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At the start of chapter 18, it is made clear that Elizabeth is attracted to Mr. Wickham. The first paragraph says that “she had dressed with more than usual care” in order to appear more pleasing to Wickham. Her attraction to him blinds her from the truth. She already has a “likeness” of Darcy in her mind and because she is so proud of her ability to judge the character of people swiftly, she refuses to acknowledge that she is wrong. When Wickham tells her his story, she believes it to be true because it matches with her own opinion of Darcy. Her pride is the leading cause for her downfall later in the novel.
When she arrives, her thoughts are solely on Wickham and the pleasure she expects to gain shortly from his company during the private ball. However, she is soon told by “Mr Denny…that Wickham had been obliged to go to town on business the day before,” and that the business would not have been as important, “if he had not wished to avoid a certain gentleman”. This is the second sign of Wickham’s deceitful character and hypocrisy. During his first acquaintance with Elizabeth he had stressed to her that Darcy would not drive him away and that Darcy would be the one to avoid their meeting. The first sign he demonstrated was in his telling Elizabeth that he did not wish to “defy or expose him”, and then proceeding to abuse Darcy with false words. Wickham uses his agreeable personality and the general prejudice Elizabeth has, against Darcy to his advantage. He tries to convince everybody into believing his story before Darcy has chance to relate his side of the story.
Upon hearing about Wickham’s business in London and absence from the ball, Miss Elizabeth wilfully chooses to ignore the hypocrisy in his actions. She overlooks the fact that Wickham has intentionally avoided the ball; instead she chooses to be angry with Mr Darcy. She is confident that “Darcy was not less answerable for Wickham’s absence…every feeling against the former was…sharpened by immediate disappointment.” Darcy has not faulted in attending this ball; on the contrary he has overcome his dislike of such events and followed decorum in attending; it would have been discourteous if he had not attended. However, Elizabeth holds his presence against Darcy like some sort of crime, yet again demonstrating her now, extreme prejudice against him.
Darcy who is gradually coming to terms with his love for Elizabeth, asks her to dance. Elizabeth is flabbergasted by his “application for her hand”; the request flusters her so greatly that she is unable to think of an excuse in order to avoid dancing with him, “she accept[s] him”. Charlotte whispers to Elizabeth not to “allow her fancy for Wickham to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man ten times his consequence.” This demonstrates how ill disguised Elizabeth’s attraction to Wickham is. In addition, it tells us, which later becomes important, that Charlotte is more concerned about money and security from a husband than Elizabeth is. This is the first hint we receive that Charlotte might be prepared to marry for money rather than love.
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