In Sense and Sensibility we have two sisters and their two respective “heroes,” and Pride and Prejudice gives us perhaps a similar setup. Both novels feature a pair of sisters who end up married, even if one sister is a more dominant character than the other. And if I consider both Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon to be heroes, should I count both men in Pride and Prejudice as well? In other words, does Charles Bingley count as one of Jane Austen’s heroes?
Honestly, I would not have said yes to that before today. I would not have grouped Bingley with Austen’s other heroes. I wouldn’t have called him a would-be hero, of course. Honestly, in my data and my spreadsheets (did I tell you I had data for all this?!?!), it didn’t occur to me to consider him at all.
However, I think I need to elevate Charles Bingley and study him more closely. Partly because it feels strange to count two heroes for Sense and Sensibility and not for Pride and Prejudice. But mostly because…guess who has a noticeable number of words/descriptions in common with Sidney Parker? Yup.
Here’s what we know about Bingley:
A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. (Pride and Prejudice, ch. 1)
He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable…good-looking and gentleman-like; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners…he was lively and unreserved. (ch. 3)
It’s generally assumed that Bingley is 22-23 years old, based on this:
Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted by an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House.
More praise:
“He is just what a young man ought to be,” said [Jane], “sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!—so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!” (ch. 4)
So, he’s a 10—but he comes from (*lowers voice, clutches pearls*) trade.
They were of a respectable family in the north of England…their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired by trade.
I love this tiny detail. The Bingleys come from trade—trade. And Lizzy does not. Mr. Bennet is a gentleman. Granted, he’s sort of lower landed gentry, and way far off from anything titled, and Mrs. Bennet is not at all well-born, so the girls are not high society. (And they’re going to be poor once their father dies. If they were going to be rich, a lot more credit would have been attached to their father’s lineage.) But still, Lizzy is a gentleman’s daughter, and Caroline Bingley is…not.
Back to Bingley—a really nice guy:
Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper…On the strength of Darcy’s regard, Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient…Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared.
But he also has ADHD. Just kidding. (I have ADHD; everyone settle down.) He seems a little impulsive—or maybe he’s just young? This behavior tracks with that, too:
“Whatever I do is done in a hurry,” replied [Bingley]; “and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here.” (ch. 10)
“Charles writes in the most careless way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the rest.”
“My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them—by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents.” (ch. 10)
He’s shorter than Darcy:
if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself… (ch. 10)
And he’s also a good friend:
I find the account of him forgiving Mr. Darcy to be so so sweet—and realistic. Like, he gets mad, and he has every right to, but he’s not a drama queen about it. His friendship with Darcy is more solid than that.
Bingley is most unaffectedly modest. His diffidence had prevented his depending on his own judgment in so anxious a case, but his reliance on mine made everything easy. I was obliged to confess one thing, which for a time, and not unjustly, offended him. I could not allow myself to conceal that your sister had been in town three months last winter, that I had known it, and purposely kept it from him. He was angry. But his anger, I am persuaded, lasted no longer than he remained in any doubt of your sister’s sentiments. He has heartily forgiven me now. (ch. 58)
An all-around good guy. I know Bingley is sometimes portrayed as a little bit of dingbat, but when I read all these quotes, I just feel like he would have been a precious person to know.
good-humour itself…a sweet-tempered, amiable, charming man. (ch. 16)