Mr. Collins is Mr. Bennet’s cousin, a clergyman who will inherit Longbourn after Mr. Bennet’s death. An inane sycophant, Mr. Collins attempts to make up for his relatively low social status by speaking constantly about his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. As the least likely of Elizabeth’s suitors, Mr. Collins offers a prime example of someone who exhibits extreme pride while having no qualities to be proud of. Beyond his toadyism, he appears shockingly empty. For example, his marriage proposal to Elizabeth begins with the requisite invocation of Lady Catherine, explaining that it was she who encouraged him to find a wife. It is unclear whether he has any desire of his own to marry. Indeed, his quick switching of attention from Jane to Elizabeth and then to Charlotte confirms that he conducts the entire business of courting as a duty on a checklist. When he gives his opinion on music, the best he can say is that it is “perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman,” as if he is merely attempting to enact a role given to him without any opinion. Nevertheless, Mr. Collins is well-connected and stable, which is enough for extremely practical Charlotte Lucas.

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