Quote
Adelaide
As written by Jane Austen, he's clearly a mean, stupid man lacking both humor or kindness. One can feel sorry for him because he had a horrible father and because he is obviously not too bright. But our pity cannot make him any more noble. (Unless, of course, we rewrite him in fanfiction. And, then he is not Jane Austen's Mr. Collins).
Well, of course he isn't, Adelaide. Where's the fun in that, he's mine! (-:
I am a total devotee of Jane Austen's works, but surely fan fiction, a total product of our imagination, is not comparable, or meant to be, in any way with the original? I stated clearly that I felt Jane Austen treated him meanly and made him a totally dislikeable character, both through the eyes of herself as narrator, and Elizabeth Bennet as almost his nemesis; even the woman who took him as a husband totally disliked him, poor chap. I treated him a little more kindly. Is doing that any different than describing Darcy as a sex god, Bingley an adulterer or Elizabeth's Zombie adventures way beyond anything their creator ever intended?
In just one story- Pride and Prejudice- Mr Collins is less than noble, Mr Bennet, indolent and not a good father, Wickham, a wastrel and philanderer, Sir William a bumbling well-wisher, Mr Hurst a posing gourmet, etc. all fade to nothingness against Cheerful Charlie Bingley (rich and handsome) and the carefully moulded dummy of well-trained behaviour that is Fitzwilliam Darcy ( who is even richer and more handsome). I've met many men in my time and they vary like the weather. I've yet to meet a Mr Darcy. (-:
