Jane in January and You – Mr Wickham’s Wanderings: A Case of Bigamy

Mr Wickham returns with a tale of bigamy and a chance to win a book; read on and find out how!

—oOo—

Friends, it is no secret to anyone that I am a romantic sort of fellow. Why, what is more pleasurable than a shared glance, a turn about the floor, the whispered words of affection that blossom into love.

Now, my own heart belongs to the fragrant Lydia and from the day I saw her, I had eyes for no other, but not all gentlemen are as decent as yours truly.

One need only look through the newspapers to see that that most heartless crime, bigamy, is still committed in our land. Why, I find that one wife is certainly enough wife – however would a fellow cope with the cost of ribbons for two, let alone three?

Whilst relaxing in my club lately with the newspapers, my eye was caught by a report of that most heinous offence against romance. In Portsmouth, it seems, a fellow named London was sentenced to two years in jail for the crime. Yet if the judge had had his way, prison would be the least of the punishment:

“A man, named London, at Coventry, was lately sentenced to two years solitary confinement for Bigamy. They certainly have allowed him time for repentance; but as this is an offence and growing magnitude, might it not have been wise to render the punishment proportionable terrible, and locked up his three wives with him?”

As a rogue rather than a villain, I look very darkly on such conduct. However, I would be most intrigued to know who your favourite villain or villainess might be from amongst Miss Austen’s canon, so do let me know by leaving a comment. My erstwhile chronicler, Catherine Curzon, is offering an ebook of your choice from her tales of Georgian royalty, Life in the Georgian Court, Kings of Georgian Britain or Queens of Georgian Britain, to one commentator chosen at random from my lightly creased redcoat.

As a gentleman and a husband of good morals, I shall refrain from any further comment and wish you a very happy new year!

47 comments

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    • JoEllen on January 16, 2018 at 12:55 am
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    Does Mary Crawford qualify as a villainess?

    She really doesn’t approach evil, I felt her crime was more being shallow and maybe loving her weak brother too indiscriminately.
    She’s funny, provocative and exciting and I always thought a her redeemable character in the right relationship.
    I’d love to read more about her.

    1. Ah, a most singular young lady!

    • Ruth Clapp on January 16, 2018 at 1:09 am
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    I alternate between wanting to see Miss Bingley defeated and married to a tradesman who makes her keep his house and participate in building his contacts in the BUSINESS world and wanting to see her find a member of the first circles who teaches her how to behave properly. I remember a story years ago where Col. Fitzwilliam explained to her that he and she were city people–that she really wouldn’t like being Mrs Darcy and having to call on tenants and associate with farmers. I think the colonel and Miss B married. I also remember a story where a widowed Mrs Bennett caused the man who Miss B brought to Christmas at Pemberley to abandon Miss B for Mrs. Bennett. So maybe I prefer stories where Miss B is punished.

    1. Punishment indeed!

    • Ann on January 16, 2018 at 2:55 am
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    Miss Bingley needs to be brought down a peg or three (at least).

    1. Several pegs, it seems!

    • Loren on January 16, 2018 at 6:00 am
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    Hahaha, I love this post!

    I think him is right, how can one wife not ne enough!?

    My favorite villain is Fanny, Edward’s sister. Can she ne considered a villain?

    1. Indeed she can; and thank you for your most kind words!

    • Erika Messer on January 16, 2018 at 7:16 am
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    Most people have chosen women as their villainesses, however I think my choice is George Wickham. I am not certain he is truly evil, however he does do some seriously bad things that are very close to the line. Lying to people, almost ruining Georgiana just for her money as well as the other woman after he meets the Bennets. He doesn’t seem to care who he hurts and even with Lydia, he has no intention of marrying her when they run off – had it not been for Mr Darcy, Lydia and the whole Bennet family would have been ruined by her scandal. And yet Mr Wickham still shows no care for Darcy even though he saved him and he shows no penitence for what he did to Lydia when he meets her family. So as far as villains go, I think Mr Wickham is the one I would choose. Of course P&P is my favorite Austen book and one could easily say Henry Crawford is a villain as well.

    1. My fragrant Lydia? She is the light of my days!

  1. It’s Wickham for me.
    He knew exactly what he was doing to both Georgiana and Lydia, and went on regardless. And he only married Lydia because he was bribed to do so.
    There’s heartlessness, and then there’s using people and not giving a damn.

    1. Me? I am innocent as a lamb.

    • Eva E on January 16, 2018 at 8:56 am
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    Yes, Mr. Wickham, I am contented to have you recognize that you are a rogue, but you could be a villain since you wanted to marry Georgianna for her dowry and, thus, have revenge on Darcy; you eloped with Lydia with no intention to marry her to get revenge on Darcy and his relationship with Elizabeth; you planted evil information about Darcy to Elizabeth. Do I need to Continue? You are, indeed, a villain!

    1. I am naught but an innocent, misunderstood sort of rogue! Sometimes.

    • Ann Dawson on January 16, 2018 at 9:12 am
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    (Spoiler alert please read Emma first) Mr Frank Churchill in Emma is my favourite villain. He plots and schemes and only arrives to see his recently married father Mr Weston at a time that suits him and when he can meet with Miss Jane Fairfax. Then he flirts away with Emma and causes great hurt to his relations and ignores Miss Fairfax in public. After all that he writes a letter declaring that Emma no doubt had guessed he was fooling about and he was engaged to Miss Fairfax all the time and he had brought that piano for Miss F along with getting his haircut. The piano that had to be got into the house with great difficulty and no doubt made everything a great squash to fit in as the room was so tiny. Mr Churchill actually cause great harm I feel and may not even treat Miss Fairfax with care even when married.

    1. Ah, a most singular choice – I thank you!

    • BeckyC on January 16, 2018 at 9:29 am
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    Wickham most definitely, but I will add Caroline Bingley. They might deserve each other. But together they might be a truly scary thing, indeed.

    1. I shall not let the estimable Mrs Wickham hear of such a thing!

    • J. W. Garrett on January 16, 2018 at 10:09 am
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    Mr. Wickham… sir, it is your own good self that is my choice of Villain Extraordinaire. Depending on the author that is in charge of your offences, your egregious behavior can range from salacious to nefarious. Your character has been painted with a wide brush and no woman of any age or social standing has been safe from your philandering ways. Your profligate spending has run through numerous fortunes with the careless turn of the cards.

    Your grievance against the son of you godfather severely reflects against your character. He has done nothing but try to honor the good name of his father and you have taken advantage at every turn, even to attempt the unthinkable with his sister. You sir, are a cad. It is time for you to repent of your evil ways and seek the straight and narrow. Toss off your immoral behavior and seek the forgiveness of those you have wronged. I pray for your immortal soul as it stands in the balance. Sir, the choice is yours, choose wisely.

    This was a delightful post with Mr. Wickham having his say. I love it. I enjoyed venting my spleen against this character. What a cute idea. Thanks for making my day.

    1. And you, dear reader, have made mine in kind!

    • StephanieL on January 16, 2018 at 10:41 am
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    I’m torn between Willoughby (he leaves one girl w/child and another fully expecting a proposal, he also comes back married wanting to reinstate his affections) and Henry Crawford (running off with another man’s wife?). Lucy Steele also qualifies. In canon, Caroline isn’t a villian, just deluded. Frank Churchill is more an inconsiderate a** than a villian IMO. LOL Wickham is close with the Georgie and Lydia escapades, but at least no one is with child or already married.

    1. I am but a fellow who enjoys the company of ladies!

    • Cinta on January 16, 2018 at 10:49 am
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    I like Willoughby as a villain, although… are you allowed to almost feel sorry for a villain? What he did to Marianne was despicable, but when he came back, I kind of got the impression that he had truly loved her. I don’t know. But Willoughby is my favorite villain.

    1. Ah, a repentant gent indeed!

    • Linda A. on January 16, 2018 at 1:17 pm
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    I can’t say I have a favorite villain from canon, but the characters who knew what they did was wrong but did it anyway regardless of the consequences to anyone else as long as there was a benefit to themselves, those are the true villains. e.g Wickham, Fanny Dashwood (née Ferrars), General Tilney, William Elliot, etc. Greed seems to be the prevailing sentiment behind their actions.

    1. It would appear that my name is a popular one today!

    • DarcyBennett on January 16, 2018 at 1:43 pm
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    My favorite is Wickham as I love to hate him as the other villains I just really hate and don’t enjoy reading about them.

    1. Villain? Moi?

  2. Mr. Crawford is my favorite villain. I do feel like he has some redeemable qualities.

    John Thorpe is my all time worst villain. He lies, scares, and bullies Catherine.

    1. A cad indeed!

    • Carole in Canada on January 16, 2018 at 6:48 pm
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    Love the news article! As for my villain, well I would choose William Elliot. His young wife died (was it by his own doing?), he treated his friend’s wife poorly, and then lures Mrs. Clay away as his mistress…in case Sir Walter decided to marry her and perchance have another child?! Yes, he is a villain in my mind. What further depths would he go to to do harm to another in his path to remain heir?

    1. A schemer amongst schemers!

    • Ria on January 16, 2018 at 10:13 pm
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    I just read through all the comments and each one I thought, “Oh true! That is THE villain.” And then read the next with the same thought. How to choose? At least Willoughby and Wickham are charming. I dislike Mr. Elliot and Mr. Thorpe. And it drives me crazy that everyone loves Mr. Churchill when I think he is excessively mean to his intended and she is too quick to forgive. I don’t know… Austen knew how to write her villains.

    1. One doesn’t meant to be charming, one was simply made that way!

    • Cheryl Kepler on January 16, 2018 at 10:20 pm
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    I agree with Linda A, above that Wickham, Fanny (Ferrars) Dashwood, General Tilney, and William Elliot are all good contestants for worst villain. I would add Willoughby and Lady Catherine de Bourgh to the list. The true villainy in all these individuals’ actions is they did their evils consciously and knowingly, rather than by mistake. My favorite (as in the one I dislike the most) is Fanny Dashwood, because the people she wronged had no choice under her power. All the others’ victims had choices: Georgiana and the other women could have said no to Wickham, as they could have to Willoughby and William Elliot’s victims. Elizabeth was able to choose not to be a victim of Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins could also have chosen not to be her victim. All these villains had a sense of honor, even though it was rather warped, snobbish, and misdirected. Their plans and behaviors bordered on sociopathic, especially when they planned out their deeds.
    However, Fanny Dashwood planned and accomplished her evil acts on a continuing basis against defenseless women (especially in that day and age)and coerced her husband into reneging on a deathbed promise – all with no remorse, ever. Her victims had no choices in dealing with her manipulations and could only make the best of their reduced circumstances after being promised every expectation of security in life. IMO, this is a person completely without honor!

    1. I thank you for your insight, madam!

    • Deborah on January 17, 2018 at 2:24 pm
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    I think the younger Mr Elliot as he led Mrs. Smith’s husband into bankruptcy and only married his first wife for her money. He is heir presumptive and only trying to make up with the Elliot family for the title tobkeepnSir Walter from a possible match with Mrs. Clay. He is a two-faced snake.

    1. Shocking conduct indeed!

    2. I am pleased to inform you that you are the competition winner, madam!

    • Lynn Char on January 18, 2018 at 11:40 am
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    I think Fanny Ferrars is the ultimate villain. She not only cheats her step family out of their rightful place in life, but does so with a smile. While her husband is gullible and spineless, she is a master manipulator. She even attempts to control the lives of all her family members. I’m not sure she’s redeemable!

    1. Not a catch for any fellow!

    • Anji on January 19, 2018 at 4:51 pm
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    I’m torn between two.

    The first name that came to mind was John Willoughby. As if seducing and leaving Colonel Brandon’s ward Eliza pregnant and then deserting her wasn’t bad enough, he then persuades Marianne that she’s in love with him. She’s certain he’s going to propose and then he leaves with virtually no explanation. He then more or less cuts her dead at the ball in London and although he later admits he was in love with her all along, his behaviour doesn’t warrant any sympathy from this quarter.

    The second was William Elliot. He marries solely for money and has no care for his family’s history until the possibility of Sir Walter re-marrying (Mrs Clay) and producing a male heir comes to light. At which point, he inveigles his way back into favour, tries to persuade Anne into marriage, so he can keep tabs on her father and all the while seducing Mrs Clay away from said father. We eventually discover he refused to help Anne’s friend Mrs. Smith after her husband (his friend) died.

    Can’t make my mind up who I hate the most!

    1. Then call it both and split the difference!

    • Rosa on January 21, 2018 at 3:26 am
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    I used to hate Elisabeth Elliot. But I have recently read the wonderful Mercy’s embrace books from Laura Hile and I’m very fond of her now.
    What Fanny Ferrars does to the Dashwooh is hideous but I think Anne Elliot’s father is the worst! How can you treat your own child in such a way? He is selfish, self-centered, cruel and completely idiot!

    1. A thoroughly bad lot indeed!

  3. Mrs Norris is my choice for the role of villainess. The way she treats Fanny is utterly dreadful compared to her other nieces (Maria and Julia). And she is a freeloader, always depending on Sir Thomas’s generosity and taking away things for herself. Serves her right to end up with Maria and isolated from good society!

    1. Another singular sort of lady!

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