In Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice,” the social hierarchy in society is portrayed as being determined by a person’s conduct and the judgments they receive. The story focuses on the experiences of young women who hope to find love or financial stability through marriage. Specifically, it centers around the Bennet family, with Jane Bennet engaging in conversation with Mr. Bingley and Elizabeth Bennet interacting with Mr. Darcy. It is common for women to seek out wealthy partners for a desirable way of life, while men have their own strategies for pursuing women.
In their interactions with Elizabeth, Wickham and Mr. Darcy serve as contrasting characters, with their initial encounters shaping the prejudices that are hard to overcome. At a ball, Elizabeth forms her first impression of Mr. Darcy, who immediately captures attention from the room with his impressive physical appearance described as “fine, tall, handsome features” and a “noble mien” (6). This portrayal not only emphasizes his wealth but also highlights his stature as an attractive and commendable man.
During their initial meeting, it became evident that Mr. Darcy’s physical appearance was not the only attribute that unveiled his character. It was revealed that he possessed a proud demeanor and held himself in higher regard than those present. This attitude repulsed others and caused his popularity to diminish. Elizabeth, especially, was disgusted by his unrefined behavior and formed a lasting aversion towards him from that moment on.
Wickham, on the other hand, is the focus of attention for almost every woman in the room due to his pleasant manner and conversational skills that make even mundane topics appear interesting. Elizabeth, influenced by Wickham’s history with Mr. Darcy, is attracted to his charm and gentlemanly behavior towards others. She unquestionably trusts him based solely on his good manners and first impression. Mr. Darcy also recognizes Wickham’s ability to make friends and states that “Mr. Wickham has such happy manners as can ensure his making friends.” However, it becomes evident that Wickham’s affability is motivated by self-interest; he only befriends those who can benefit him in some way and discards those who have served their purpose.
The irony arises from the contrast between the two men in Elizabeth’s life. Despite initially detesting him, she ends up marrying the man she disliked at first rather than the agreeable man. However, her perception of him changes after receiving a letter from Mr. Darcy. In the letter, Mr. Darcy exposes Mr. Wickham’s true nature and reveals that he was driven by revenge and his sister’s fortune. This revelation completely changes Elizabeth’s view of Mr. Wickham and prompts her to reexamine her thoughts and words about Mr. Darcy. She admits to not understanding herself anymore and realizes that Mr. Wickham had only shown interest in Miss King due to her wealth. Apart from his manners, she has no other positive traits to defend Mr. Wickham with.
The roles of Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy have switched. Elizabeth visits Pemberley and reunites with Mr. Darcy. “They soon drew from those enquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love… overflowing with admiration was evident enough,”(175). Austen portrays an ideal love scene from the dreams of a woman during the era, revealing Elizabeth’s true feelings for Darcy and his evident admiration. The foils of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham emphasize society’s prejudice and the power of first impressions to conceal the truth. The history between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham illustrates their contrasting personalities. Mr. Wickham, the son of Mr. Darcy’s father’s steward, was “of a very respectable man, who had for many years the management of all the Pemberley estates” (135). This juxtaposition highlights the difference between Mr. Darcy’s upbringing as the son of a lord and Wickham’s upbringing as a steward’s son. Darcy would have received an education either from his father or at school, while Wickham learned his manners as a steward under Pemberley.
The personalities that individuals have developed were shaped by their own unique paths. This is demonstrated in Darcy’s letter where he mentions that Wickham intended to study law but the one-thousand pound legacy he received from Mr. Darcy’s father was insufficient to support him (136). In order to help Wickham pursue his studies, Darcy kindly provided him with three-thousand pounds. Unfortunately, the field of law soon declined and did not prove to be a lucrative career choice.
Returning to Darcy to ask for help, Wickham is refused money. Seeking revenge, Wickham manages to gain the affection of Georgiana, who still remembers his kind treatment when she was a child. This persuades her to believe she is in love and agree to an elopement with him (137). Wickham’s motivation for pursuing Miss Darcy is to seek retribution for her refusal to assist him during his difficult times. The contrast between his evil intentions and the pure-heartedness of Georgiana reveals the satirical nature of Austen’s writing.
The concept of falling in love with a corrupt man despite being pure at heart highlights the power of love that blinds. Darcy and Wickham’s shared past unveils the divergent paths they follow. Jane Austen uses Darcy and Wickham’s initial encounters with Elizabeth to depict her thoughts on social class, both among the poor and the wealthy. Elizabeth’s bias and arrogance prevent her from recognizing the true nature of Darcy and Wickham. The contrasting characters of charming Wickham and insightful Darcy exemplify a society consumed by materialism, devoid of love.
