Alternatives Quote by Jane Austen
“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1813
A character faces a painful choice: remain loyal to family or pursue a marriage that would sever those ties.
In simple terms: Choosing love may mean becoming estranged from a parent.
Key Takeaway
Weigh personal happiness against familial obligations.
Themes
love
family duty
individual autonomy
social expectations
Mood
conflicted
melancholic
hopeful
Type
literary
dramatic
When to use this quote
- courtship decisions
- family estrangement
- career moves
- cultural expectations
Key Concepts
marriage
parent‑child relationships
social class
personal sacrifice
Questions to Reflect On
- What values guide you when love conflicts with family?
- Can duty and desire be reconciled?
A Different Perspective
Choosing love may cause lasting familial rifts.
![“Words were insufficient for the elevation of his [Mr Collins'] feelings; and he was obliged to walk about the room, while Elizabeth tried to unite civility and truth in a few short sentences.” quote by Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/40c/jane-austen-39_civility_words-were-insufficient-for-the-elevatio_1661754.jpg)
![“Everybody is taken in at some period or another. [...] In marriage especially. [...] There is not one in a hundred of either sex, who is not taken in when they marry. Look where I will, I see that it is so; and I feel that it must be so, when I consider that it is, of all transactions, the one in…” quote by Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/37a/jane-austen-39_marriage_everybody-is-taken-in-at-some-period-or_7175.jpg)
![“[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative.” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/324/margaret-thatcher-463_alternatives_when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-pr_15081.jpg)
