If she is really headstrong and foolish, I know not whether she would altogether be a very desirable wife to a man in my situation, who naturally looks for happiness in the marriage state.
– Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 20. This is an interesting comment made by Mr. Collins, as Mrs. Bennet attempts to assure him that Elizabeth "shall be brought to reason" and persuaded to accept his marriage proposal. Collins obviously doesn’t want a woman with a mind of her own like Elizabeth, but one who serves her man and his happiness. Austen is satirizing the view that woman should be passive and remain simply props and tools to serve a husband’s needs with no regard for their own. Elizabeth’s strong and independent personality does not fit the latter.