Pride and Prejudice: Mr Wickham Essay

In the novel compliment and prepossess, written by Jane Austen, there are many polar characters, all(prenominal) with their own roles to play in order for the story to pass water its final product. Among these many characters is George Wickham. Though generally brushed off as a minor character, George Wickham plays a vital role in the descent between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. Through twain his lies and his amatory adventures, Wickham is the source of both Elizabeths loathing and love for Mr Darcy.Throughout the novel, Elizabeths opinion of Mr Wickham changes dramatically. For the demoraliseing time half of the novel, Elizabeth adores Wickham and relys him to be the perfect gentleman. He achieves this high appraisal generally by his dishonorable recount of his previous affairs with Mr Darcy, give tongue to of Darcy It is wonderful, for almost all his actions may be traced to pride and pride has often been his opera hat friend. It has connected him nearer with virtue than with any other feeling (page 75).The false recount of Wickhams affairs with Fitzwilliam Darcy confirms Elizabeths previous opinions of Darcy, which she presents through saying I have spent four days in the alike(p) house with him and I think him very disagreeable (page 71). She is lead to believe that Darcy reserves only the slightest acknowledgement of anyone but his closest friends and family the people of his class. Wickham tho appears, to Elizabeth, to be quite the opposite of Darcy and she thinks of him that whatever he says is said surface and whatever he does is done gracefully (page 77).The dramatic antitheses between each mans personalities spotlight the gentlemanlike poise of Wickham, making him the to a greater extent attractive of the two. What then changes Elizabeths attractions to Mr Wickham, is the discovery of his previous amatory adventures. Wickham was baffling in three amatory adventures, mentioned throughout the course of Pride and Prejudic e. The first of these escapades was his failed elopement with Georgiana Darcy. This played a vital role in Darcys opinion of Mr Wickham and eventually led to Elizabeths realisation of Wickhams admittedly character as well.Elizabeths opinion of Wickhams past with Georgiana is spare toward the end of the novel, when she says to Mr Darcy that I might have prevented it I, who knew what he was (page 236) Wickhams sustain adventure was very short lived and is often overlooked. It was his attempt at marrying cast King who, according to Elizabeth, is a good sort of girl and the inheritor of her Grandfathers fortune (page 134). This escapade is epochal as it approximately shapes Elizabeths opinions and affections towards Mr Wickham.Where she once thought of him as a possible husband, subsequently this escapade, she says to her aunt, I am now convinced that I had never been in love (page 132) His final and most significant of his adventures was Wickhams elopement with Lydia Bennet. Th is elopement is very significant as it shapes Elizabeths opinions of both Wickham and Darcy, greatly. Elizabeth was frightened when she heard of Wickhams failed elopement with Georgiana and when he runs away with Lydia, her fright elevates to utter disgust and loathing.When, however, she retrieves out Darcys subdivision in the whole affair, Austen hints of disappointment from Elizabeth, that she had treated him so impartially. Elizabeth is really make to think about these two men before her, each so different in both personality and in appearance and she begins to find it easier to see the good in Darcy and her affections toward him heighten. This is shown at the end of the novel when Elizabeth sees Darcy over again and thinks to herself, A man who has one been refused.How could I be foolish profuse to expect a renewal of his love? (Page 290) It is not just the results of Wickhams elopement with Lydia, however, that makes Elizabeth rethink her answer to Darcys previous sentimen ts. The extreme difference in character of the two men also highlights Darcys integrity. The extreme differences in Wickhams and Darcys personalities are the source of Elizabeths feelings towards them both. At the start of the novel, Wickhams natural manners and easy going nature highlight the pride and arrogance of Mr Darcy.Darcy tries to explain his awkward personality to Elizabeth, saying We neither of us perform to strangers (page 153). Elizabeth however is taken by Wickhams cordiality and brushes Darcy off. Towards the end of the book however, events change and the two men swap personalities completely. Wickhams evident greed and self-centredness is then highlighted by Darcys change in air. Austen highlights Darcys personality change through his conversations with the Gardiners.Mrs Gardiner says of Darcy But how come you told us he was so disagreeable he has not an ill-natured look. On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks (page 219). For a c ommodious time, Wickhams pleasant nature caught Elizabeth up in prejudice and she avoided Darcys ill-natured countenance. Her prejudice however, dissipated when she saw both mens true personalities and the dramatic difference between Darcys air do Elizabeth rethink her opinion of him and her affections towards him heightened greatly.It was because of Wickham that these changes in Darcy were so conspicuous. In conclusion, Wickham played a vital role in the relationship of Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. At the start of the book, through his lies and manipulations, Wickham confirms Elizabeths loathing of Mr Darcy. By the end of the book however, Mr Wickham has unconsciously changed Elizabeths opinions of Mr Darcy through the results of his three amatory adventures and through the obvious change in Darcys countenance highlighted by Wickhams poor qualities.