Was Mr. Collins’ proposal as outrageous as modern readers believe? Once a gentleman survived the rigors of a courtship and wished to propose—and it was only the gentleman who could extend an offer of marriage—he had the dubious advantage of having very clear procedures to follow. He did have some choices, though. He could offer a proposal in person or more formally, in the form of a letter. Making an offer of Marriage In Emma, Robert Martin used … Continue reading →