Question

Give a brief character-sketch of Mr. Collins.
(Novel – Pride and Prejudice)

Hint:

Comic characters often highlight social flaws through exaggeration and irony.

Answer 1

Mr. Collins is a comic and absurd character, marked by pride, hypocrisy, and blind respect for social rank. He is pompous, self-important, and lacks genuine understanding of human emotions, making him a figure of ridicule in the novel.
Step 1: Social position and personality.
Mr. Collins is a clergyman and the heir to the Bennet estate. He is excessively proud of his connection with Lady Catherine de Bourgh and constantly boasts about her influence.
Step 2: Behaviour and hypocrisy.
He pretends to be humble but is actually arrogant and insensitive. His proposal to Elizabeth is practical and insulting, revealing his lack of emotional intelligence.
Step 3: Role as a comic character.
Jane Austen uses Mr. Collins to satirize social snobbery and empty politeness. His exaggerated manners make him humorous and contemptible.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, Mr. Collins represents hypocrisy, vanity, and social pretension, serving as a comic relief in the novel.