I agree with your points, actually. But I also think he is a 'genuine' performer, in that he sees his life as a drama, in which he is playing out his own life, and he is currently feeling the part of an unhappy, remorseful, guilty "knave" or "fool" who perhaps actually (in a weird way) wants to feel those emotions - the pain, etc. He was looking for the dramatic end with Marianne, and she survived. I think he felt he was in a drama in which he could not awake, and he was playing out his part to the fullest. And in some ways, I see his appeal to Elinor was really to justify (yes, to make himself feel ok about himself) his part - that it was almost inevitable the role he was playing, even though at certain points, he thought he wished he could have stopped the script and say, no I really enjoyed this scene the best and want to stay here, thankyouverymuch. "I can't wake up from this. I feel deeply. What happened is terrible, but this was how the role is played out. And btw, my favorite scenes were with Marianne - I wish it could have been longer!"