I agree, but...
Posted by Barbara on April 02, 1998 at 23:13:17:
In response to The proposal, written by Cheryl on March 30, 1998 at 12:20:16
] 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.
It seems to me that the prospect before Jane was not nearly as bad as having to choose Mr. Collins. It sounds as if this Harris Bigg-Wither was not unattractive and did like Jane. Also, she would have had relatives who already loved her. I think the worst of it all for her would have been that she first accepted him and then had to decline, which probably hurt him more than an out and out rejection. At least his sisters bore no hard feelings. But still, I felt very sad for her when I read this part of the book. It must have been very difficult to choose being a penniless spinster over being the mistress of a lovely home, with children and independent of relying on your family for money. I thought it rather callous when Tomalin said we're all glad we got Mansfield Park and Emma instead of Jane getting a husband and children.
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