George Wickham Character Analysis

mr. ldenny introduces george wickham

Wickham is the handsome militia officer stationed in Meryton who attracts the attention of all the women, including Elizabeth and Lydia Bennet. But lurking beneath his pleasant manner and appearance is a dark side.

The villain of the novel, he is a skilled and charming liar. He succeeds in deceiving Elizabeth with a false story about his mistreatment by Darcy. For a time she is attracted to him and has a flirtation with him.

When the sexual predator and scoundrel takes off to a London love nest with 15-year-old Lydia, it causes consternation in the Bennet family and scandal in Meryton. The day is eventually saved by Darcy, who quietly “bribes” Wickham into marrying Lydia.

Wickham is revealed to be a greedy fortune hunter as well being as serial predator. Before Lydia it emerges that he tried to elope with 15-year-old Georgiana Darcy, with the sole aim of getting his hands on her fortune of thirty thousand pounds.

Here are five George Wickham quotes with analysis about the predatory and deceitful militia officer:

“But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance, walking with an officer on the other side of the way…His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address.”

Chapter 15. The reader is introduced to George Wickham for the first time. The reaction of all the young ladies is very favorable towards Wickham. Although he is a scoundrel and cad, they don’t see beyond his handsome appearance which deceives them into thinking that he is a good person. First impressions don’t always prove right. In this passage note the narrator’s emphasis on Wickham’s outward appearance and superficiality – “gentlemanlike appearance,” “fine countenance,” “good figure” and “pleasing address.” This foreshadows that the handsome Wickham turns out to be completely different than what he appears to be.

Beware of appearances

“A young man too, like you, whose very countenance may vouch for your being amiable.”

Chapter 16. Beware of appearances! Elizabeth seems easily fooled by the charming and handsome George Wickham’s outward appearance, when he spins his lies about Mr. Darcy. He has told her a completely false story about Darcy cheating him. Elizabeth who prides herself on being a good judge of character is too mesmerized by Wickham to see him for the deceiver he is and how she is being cleverly and subtly manipulated by him. She is exhibiting a prejudice towards Wickham, just as she has developed one against Darcy.

“About a year ago, she was taken from school, and an establishment formed for her in London; and last summer she went with the lady who presided over it to Ramsgate; and thither also went Mr. Wickham, undoubtedly by design; for there proved to have been a prior acquaintance between him and Mrs. Younge, in whose character we were most unhappily deceived; and by her connivance and aid, he so far recommended himself to Georgiana, whose affectionate heart retained a strong impression of his kindness to her as a child, that she was persuaded to believe herself in love, and to consent to an elopement. She was then but fifteen, which must be her excuse…Mr. Wickham’s chief object was unquestionably my sister’s fortune, which is thirty thousand pounds.”

Chapter 35. Mr. Darcy, in a letter, reveals to Elizabeth how George Wickham attempted to elope with Darcy’s 15-year-old sister Georgiana, aided by his sister’s governess Mrs. Younge. Wickham’s sole aim was to obtain young Georgiana’s fortune. Darcy is explaining the reason for his quarrel with Wickham. This is foreshadowing that Wickham will later elope with Lydia Bennet, suggesting that Elizabeth and her family did not take seriously Darcy’s warning about Wickham.

“But Jane knows, as well as I do, what Wickham really is. We both know that he has been profligate in every sense of the word; that he has neither integrity nor honour; that he is as false and deceitful as he is insinuating.”

Chapter 47. Elizabeth makes this comment about George Wickham, when her aunt points out that Jane does not think Wickham is capable of taking advantage of Lydia. Lydia has run off to a London with Wickham, provoking a family crisis. Elizabeth claims Jane knows that Wickham is a deceitful and immoral character without integrity or honor.

“All Meryton seemed striving to blacken the man who, but three months before, had been almost an angel of light. He was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place, and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction, had been extended into every tradesman’s family. Everybody declared that he was the wickedest young man in the world; and everybody began to find out, that they had always distrusted the appearance of his goodness.”

Chapter 48. The gossip machine cranks into top gear in Meryton after Wickham runs away with Lydia. In the residents’ crosshairs are the one-time “angel of light” who is now the “wickedest young man in the world.” People are particularly upset that they have been duped by the handsome and mannerly Wickham’s appearance of goodness. It’s also discovered that he owes a lot of money to people in the locality.