Charlotte Lucas essay plan

Paragraph 1 overview

Introduced as a friend of Elizabeth who has a pragmatic approach to marriage - acts as the cynical confidant - sensible and pragmatic - acts as a foil to Lizzy's romantic side and provides a cynical yet realistic view of marriage being an economic necessity - foil to Elizabeth

paragraph 1, quote 1

 'a sensible, intelligent young woman' and 'E's intimate friend'

rational, down to earth, practical - contrast ot romantic side of E - socially aware - strong female relationship and honesty of bond - contrast to competitive nature of mothers - voice of reason for each other

paragraph 1, quote 2

'Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance'

Hyperbolic cynical view of love - absolution of statement - contrast to romantic optimists - short decleration of pragmatism - certain - sees love as luck but revealed to require effort and time from both parties - rationally sees misfortunes of women - blunt statement - economic necessity -foil to E

paragraph 1, quote 3

'it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life'

Willingly blind - foreshadow acceptance of marriage - cynical - thinks of imperfections - comparative shows knowing ignorance - pragmatic yet unrealistic - removes romanticism - marriage is a necessity

paragraph 1, quote 4

'you make me laugh... It is not sound... You would never act in this way'

•  amusement from E adds a contrast between E's hopeful idealism and Charlotte's pessimistic certainty - E here adds an opposing rational judgement by commenting on the faults in Charlotte's argument - furthermore adds honesty - foreshadows Charlotte later doing what E says she won't

• The use of each other confiding their beliefs in each other show their foils as characters yet also highlights the need for opposition in beliefs of arguments - they are able to act as a voice of reason towards each others extremes and highlight the importance of honesty in friendships - a way for Austen to disassemble both of their arguments

paragraph 2 overview

 

Austen uses Charlotte as a way to outline the result of a marriage based on strategy rather than affection and love - C is strategic and determined in gaining the match and prioritises financial security over any type of affection and true happiness -

paragraph 2, quote 1

• ‘Miss Lucas' scheme’

• - deliberate planning and C's calculated approach - strategy in securing herself a good match - to her marriage is simply a stratagem to gain an acceptable life with sufficient money - Austen uses this almost Machiavellian approach to marriage from C to highlight the sad truth of a woman's need to marry in Regency era society - she has to plot her way to securing a match in order to live a somewhat happy life - Austen uses her as a symbol of realism to contrast the romantic and idealised matches in this novel

paragraph 2, quote 2

• 'Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment'

• - removal of emotion from Charlotte - 'solely' removes any idea of romanticism and stresses her single motive which is to achieve a match - Charlotte's deep pragmatism is highlighted in her detached and apathetic view of marriage - 'establishment' reduces marriage to social and economic security and stresses her strategic desire to gain a secure life - Austen uses C as an opposing view of marriage - She is a tool for Austen to provide a realistic example of marriage in Regency era society

paragraph 2, quote 3

• 'marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune'

• - the sad truth of women in this society being raised for the slaughter of marriage - sad acceptance of her fate from a young age - Austen uses this moment to comment on the sad truth of the patriarchy in that a woman's role in this society was to marry - reveals the importance of status in the outcome of your life - 'always' highlights how she has had no other choice and this would always be her path

paragraph 2, quote 4

• 'i am not romantic... I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state'

• - obvious foil to Lizzy here in her disbelief of romance in life - makes light of this situation and believes she can find happiness here - cynical and pragmatic towards the belief that love is needed for a happy marriage - believes herself to be lucky, making this even more bittersweet - sad acceptance of her fate

paragraph 3 overview

 

Austen uses Charlotte to create a bittersweet ending yet highlighting the ability for women to make themselves happy - She is a tool for Austen to display the harsh standards for women to marry in regency England even if it affects their happiness but also she uses Charlotte to show to women that they can be happy without a romantic partner and can find contentment in the restrictions of marriage

paragraph 3, quote 1

looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful an air, with such a companion'

- Austen uses Elizabeth's awe from the narrators voice to displays Charlotte's beneficial ability to remain detached and apathetic in her  marriage - she is able to put on a facade of being happy in order to stay content in her situation - stoic in her ability to remain happy even with the struggles of such an unhappy marriage - Austen could be using her as a symbol for the women of regency era society reading that it was possible from women to have a happpy life and remain content even without any affection in their marriage - Elizabeth's shock provides an outsider perspective on Charlotte's strange contentment and emphasises their position as foils as she is unable to understand how Charlotte is able to live with such a disagreeable man

paragraph 3, quote 2

‘once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear' -

third person omniscient narrator comments and views Charlotte's selective hearing and ability to ignore any of Mr Collins' remarks in order to preserve her self and remain stoic - Austen commend Charlotte's ability to remain detached from Collins' faults in order to keep herself sane and happy in this faulty marriage - 'wisely' emphasises her pragmatism and intelligence in her ability to ignore his faults in order to remain satisfied with her decision to marry him - able to be content with him

paragraph 3, quote 3

• 'Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned she encouraged it as much as possible'

• - she is intelligent in her ability to remove Mr Collins from her life and provide time for herself often - euphemistic phrasing makes his gardening seem a benefit towards his health, which shows Charlotte's tactful rationalisation - hyperbole of 'as much as possible' displays her constant desire for Collins to be away from her and out of the house which is sad in that she wishes to be away from her husband yet also shows her self-preservation in her ability to stay content by removing herself from her difficult situation

paragraph 3, quote 4

'When Mr Collins could be forgotten, there was really a great air of comfort throughout and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten'

- she remains detached and is able to erase him from her mind in order to keep her sanity - 'comfort' signals her satisfaction in being away from him and how she is content and comfortable in her new life yet also addresses the fact that he causes a burden on her life - 'be often forgotten' - Elizabeth is beginning to understand how Charlotte is able to live her life by staying stoic and apathetic in order to remain content - she sees the burden that Collins places over Charlotte but also Charlottes ability to keep moving and stay at least content in her unfortunate situation - Austen uses Elizabeth's understanding to get the reader to understand Charlottes situation and provide hope for contentment and comfort in an unhappy marriage