"You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without farther loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of the honour of your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them" (Austen 93).
Mr. Collins' celerity catches Elizabeth by surprise. By proposing marriage to this young woman, Mr. Collins is rejected by Elizabeth in the most amiable fashion. Even though Elizabeth utilizes words such as impossible and forget, she responds to Mr.Collins with respectful diction such as compliment and honor. Her cordial acknowledgment to his actions demonstrates that she understands that he is a rich individual that any lady like herself would die for. The only problem is that she does not feel a connection; Elizabeth is the type that looks for a love marriage rather than a mercenary marriage. Due to society's standards, Elizabeth and her sisters feel constrained to create connections with any gentleman of high caliber. Unfortunately, Elizabeth has a mother than continuously pesters her on marriage. Looking at the relationship between mother and daughter, they are foils in their beliefs on the types of marriage, mercenary versus love.
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