The proposal: Jane is no Charlotte!
Posted by Chery on March 30, 1998 at 12:16:26:
Here Jane gets an opportunity to live an episode in one of her novels. Though I know there are fundemental differences between Jane and Charlotte (not the least of which is the fact that Charlotte actively persued Mr Collins while the Biggs proposal came as a complete surprise to Jane), each had to make basically the same decision about their future: marriage with a man they did not love, but who would provide for their security and be an aid to their families, or to spend, most probably, the rest of their lives as dependant, and in Jane's case, impoverished spinsters. Neither a pleasant prospect.
And while Jane at first appears to be a practical Charlotte in her acceptance, I think that she shows herself the most practical in her subsequent refusal. What is more realistic than a long, hard look at oneself and coming to the conclusion that, while outwardly she would be securing her own comfort, emotionally and intellectually she would be plunging herself into a life of turmoil.
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