't resent Lady Catherine's control — he venerates it. His gratitude for her 'condescension' shows how class hierarchy reproduces itself: the subordinated person internalises the values of the dominant class, making rebellion psychologically impossible. Austen shows that the most effective form of control is the one the controlled person welcomes.
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