Letters have functioned as a form of communication between humans since Ancient Egypt up to present day. Prior to recent developments in technology, letters were the most efficient form of long distant communication available, and were essential to the spread of information. In Pride and Prejudice, a novel written by Jane Austen set in Regency England, a narrator details a woman named Elizabeth Bennet, as she struggles with her perception of people around her and the affects of her perception on her relationships with other characters. Throughout the story, letters are commonly sent and received between. In this novel, a regiment soldier named Mr. Wickham has his true character revealed as a result of this exchange of letters. The first of
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Wickham’s newly revealed character. Jane writes her to inform her of some bad news. The Bennets have recently received news that Lydia, another one of Elizabeth’s sisters, has run off to Scotland to marry Mr. Wickham. However, to the horror of Elizabeth, Jane’s second letter adds uncertainty that the two have even gone to Scotland to be married. Jane says to Mr. Wickham, “‘An express came at twelve last night, just as we were all gone to bed, from Colonel Forster, to inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, with Wickham’” (231)! This information, although it doesn’t contradict what the reader and Elizabeth know to be true about Mr. Wickham, it further proves his bad nature. Mr. Wickham, with no regard for the consequences that would face Lydia and her family, runs away from his gambling debts in Meryton. His inability to control his gambling and pay off his debts supports what Mr. Darcy said about Mr. Wickham’s treatment of money. In Regency England, running away with a premarital lover is considered an egregious offense. Mr. Wickham commits this offense, which once again shows a sense of classlessness to Elizabeth. Jane suggests that he could have improved since the incidents that Mr. Darcy mentioned to Elizabeth in his letter. But because Mr. Wickham attempted a similar scheme with Georgiana Darcy, it shows that he has not improved. Jane's report about Lydia and Wickham’s alleged elopement emphasizes Mr. Wickham’s financial irresponsibility, and ill-intent towards others, while also showing his lack of change from his attempted elopement with Miss Darcy to when Jane wrote the letter to
Wickham’s newly revealed character. Jane writes her to inform her of some bad news. The Bennets have recently received news that Lydia, another one of Elizabeth’s sisters, has run off to Scotland to marry Mr. Wickham. However, to the horror of Elizabeth, Jane’s second letter adds uncertainty that the two have even gone to Scotland to be married. Jane says to Mr. Wickham, “‘An express came at twelve last night, just as we were all gone to bed, from Colonel Forster, to inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, with Wickham’” (231)! This information, although it doesn’t contradict what the reader and Elizabeth know to be true about Mr. Wickham, it further proves his bad nature. Mr. Wickham, with no regard for the consequences that would face Lydia and her family, runs away from his gambling debts in Meryton. His inability to control his gambling and pay off his debts supports what Mr. Darcy said about Mr. Wickham’s treatment of money. In Regency England, running away with a premarital lover is considered an egregious offense. Mr. Wickham commits this offense, which once again shows a sense of classlessness to Elizabeth. Jane suggests that he could have improved since the incidents that Mr. Darcy mentioned to Elizabeth in his letter. But because Mr. Wickham attempted a similar scheme with Georgiana Darcy, it shows that he has not improved. Jane's report about Lydia and Wickham’s alleged elopement emphasizes Mr. Wickham’s financial irresponsibility, and ill-intent towards others, while also showing his lack of change from his attempted elopement with Miss Darcy to when Jane wrote the letter to