A “villain,” in the literary sense, is defined as “a character who functions as an evil antagonist in the plot of a literary work.” Jane Austen’s villains are sometimes not evil so much as they are annoying.
However, they can be defined as villains, nonetheless, because they interfere with the heroes and heroines of the novels. They toy with hearts, demand or expect money to which they are not properly entitled, and push themselves into other people’s business.
Three examples of Jane Austen’s style of villain can be found in the novels Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion.
Villainy in Pride and Prejudice
An example of a classic Jane Austen villain is the character of Mr. Wickham in Pride and Prejudice.
- Mr. Wickham tells untruths about Mr. Darcy, thus prejudicing the heart of heroine Elizabeth Bennet against him, so that she throws the charges against him when he first proposes to her. Mr. Darcy is dumbfounded to hear what Elizabeth thinks about him, having no idea that Mr. Wickham has spread such lies.
- Mr. Wickham toys with the heart of Elizabeth Bennet. Her hopes are dashed, however, when Mr. Darcy writes a letter to her upon her refusal of his hand in marriage, trying to set things straight. Mr. Darcy gives her the true details of his dealings with Mr. Wickham, and she learns Mr. Wickham’s true character.
- Finally, Mr. Wickham elopes with Elizabeth’s sister, thusly shaming the family as well as seemingly ruining Elizabeth’s renewed chances to be in Mr. Darcy’s favour, and heart. This is perhaps his greatest misdeed of all, in seemingly separating Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy a second time.
Mr. Wickham is a character with no morals, ethics, or goals, and he plays havoc with other people’s lives. He interferes and toys both with Elizabeth and with Mr. Darcy.
Readers may feel almost glad to see him married off to Elizabeth’s thoughtless sister, Lydia, and going off to serve in a distant regiment, in order to have him out of the way so Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy can finally come together.
Villainy in Mansfield Park
In Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park, seeing the villain is a bit more difficult, because there could be more than one. The brother and sister team of Henry and Mary Crawford both seem to be “baddies,” as they are sophisticated and thoughtless.
However, Henry Crawford is not so much a villain as a rogue gentleman with no direction or plans, a man with money but not much mindfulness. His sister, however, demonstrates some classic characteristics of a villain.
- Mary Crawford is manipulative, though appearing gracious and seemingly harmless. She seems to be aware of the bond between Edmund Bertram and Fanny Price, and sets her cap for Edmund whilst torturing Fanny with stories of her harp playing that entrances Edmund and her experiences in the world, making Fanny feel unsophisticated and simple.
- She acts, on the surface, kindly towards Fanny, but in fact sees Fanny as her competition and is merely seeking to get to know Fanny better. She admits her selfishness to Fanny, and laughs it off as not so much a character flaw as a birthright.
- In front of the assembled Bertram family, as the older son Tom fights death, she announces in no uncertain terms her plans for the money and power of position when she marries Edmund after Tom dies. The family is shocked, and Edmund quickly loses his infatuation with her.
Mary Crawford’s selfishness leads her to expect money and power to fall into her hands, and she begins to plan her marriage to Edmund and plan his future, when no such arrangements have even been contemplated by Edmund.
Mary's plans are announced whilst Edmund’s older brother lies on his deathbed. Such thoughtlessness and misplaced sense of ownership renders Mary Crawford as Jane Austen’s villain in Mansfield Park.
Persuasion
Persuasion is the most difficult of Jane Austen’s novels, perhaps, in which to spot the villain, because there are several unpleasant or thoughtless characters who match some other Jane Austen villains.
However, upon closer examination, the villain is easy to spot.
- Lady Russell, described as “of steady age and character,” interferes with Anne Elliot’s engagement to a young man named Frederick Wentworth, to the point where Anne breaks off the engagement.
- Anne and Frederick live apart due to Lady Russell’s misplaced persuasion, isolated from one another, for seven long years, during which both suffer greatly.
- Lady Russell tries a second time to persuade Anne against contact with now Captain Wentworth when he returns to the neighbourhood after seven years at sea. Finally, the two come together due to Anne’s famous words: “All the privilege I claim for my own sex…is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.” Captain Wentworth declares his love to her, and finally, they are united.
Lady Russell may seem benign, and merely looking out for a dear friend’s welfare, but her interference was uncalled for, and brought about great suffering.
Jane Austen did not have patience with those who interfered with others. In a letter to her sister Cassandra in 1796, Jane Austen sarcastically writes: “Mr Richard Harvey is going to be married; but as it is a great secret and only known to half the neighbourhood, you must not mention it.”
Jane Austen definitely has villains, though they are not the classic imagined type that ties helpless ladies to railroad tracks. They are more insidious, and therefore, more dangerous and useful to study because all people, at some point in their lives, will deal with such people, to some degree.
Sources:
New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language, Declair Publishing Company, Inc., 1975, 1981.
The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen, compiled by Dominique Enright, Michael O’Mara Books Limited, 2000.
Pride and Prejudice¸ by Jane Austen, Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1945.
Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen, Everyman, 1998.
Persuasion, by Jane Austen, Oxford University Press, 1971, 1990.
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