Question

Read the excerpt from chapter 29 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

When the ladies were separating for the toilette, he said to Elizabeth—

"Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which becomes herself and her daughter. I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest—there is no occasion for anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank preserved."

What does Mr. Collins’s behavior reveal about Lady Catherine’s estate?

The guests are unaccustomed to visiting such high social houses.
Lady Catherine does not expect guests to behave in a particular way.
The guests are not looking forward to visiting a lower-class home.
Lady Catherine is doing a favor for the guests by allowing them to visit.

Answer 1

4. Mr. Collins’s obsequious tone and his emphasis on preserving “the distinction of rank” show that Lady Catherine is of much higher social status and that being permitted to visit her is a mark of favour.