The Romantic Era saw young women struggle to balance traditional values and revolutionary ideas. Jane Austen, one of the most radical female writers, attempted to give women an opportunity to speak out in the literary community. Austen’s character Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice shows the modern generation of young women in her day who are looking for love and not husbands. Austen shows how Charlotte Lucas, Charlotte’s views about marriage and wealth, and Austen’s character of Elizabeth Bennet, reveal that women less fortunate than Elizabeth were forced to accept the roles they were given or risk being exiled from their communities.
Joe Wright adapts Austen’s classic novel to film. He also portrays Charlotte Lucas as a character in the film. Wright uses camera angles, dialogue and casting to convey Austen’s theme, without resorting to voice-over narration. Austen doesn’t address Charlotte’s appearance until Mrs. Bennet talks about Charlotte’s visit to Netherfield. In her conversation with Darcy and Bingley, she makes clear that Charlotte “is very simple.” Lady Lucas said this herself, and she envied Jane’s beauty (Austen 30,). Charlotte isn’t as beautiful or as Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet feels Charlotte’s lackluster looks are a shame. A wealthy man must be similar or higher in class to Charlotte. Charlotte admits to herself that her lackluster beauty could be why she didn’t find a husband. Her views on marriage, therefore, are completely different from Elizabeth. Charlotte explained to Elizabeth the concept of happiness in marriage. The dispositions of the spouses should not be known about each other. As Charlotte and Elizabeth discuss the flaws of their suitors while Elizabeth is discussing personal faults, the reader is prompted to question Elizabeth and Charlotte about their personal character flaws. Charlotte, a person who is friendly and kind, has a defect in her beauty. Her appearance is completely a result of “chance,” and she doesn’t have any control. Because she was born plain, she has no control over her appearance. This is why she decides to accept any marriage offer she receives and hopes that it will bring her happiness. Wright cast Claudie Blakley as Charlotte. She was placed alongside Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), Jane (Rosamund Pike). While she may not be as attractive as the other actresses, her appearance isn’t as good as that of Knightly and Pike. The dark features of Charlotte and Mr. Collins are actually complementary when they first meet at the ball. Their similarities are striking when you consider the differences between Elizabeth and Mr. Collins, who is at most half a meter taller than him and more attractive. Their relationship and eventual marriage was foreshadowed by the casting of an actress that is very plain-looking and looks similar to Mr. Collins. The reader can see Charlotte’s search for a husband through Elizabeth’s conversations, but the film makes it clear that she is interested in Mr. Collins from the moment he meets her at the ball.
Jane and Elizabeth look shocked and bewildered that Collins has asked Elizabeth to join him in dancing, but Charlotte is more attentive and shows a hopeful smile. Charlotte can be seen behind Collins dancing while Elizabeth is watching. Charlotte’s voice sounds very pleasant throughout this scene. Elizabeth’s voice can be a little harsher than hers and her voice is more positive than Elizabeth’s. Charlotte’s first encounter with the viewer in the ballroom is a perfect example of the qualities Austen identifies in her character. Before Collins proposes she accept it, the viewer sees that she is simple in appearance, young and kind to him. Wright never addresses these issues directly in the dialogue.
Charlotte Lucas does not consider material wealth as vital as the social consequences that they have. Charlotte is not certain that she will get the chance to marry a billionaire like Mr. Darcy. Charlotte will not be burdened by her brothers caring for her, as Mr. Collins will become the heir of the Bennet estate. As a unmarried, twenty-seven-year-old woman, the prospect of financial stability is all she could hope for. Charlotte sees Mr. Collins to be her chance to play the mother-wife role and live happily in a domestic setting.
Charlotte marries Mr. Collins. Elizabeth visits her to see if she is happy with her new home. Elizabeth notices that Charlotte has “neatened and made comfortable” her home and that the living area is “well proportioned in its appearance and furniture (Austen, 104). Charlotte clearly loves her home and is proud of all that she owns. Because of her relationships with other women, she seems to be financially stable, well-informed, and married. Charlotte believes in making good use of the opportunities presented to her. She feels blessed to have found a compatible husband. Charlotte also takes comfort knowing that she can follow a more traditional role. Elizabeth was not one of her choices.
Through the dialogue between Elizabeth and Charlotte, Wright shows Charlotte’s need to have wealth and material possessions. This is especially evident when Elizabeth relates her engagement news and the scene in Charlotte’s arrival at her new home. Charlotte smiles when she informs Elizabeth of her engagement at the Bennet residence. She tells Elizabeth that she is as happy as any man with her and that she will be able to have a safe and secure home because she married Mr. Collins. Elizabeth is shocked that her friend would marry someone she doesn’t love. Charlotte, however, insists that she is marrying Collins because she can socially rise as a married woman. She informs Elizabeth that she wouldn’t have the same opportunity as an “old maid” so Elizabeth shouldn’t judge her for choosing to be a domestic housewife.
Elizabeth later invites Charlotte to her home to see her. Charlotte tells Elizabeth that she now has her own parlor and loves being in control of her household. She had no idea she would be able control her own affairs. However, she is happy to help her husband domestically. Her happiness is undoubtedly a result of her newly found social status as married woman with a large household and the joy of being Mrs. Collins’s spouse. However, her conversation with Elizabeth shows that her happiness is not based on her husband’s home, but her new life.
Charlotte adheres to societal guidelines regarding new domestic activities in order to keep her married status. She strives to get Lady Catherine’s approval. This is the ultimate example for upper-class women and could help the Collins families make important social connections. Even though Lady Catherine makes an insult to Charlotte by telling her how “everything ought to be regulated in such a small family as her’s,” (Austen 128) she is calm and politely listens, even though Lady Catherine most likely has never maintained a household. Charlotte is aware that Lady Catherine’s approval will affect how she is viewed by the community. This kind of respect is important to her. The Collinses were unable to afford many social engagements for Charlotte, a newly married and middle-class wife. Charlotte feels that Lady Catherine should be praised more often and Charlotte must do this to ensure that Rosings is more frequently invited. Charlotte is certain that Lady Catherine would approve of Charlotte as her wife.
Charlotte believes her marriage to Collins has made her more socially connected, even though she might not be accepted by the upper classes. Wright’s film adaptation shows Charlotte’s need for approval by using varying camera angles during the scene when she and her husband Elizabeth visit Lady Catherine at Rosings. The camera flashes as they enter Lady Catherine’s waiting room. It shows Mr. Collins first, followed by Charlotte, then Elizabeth. Elizabeth appears to be quite aggressive as Charlotte enters the room. She appears to want her husband to see her, as well as her unmarried friend. A few seconds later, Charlotte addresses Lady Catherine. The camera first focuses on her face while she speaks and then zooms in on Lady Catherine’s face. It seems as though Charlotte is looking for approval through her expressions. Here, the camera angles show Charlotte’s ideas about herself and her need for approval from Lady Catherine. The camera flashes back from Lady Catherine to Charlotte again during the dinner scene. But Charlotte is slightly out-of-focus and the only thing the viewer notices is her mimicking Lady Catherine’s actions. The camera moves from Lady Catherine to Charlotte as she takes a bite of her soup. These camera movements reflect Charlotte’s admiration and respect for Lady Catherine, who is wealthy and well-off. Charlotte mirroring Lady Catherine in her actions is a sign that she is seeking her approval.
Charlotte is a striking example of why Austen’s women wanted husbands, wealth, and social standing. Women such as Charlotte could be cut off from their families and feel isolated if they did not adhere to these societal ideals. Wright portrays this theme artistically through his use for dialogue, casting, camera angles and dialogue. Wright uses visual techniques to recreate Charlotte’s viewpoint. Although Wright doesn’t have Jane Austen as his narrative voice, he can still tell the viewer how they feel about the situation.
