Mr. Collins perfectly follows the "universally acknowledged" truth from the beginning of the novel, "that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (5). Despite the fact that his rank and fortune were presented to him by an outside source (Lady Catherine), Mr. Collins does have a sizable fortune at his disposal. Since he is single, Mr. Collins feels that he needs a wife, and intends to marry one of the Bennet daughters to fill that void in his life. He has no preference among the sisters, and it seems his preference towards the Bennets in general is simply as "atonement ... for inheriting their father's estate" (69).
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Seth, a nice connection to the opening. How do you imagine he will rate as a potential husband with his dependence on Lady Catherine?
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