Inception: Mr. Collins' horrifying reality implanted in our minds through laughter

To say that Mr. Collins is either a nightmare or funny defeats the purpose of Austen's ability and structure as a writer; he is rather a mixture of both, a tactic Austen utilizes to present satire to her audience and ultimately a perspective she shares. Of course we can laugh at Mr. Collins, he is absurd in his actions and thought. In fact, his actions are so absurd and obvious that the reader can do nothing but laugh; however, the fact that his actions can be laughed at does not hide that Austen is ultimately trying to present the nightmare of an 18th century girl. Behind the curtain of satire is the horrifying reality that women did not, more or less, have any say in their marriage as well as their future. Austen seeks to present a point what society has accepted as a standard, that of a woman's place. The brilliance in her writing is that she can actually reach her audience through laughter. Though this comedic value does appear to be all jokes at first, what there is only left to realize is that this laughter is derived from the tragedy that is the female social status. (Greece: comedy = tragedy) As we laugh more and more, we begin to question why we are laughing. What makes this man so ridiculous? He is the epitome of the patriarchal ego. (inception has just occurred) Thus the audience has now realized what Mr. Collins truly is though laughter, a nightmare, as well as Austen successfully presenting her point in an acceptable standard that is understandable to all her readers.