Elizabeth Bennet Foil

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet’s journey to love and marriage is the focal point of the narrative. But, the lesser known source of richness in Austen’s writing comes from her complex themes the well-developed minor characters. A closer examination of Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s dear friend in Pride and Prejudice, shows that while she did not take up a large amount of space in the narrative, her impact was great. Charlotte’s unfortunate circumstances in the marriage market make her a foil to Elizabeth, who has the power of choice and refusal when it comes to deciding who will be her husband. By focusing on Charlotte’s age and lack of beauty, Austen emphasizes how ridiculous and cruel marriage can be in this time.

One of the main functions of Charlotte’s character in the text is to contrast Elizabeth’s experience with love and courtship. Charlotte is depicted as plain, and she is often talked down to even though she is a close friend of Elizabeth. In chapter 5, the Lucas family is introduced as a lesser family despite the fact that they have similar financial circumstances to the Bennets. “Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a

sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth’s intimate friend.” (56). Charlotte is described as intelligent and sensible, but not beautiful, like Jane and Elizabeth. Also, the mention of her age is strategically done, as it is meant to be shocking to the reader. In this time women normally married around the age of 20, Elizabeth’s age, so Charlotte is seven years too old to be considered a potential suitor in society. While Charlotte’s age does not affect her friendship with Elizabeth, Austen bluntly shows that it is a deterring factor in marriage.
To further show that Charlotte is less than Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet says, “But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a pity they are not handsome! Not that I think Charlotte so very plain—but then she is our particular friend... but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane’s beauty.” (italics my own, 81). Mrs. Bennet is not trying to insult Charlotte in this conversation with Mr. Bingley, she is simply trying to boast her own daughters, who are out and open for marriage. Austen appears to be extremely cruel to Charlotte, but she is simply using her as a plot device to show how ridiculous the marriage market is. Without Charlotte, the reader’s view of marriage for these women would be one-dimensional because there would be no extremes (i.e. Charlotte). The Bennet sisters are all still attractive options for gentlemen, but Charlotte seems to be a last resort. Her age, her family’s insufficient financial situation, and her plainness show that Charlotte has little choice in who she can marry.
Her unfortunate situation leads to the awkward development of Charlotte’s engagement. After Elizabeth declines her cousin Mr. Collins’ proposal, there is an opportunity for Charlotte to make a move. The language used to describe this courtship is far from romantic, and it emphasizes how desperate Charlotte was. “The stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for its continuance; and Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained.” (151). Contrasting Elizabeth’s freedom to look for love in a marriage, Austen shows that Charlotte is simply seeking a stable home (and husband) so that she would no longer be a burden to her family. This point is further supported when Charlotte announces her engagement to Elizabeth. When Elizabeth is shocked by the news, Charlotte defends herself saying, “‘I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state.” (154). Charlotte’s defense of her decision is laid out in terms of a business transaction, not the romantic terms that Elizabeth associates with matrimony. This emphasizes how privileged Elizabeth is to have the power of refusal.
From Elizabeth’s perspective, Charlotte’s decision is ludicrous. But, the purpose of having Charlotte accept Collins’ engagement is to show how privileged Lizzy is when it comes to marriage.
“She had always felt that Charlotte’s opinion of matrimony was not exactly like her own, but she had not supposed it to be possible that, when called into action, she would have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage. Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins was a most humiliating picture! And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen.” (155).
Elizabeth goes from being a caring friend to denouncing Charlotte’s decision to marry Collins. Her disgust at the situation shows how large of an impact Charlotte has on the plot. Since Lizzy had the freedom to refuse Collins, she assumed that her close friend would follow suit, but she is blind to Charlotte’s bleak reality. This exchange supports Austen’s critique of marriage and makes the reader pity Charlotte’s situation.
Charlotte makes a great impact on the plot in Pride and Prejudice by emphasizing the severity of the marriage market.

As a complete foil to Elizabeth, Charlotte proves to be a strong character who chooses an unattractive but safe option for her future. Austen uses Charlotte to show how fortunate Elizabeth is to have the power of choice when she is looking for a husband. She shows that Elizabeth also has the privilege to seek out love and not just security in marriage. The language that Austen used to describe Charlotte and her situation reinforces the perspective that marriage is a business transaction rather than a romantic pursuit. Austen uses Charlotte to hold a mirror up to society and show the dark reality for

women.