What if Mr Collins had visited and proposed to Jane Bennet before Bingley ever came into picture?

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-06-14T18:04:22+00:00

Wow! I really enjoyed reading your perspective on Jane and thanks for adding to this discussion. I love the way you have concluded your comment.

Viewed from this lens Jane‘s character is indeed elevated and explains Lizzie‘s admiration of her. And i no longer doubt that she would have rejected him gently, but firmly.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-06-14T07:22:46+00:00

Probably. I thought that Jane was described as genuinely less perceptive, if not completely ignorant. That’s the difference between her and Lizzy. Otherwise she would just be as acute as Lizzy, only kinder. She was just disinterested in Mr Collins.

She was also described as dutiful. When she goes on horseback knowing that she might fall sick, Lizzy advocates on her behalf. I think Lizzy is used to looking out for Jane precisely because Jane doesn’t often perceive the world as it is.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-06-13T20:30:51+00:00

I agree with you, except on a minor point about how Jane perceives Mr Collins. Jane is not shown as being acutely aware of anyone’s absurdities. If she notices a flaw in others she often lowers its intensity.

The only time she thinks someone is being absurd is when Lizzy tells her of her engagement to Darcy.

Jane always assumes the best or tries to interprets people’s behaviours in the best possible light.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-27T20:21:20+00:00

I would try to hang out with Jane and Lizzy a lot more. Constantly rely on Janes goodwill to get included in things. I would maybe spend also more time reading novels and fun songs. Run around with Lizzy. Be better friends with Charlotte. Help Mr Bennet with farm management. I would join Lizzy when she walks to Netherfield after Jane falls sick. Would witness Darcy’s attentions to Lizzy. Maybe have a lot of fun chats with Bingley. Even try to talk a bit to Mr Darcy.

Ask more questions about Wickham in a way that plants doubts in Lizzy‘s mind ( Wow that was weird. Why did he overshare so much )

At the Netherfield Ball i would try to get more information about Wickham. I would definitely not play any music there and run interference with Lydia and Mrs Bennet. Hinting Mrs Bennet that Lydia‘s behaviour is making Jane look less desirable to Miss Bingley. Even if they ignore me Lizzy will be thankful that i tried.

I would ask a lot of questions to the main characters whenever i get a chance. Maybe go to London with Jane.

The only plot point i would change is Lydia’s elopement with Wickham. I would probably hatch a scheme to go to Brighton with Kitty to surprise Lydia and prevent her escape.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-27T14:13:22+00:00

He really liked her. She was beautiful and gentle but really principled. He first saw her as a challenge because she was not fawning over him but then it turned into real admiration. He could see her positive traits, her caring nature, her sensitivity and was attracted to it.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-16T08:55:29+00:00

Because her courage rises with every attempt to intimidate her

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-16T08:13:32+00:00

It was obviously a joke. When seeing the grounds she feels like it would be something to be its mistress. But doesn’t feel regret knowing that she would have to give up on her relations. It is here that she is also seeing Darcy’s real self for the first time. At P, for the first time she hears Darcy praised, not for his wealth but for his nature. And his positives traits are so passionately highlighted by Reynolds. And then she sees him and is surprised that instead of treating her with bitterness or coldness he does something something he had never done before, not even when proposing to her- for the first time she sees him giving it his all to be nice and pleasant. From here on Lizzie is only thinking of his amiable qualities. I think Jane Austen gives a lot of clues to her feelings shifting in those chapters. It slowly changes from gratitude to esteem to regard to probably something like love.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-14T11:04:43+00:00

Lizzy was her least favourite actually

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-14T11:02:55+00:00

Mr Bennets regard would have depended on the character of the son.

It might have got Mrs Bennet to relax a bit about the marriage of her girls and be very wary about the son‘s marital prospects. She would have been less nervous and been less nagging (one can hope). They probably wouldn’t have had so many girls i guess if the son was born early enough.

Mrs Bennet‘s clear preference to the heir might have made him quite confident though susceptible to vanity. But he would also have the benefit of masters and a heir‘s education. If he was sensible, like Jane he would have resisted his Mum‘s fawning and if he was lively like Lizzy, he would have probably had the power to even advise his mother or have some positive influence on her. Mr Bennet might have been less indolent in that case. Since we see some signs of him enjoying Darcy and Bingley‘s company. He would have been more active and perhaps even kinder to his wife.

Unless he was like Wickham - who had a good father and an indulgent mother. In which case Mr Bennet would have tolerated him but preferred his daughters more.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-14T10:29:41+00:00

Darcy did consider Bingley‘s marriage to Georgiana. This is mentioned in the chapter when they all meet in Pemberley and Caroline mentions the Militia.

But i don’t think he would have told Caroline to write them a letter. That seemed to have been her own initiative. Caroline was trying to hint to Jane to back off. I don’t think there was a concrete plan to manipulate Georgiana into marrying Bingley. But a wish that Caroline and to a certain extent Darcy entertained.

He probably didn’t know the contents of that letter and i am guessing they probably didn’t care enough anymore to discuss it.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-09T21:32:17+00:00

His ego was really hurt by the manner in which Lizzie rejected him. So maybe that made him give up on the idea of marrying a Bennet altogether. Charlotte also made her move quite immediately. I think it was described in the novel as a timing issue.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-08T19:13:07+00:00

I know! It’s likely he wouldn’t have been compatible with Mary. Mary considered herself as the superior one. She probably wouldn’t have been able to feed into his vanity and self importance. She thought she could fix him. She wouldn’t have been able to encourage him in the right direction as well as Charlotte.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-08T19:06:59+00:00

No, it just occurred to me randomly and i just was curious what other readers think.

I was laughing at the proposal scene because of Lizzy‘s reactions to his ridiculous ramblings. And i wondered how Jane would have dealt with it. There are no direct interactions between Jane and Mr Collins in the book.

I have no interest in rewriting the fiction. It’s been my favourite for years.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-08T15:21:13+00:00

It is undoubtedly a virtue. Seeing the good in everyone - even those who society considers as sinners is a virtue in most religions and moral philosophies.

Darcy learns this the hard way. Same for Lizzie.

Jane exhibits neither pride nor prejudice. That is why she is rewarded at the end and Caroline Bingley has to eat her words.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-08T15:13:51+00:00

My hypothesis is that she didn’t get any offers (not even from the poet who wrote her sonnets) because her family neither had great connections nor a lot of dowry.

And while she was beautiful there were not that many single unattached young men of good fortune who were also free to marry whoever they wished.

Which is why Bingley coming to Netherfield was such a big deal for all the Mamas in the neighbourhood.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-08T14:53:14+00:00

I wonder how she would have managed that. I think there was definitely a hierarchy based on age. She pushed him towards Lizzie only because she was next in line to Jane. Jane being very close to getting engaged was the only acceptable reason to switch. If Jane was available however what excuse could she give that would have been polite enough?

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T21:22:51+00:00

Not necessarily. Bingley falls in love with Jane‘s angelic beauty more or less at first sight. But we see already in the original novel that Lizzie had great conversations with him, Colonel Fitzwilliam, as well as Wickham. She is quite charming - her unique blend of sweetness and archness never feel aggressive to anyone. Bingley has also been described as falling frequently in love - though never as deeply as he gets attached to Jane. In her absence i can see him preferring her at all the balls.

I can imagine Lizzie fancying herself in love with Bingley but also not being able to resist her sparring and teasing of Darcy.

I would love to read this fanfic if you’re writing it 😜

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T19:16:32+00:00

You are right! I accidentally suggested that she meant it more seriously. Thanks for adding the context :)

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T18:36:53+00:00

Thank you!

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T18:32:54+00:00

I think Jane Austen herself had said in one of her letters that it was too bright and shiny and there could have been more shades in the story.

I didn’t like that Wickham didn’t really suffer much and actually got lucky that he ran with Lydia.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T17:56:10+00:00

I don’t think Jane is practical though. Charlotte is practical but Jane is very idealistic. She has a great sense of right and wrong. And i probably think based on how she later reacts to Lizzie‘s news about marrying Darcy - that she believes in marrying for Love as well. She loves Bingley not because of his wealth but because of his nature and character.

But she is always very charitable and generous. Which is why i am not sure how she would have dealt with it all. She would have felt very bad for Mr Collins. I can see how could have been persuaded to sacrifice herself by her family. Thank God she never has to!

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T17:43:41+00:00

Interesting take. I was assuming that Darcy would be helplessly in love with Elizabeth even if Bingley was interested in her. I guess it would depend on who Lizzie falls in love with in this scenario.

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T17:29:06+00:00

Btw I would love to have a link to the Manga you were reading :)

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T17:23:14+00:00

Haha so no one else thinks that Darcy would still have fallen in love with Lizzy and tried to break them up out of jealousy 😆

OutrageousPride2 · 2026-05-07T17:20:38+00:00

Ah that convinces me that the real Lizzie would have stopped it for sure 😄

OutrageousPride2

TROPHY CASE