Mr. Collins and Charlotte of
Pride and Prejudice
endeavor to secure good marriages for their two daughters in this witting and romantic novel.
Mr. Collins, the Bishop of Ripon, lives with his wife, Charlotte, and their two daughters, who have reached marriageable age. The elder, another Charlotte, is extraordinarily beautiful, and her parents hope her looks and connections will ensure a brilliant marriage. Her sister, Eliza, while not as handsome, possesses a lively intelligence that, in Mr. Collins’s opinion, is too like her godmother, Mrs. Darcy.
In London, Charlotte’s beauty wins her many admirers, despite her modest fortune. But Eliza’s wit and attempts to interfere in what she considers an unsuitable marriage for her sister infuriate her family and Charlotte’s suitor—until Eliza herself meets her match.