C HARLOTTE L UCAS Pride & Prejudice

T IMELINE / K EY E VENTS During a party, after it has been established that Jane and Mr. Bingley are becoming an item, Charlotte suggests that it is prudent to let a man know your feelings rather than keep him guessing. It turns out that Charlotte's right—because Jane hides her feelings, Darcy is unable to see that she really does love Bingley. Charlotte tells Elizabeth that it is best not to know anything about the character of your future husband. Happiness and successful marriages are always a result of happy surprise. When Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins, he turns to Charlotte, and she provides the sympathetic ear he needs. Charlotte becomes engaged to Mr. Collins. When she explains her reasons to Elizabeth, she claims that she is not a romantic type. She knows she simply needs a secure marriage, and Mr. Collins is as good as she'll get at age 27. Although she cannot approve of Charlotte's decision, when Elizabeth visits her friend at the parsonage, she admires the way that Charlotte has orchestrated her life so that she sees as little of Mr. Collins as possible. Charlotte suspects that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth, but can't find any proof. When Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's engagement is announced, Mr. and Mrs. Collins come to Hartfordshire for a while to escape Lady Catherine's hysterics and temper tantrums. Charlotte is genuinely pleased at her friend's marriage.

I NITIAL D ESCRIPTION Charlotte is Elizabeth Bennet's best friend. She's introduced as a "sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven" (C5.2). And right away, we feel sorry for her, because a single woman past 25 who is neither particularly pretty nor particularly rich is on the fast track to spinsterhood. Initial description possibly contrasts later decisions as her marriage to Mr Collins causes the reader to question Charlotte’s sensibility, intelligence and self worth.

M RS. R OBOTO On the surface, Charlotte's story looks like a disaster. Her super-practical, almost robotically logical approach to marriage leads her into a match that would make most of us feel pretty happy about being 27 and single. But not Charlotte. She wants to get out of her parents' house, and she's not getting any younger, so she hooks up with the gross Mr. Collins, knowing that he is probably her last chance to be the mistress of her own house: she "accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment " (C22.2). This decision can be interpreted as self-empowering as she takes control of her life or as being a depiction of the limitations of women’s choices at the time.

K EY Q UOTES Charlotte also gives us a counterpoint to Jane's approach to marriage. Where Jane is quiet and shy, Charlotte, on the other hand, has no problem making it clear immediately to Mr. Collins that she's up for it if he is: she sets out specifically to "secure [Lizzy] from any return of Mr. Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards herself" (22.1). Charlotte gives telling advice on the subject of marriage early on. When gossiping with Elizabeth about just how much of a crush Jane has on Bingley, Charlotte says: "If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark […] In nine cases out of ten, a woman had better show more affection than she feels" (6.2). Lizzy makes fun of her, but, of course, Charlotte's right. Shortly after, Charlotte also gets in that famous line, "happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance…It is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life" (6.8). Elizabeth laughs at her, and says, "You would never act in this way yourself."

"I see what you are feeling," replied Charlotte. "You must be surprised, very much surprised—so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state." (22.17) ‘I am not a romantic’ – shows how her emotions have been constricted by the ideals of her society ‘I ask only a comfortable home’ – highlights her priorities being materialistic rather emotional, and ‘only’ suggest desires are minimalistic and not over ambitious. ‘I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him’ – illuminates dependency on men and her happiness is controlled by marital status

"His pride," said Miss Lucas, "does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud." (5.18) Subject is Mr. Darcy, shows relationship between Elizabeth and Charlotte as she advises her friend but also conveys contrasting opinions over him. Charlotte believes monetary wealth, status and superficial qualities are connected to and justify having pride whereas Elizabeth may find other qualities to allow pride. Theme=Principles + Pride

E LIZABETH VS C HARLOTTE Although Charlotte's marriage of convenience to Mr. Collins is criticised by Elizabeth, her situation and marriage is much more realistic than is Elizabeth's for nineteenth-century Britain. Elizabeth's story is a work of romantic fiction, but Charlotte's is a mirror of reality. Even though Elizabeth cannot understand Charlotte's reasons for marrying Mr. Collins, she does respect Charlotte's sound management of her household and her ability to see as little of Mr. Collins as possible. Whereas Elizabeth's relationship with Darcy was what Austen's female readers may dream of, Charlotte's marriage to Mr. Collins was the actual life they would most likely have to face. o Elizabeth and Charlotte’s friendship strikes the reader as unusual because charlotte appears to conform to all the ideals that Elizabeth despises.