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Now, Elizabeth’s view on Wickham changes. She can no longer look at him the same. When she does, she remembers “his countenance, voice, and manner, had established him at once in the possession of every virtue. She [tries] to recollect some instance of goodness, some distinguished trait of integrity or benevolence, that might rescue him from the attacks of Mr. Darcy; or at least by the predominance of virtue, atone for those casual errors, under which she would endeavour to class, what Mr. Darcy had described as the idleness and vice of many years continuance. But no such recollection befriended her. She could not see him instantly before her, in more substantial food than the general approbation of the neighborhood, and the regard which his social powers has gained him in the mess” (II, 13, 380). She can no longer see him as the good guy she thought he was. She realizes that Mr. Wickham skewed his story and that she was too quick to judge him.

Elizabeth finds that Mr. Wickham is not who she believed him to be and searches for good characteristics that do not exist.

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2: Mutual Attraction at Mrs. Philips' Party

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2: Mutual Attraction at Mrs. Philips' Party

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Mr. Wickham pays more attention to Elizabeth at the Phillip’s party, even though he is not obligated to do so. He seemed to be the “happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned, and Elizabeth was the happy woman by whom he finally seated himself” (I, 16, 142). Whether his attraction to Elizabeth be because of her personality or her social position is unclear, but it is evident that Mr. Wickham is willing to invest time and effort to socialize with Elizabeth.

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Even after Elizabeth’s romantic interest in Mr. Wickham spoils, she refuses to punish him for his actions. She considers publicly exposing Mr. Wickham, but decides against it because “Mr. Darcy has not authorised [her] to make his communication public… and if I endeavour to undeceive people as to the rest [Mr. Darcy’s] conduct, who will believe me?” (II, 17, 438). Elizabeth’s refusal to expose Mr. Wickham could either signify that she still holds respect for Mr. Wickham or she is too embarrassed by her mistake. Regardless of Elizabeth’s reasons, it is certain that Elizabeth does not feel bitter enough towards Mr. Wickham to harm him

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In his letter, Mr. Darcy retells “a relation of events, which, if true, must overthrow every cherished opinion of his worth, and which bore so alarming an affinity to his own history of himself” (II, 13, 376). In other words, Mr. Darcy's account of Mr. Wickham's relationship with the late Mr. Darcy is logical, so Elizabeth accepts Mr. Darcy's account and is disillusioned. Ever since encountering Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth had put her trust into him because of his appearance and his shared dislike of Mr. Darcy. However, after taking in the falsity of his description of Mr. Darcy’s character, "her feelings were yet more acutely  painful and more difficult of definition. Astonishment, apprehension, and even more horror oppressed her” (II, 13, 376). Not only is she horrified that Mr. Wickham fooled her, but she is also "ashamed of herself. -- Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind partial, prejudiced, absurd" (II, 13, 404). Furthermore, Elizabeth realizes the flaws in her defense of Mr. Wickham after she learns more about his greed through his deception of Miss Darcy. Elizabeth finds his actions towards Miss King similar to his previous deception of Miss King as they were “the consequence of views solely and hatefully mercenary” (II, 13, 382). Elizabeth had been blinded by her first impression of Mr. Wickham and was predisposed of believing that his actions were always dignified, until Mr. Darcy exposed to her the character of Mr. Wickham behind his amiable mask. Soon, after realizing the vanity of her judgement, she deduces that “the mediocrity of [Miss King’s] fortune proved no longer the moderation of his wishes, but his eagerness to grasp at any thing” (II, 13, 382). A feeling of esteem towards Mr. Wickham turned to disrespect and distrust of his pure intentions after certain motives were revealed in Mr. Darcy’s letter.

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At last, Elizabeth loses her admiration for Mr. Wickham and Mr. Wickham senses the growing distance between them. “She remembered that he had boasted of having no fear of seeing Mr. Darcy — that Mr. Darcy might leave the country, but that he should stand his ground; yet he had avoided the Netherfield ball the very next week. She remembered also, that till the Netherfield family had quittes the country, he had told his story to no one but herself; but that after their removal, it has been everywhere discussed” (II, 13, 381-382). After reading Mr. Darcy’s letter and reanalyzing Mr. Wickham’s actions from an objective perspective, she realizes she has been deceived. While she once admired Mr. Wickham for his passionate storytelling and gossip, she “[is] now struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger” (II, 13, 402). On their last meeting, Elizabeth “[learns] to detect in the very gentleness which had first delighted her, an affection and a sameness to disgust and weary” (II, 18, 453). Just as Elizabeth loses interest in Mr.Wickham, he makes “no farther attempt to distinguish Elizabeth;” their relationship is over (II, 18, 454).

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7: Mrs. Gardiner's Suspicions & Ignorance 

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7: Mrs. Gardiner's Suspicions & Ignorance 

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Mrs. Gardiner, suspicious of Mr. Wickham’s character and motives, repeatedly tries to make Elizabeth realize his greedy behavior. When Mrs. Gardiner accuses Mr. Wickham of being a mercenary man because “he paid [Miss King] not the smallest of attention, till her grandfather’s death made her mistress of this fortune,” Elizabeth defends him by stating that “a man in distressed circumstances has not time has not time for all those elegant decorums which other people may observe” (II, 4, 282). She tries to prove that Mr. Darcy’s judgement is rational, no matter the evidence Mrs. Gardiner provides.   Elizabeth, in an effort to protect her pride and disprove Mrs. Gardiner, questions her aunt by saying, "If it was not allowable for him to gain my affections, because I had no money, what occasion would there me for making love to a girl whom he did not care about, and who was equally poor?” (II, 4, 282). Having a positive impression of Mr. Darcy from their first encounter, she argues that his intentions to marry Miss King are rational for his age. She further displays her prejudice towards Mr. Wickham’s mercenary intentions as she holds Miss King responsible for his actions: “If she does not object to it, why should we?” (II, 4, 282). Throughout Elizabeth’s conversation with her aunt, she manages to find a way to justify Mr. Wickham’s actions, by bringing up herself and Miss King as proof of his “rational” behavior.

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6: Disappointment & Ignorance at the Netherfield Ball

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6: Disappointment & Ignorance at the Netherfield Ball

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Before Mr. Bingley’s ball in Netherfield, Elizabeth thinks “with pleasure of dancing a great deal with Mr. Wickham, and of seeing confirmation of every thing in Mr. Darcy’s looks and behaviour” (I, 17, 170). However, Elizabeth is disappointed to find that Mr. Wickham is absent at the ball. His absence is a direct contradiction to his earlier boast, “Oh! no -- it is not for me to be driven away by Mr. Darcy. If he wishes to avoid seeing me, he must go. We are not on friendly terms, and it always gives me pain to meet him, but I have no reason for avoiding him” (I, 16, 154). Yet again, Elizabeth fails to recognize that Mr. Wickham broke his word out of ignorance. Through her ignorance, she keeps Mr. Wickham in her high regard.

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Elizabeth's judgment is blinded by her feelings for Mr. Wickham.

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When Elizabeth relays Mr. Wickham’s story to Jane and expresses her disbelief towards Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy’s relationship, Jane is also fooled by Mr. Wickham’s charisma. Jane, as characteristic of her naivety, “knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr. Bingley’s regard; and yet, it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham… nothing therefore remained to be done, but to think well of them both” (I, 17, 168). In contrast to Jane, who objectively and patiently judges Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth is quick to accuse Mr. Darcy. She refuses to question Mr. Wickham’s story, because she “can much more easily believe Mr. Bingley’s being imposed on, than that Mr. Wickham should invent such a history of himself as he gave me last night; names, facts, every thing he mentioned without ceremony. -- If it be not so, let Mr. Darcy contradict it. Besides, there was truth in his looks” (I, 17, 170). This is one of many instances in Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham’s relationship in which Elizabeth’s judgment is blinded. She places full trust in Mr. Wickham’s story and even uses the “truth in his looks” to support him. Her trust in Mr. Wickham costs her multiple opportunities to befriend Mr. Darcy.

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Elizabeth leaves Mr. Wickham at the party with a shining and unrealistic image of him. Unlike her usual shrewd self, she believes, “Whatever he said, was said well; and whatever he did, done gracefully. Elizabeth went away with her head full of him. She could think of nothing but Mr. Wickham, and of what he told her, all the way home” (I, 16, 164).

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On their second encounter, Mr. Wickham initiates a conversation with Elizabeth to explain his relationship with Mr. Darcy and garner her sympathy. Mr. Wickham’s scheme effectively causes Elizabeth’s feelings to progress, and in reaction to Mr. Wickham’s moving story, she cries, “‘This is quite shocking! -- He deserves to be publicly disgraced’” (I, 16, 156). Elizabeth’s bitter reaction is unusual since she rarely wishes harm on others and it is a result of her strong attraction to Mr. Wickham. Mr. Wickham then further paints his innocent image by replying, “‘Some time or other he will be -- but it shall not be by me. Till I can forget his father, I can never defy or expose him.’” Here, Mr. Wickham promises to never punish Mr. Darcy for his supposed injustices. His promise amazes Elizabeth, so she “honoured him for such feelings, and thought him handsomer than ever as he expressed them.” Likewise, Mr. Wickham enjoys Elizabeth’s company because he believes she is wealthy and she believes his stories. However, immediately after Mr. Darcy leaves Hertfordshire, Mr. Wickham breaks this promise by exposing Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth either does not notice or intentionally ignores Mr. Wickham’s broken promise because she is blinded by her feelings. Although Mr. Wickham spends the majority of his time casting shade on Mr. Darcy and his family, Elizabeth’s attraction to Mr. Wickham grows until Mrs. Gardiner questions Mr. Wickham’s character.

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At a first glance, Elizabeth likes Mr. Wickham for his fun and polite demeanor.

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1 : First Impressions on the Walk to Meryton

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1 : First Impressions on the Walk to Meryton

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At their first encounter, Elizabeth is enchanted by Mr. Wickham’s good looks and charisma. On the walk to Meryton, “the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom [the Bennets and Mr. Collins] had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance… [T]he young man wanted only regimentals to make him completely charming. His appearance was greatly in his favor; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, a very pleasing address. The introduction was followed up by a happy readiness of conversation -- a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming” (I, 15, 142). Elizabeth immediate attraction is not only fueled by Mr. Wickham’s charm, but also by her repulsion to Mr. Darcy. Due to the stark contrast between Mr. Darcy’s personality and Mr. Wickham’s personality, it is easy for Elizabeth to prefer Mr. Wickham without taking much time to truly evaluate his character.