MovieChat Forums > The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) Discussion > Jane Austen did portray Charlotte Lucas ...

Jane Austen did portray Charlotte Lucas as a lesbian


It is not just an idle fantasy of Karen Joy Fowler to have the characters in this film discuss whether Charlotte Lucas, who of course is Elizabeth Bennet's older friend who marries the buffoon Mr. Collins, is a lesbian or not.

As I explain in the following blog post, I believe that Jane Austen did intend to depict Charlotte as a lesbian clever enough to figure out how to survive, and even prosper, in a world that was not kindly disposed to those like her:

http://sharpelvessociety.blogspot.com/2011/12/ladies-of-llang-pemberley-oh-dear-one.html

Cheers, ARNIE PERLSTEIN
Weston, Florida

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Thank you. I have often wondered how Austen and the Bronte's dealt with 'other gendered' people. I think many great fiction writers were observant enough to notice these folk, and include them in their works.

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I think that's reading into it what you want.

I've read Pride and Prejudice several times and never thought that, perhaps because I am not a lesbian.

I take "Charlotte" at her word.

Charlotte is pragmatic and reality based, unlike Elizabeth who is looking for romantic love.

The notion of romantic love as a precursor to marriage was still a pretty new concept at this time.

Marriage was more of a business contract. People married to have children, companionship, security and to make financial, social and political alliances.

Charlotte says it herself. She has no prospects and the offer from Mr. Collins is not only the only one she's received but is probably the last she'll ever get. She's old, pretty much past the age of marriage. She has no dowry. She isn't pretty, She has no status or political connections. She pretty much has nothing to commend her. She's looking at living out her life as a burden to her parents and after they die, what? The poorhouse or maybe taking a position as a housekeeper or companion if she's lucky. Marrying Mr. Collins is beyond Charlotte's hopes and dreams. He has status and upon the death of Mr. Bennett he'll have position and property. He has a rich and powerful patroness. By marrying him she'll have a nice household and servants for whom she is the mistress. It's also a step up in social status. She was looking at being a servant and with this marriage she has turned her future 180. He's no prize but like many of her fellow women, she bites the bullet, overlooks much and makes it work. Whether she grows to love him, tolerate him or hate him doesn't matter. He gives her status and property. That is the reality of Jane Austen's world.

Charlotte is what Jane was and Elizabeth is what Jane wanted to be. Only there was no Mr. Darcy or even a Mr. Collins for Jane. Charlotte and Mr. Collins were a jab at the society of the time, not an insult so much as a complaint and rebellion about the "system" in which Jane lived.

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I don't think it really matters whether she was a lesbian; whether she was gay or straight - her life choices were equally limited. In fact she had two choices and only two; she could stay dependent on her family of origin for the rest of her life, or she could marry the dreadful Mr. Collins. Of course the thought of marrying Mr. Collins is enough to make anyone cringe, but I can't think ill of her for making it. By choosing to marry rather than stay where she was, she chose to make a great leap into the unknown, and that took courage. Or a strong stomach. Some people just don't get golden opportunities, they have to make a life for themselves out of little, or nothing.

Anyway, I'm still slightly miffed that Mr. Collins didn't marry Mary Bennett. His marriage to Charlotte was a small tragedy, his marriage to Mary would have been a great comedy.



“Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it!

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