Caroline Bingley
Caroline Bingley is the unmarried sister of Charles Bingley and, along with her married sister Louisa Hurst, a constant companion to her brother at Netherfield Park. With a fortune of twenty thousand pounds and an education at one of the first private seminaries in London, she is a proud and conceited woman who believes herself entitled to think well of herself and meanly of others. Her primary objectives throughout the novel are to secure her brother's marriage to Georgiana Darcy and to win the affections of Fitzwilliam Darcy for herself, making her a persistent antagonist to the Bennet family.
Identity and Background
Caroline Bingley is the daughter of a tradesman whose fortune was acquired through commerce, a circumstance she and her sister are anxious to forget. They are "rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves, and meanly of others." Her brother Charles inherited nearly a hundred thousand pounds from their father, and Caroline is eager for him to purchase an estate, though she is by no means unwilling to preside at his table at Netherfield. She is a fine woman with an air of decided fashion, but her manners at the Meryton assembly are not calculated to please, and Elizabeth Bennet quickly perceives her as proud and conceited.
Pursuit of Darcy and Rivalry with Elizabeth
From the moment of Darcy's arrival in Hertfordshire, Caroline Bingley sets her cap at him. At Netherfield, she is "engrossed by Mr. Darcy" while her sister is scarcely less so, and she perpetually seeks his attention, complimenting his handwriting, his letter-writing, and his sister. She attempts to provoke him into disliking Elizabeth by talking of their supposed marriage and planning his happiness in such an alliance, sarcastically suggesting that portraits of Elizabeth's uncle and aunt Phillips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. When Darcy admits to meditating on the pleasure bestowed by a pair of fine eyes, Caroline immediately fixes her eyes on his face and demands to know which lady has inspired such reflections, and upon hearing "Miss Elizabeth Bennet," she exclaims, "I am all astonishment." Her jealousy is evident, and her anxiety for the recovery of Jane Bennet is assisted by her desire of getting rid of Elizabeth.
Role in Separating Bingley and Jane
Caroline Bingley is a principal agent in the separation of her brother from Jane Bennet. She writes a letter to Jane from London, professing affection but clearly indicating that the Netherfield party has no intention of returning, and that her brother greatly admires Miss Darcy. She follows her brother to town in the hope of keeping him there, and Elizabeth correctly interprets her motives: "Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in love with you, and wants him to marry Miss Darcy. She follows him to town in hope of keeping him there, and tries to persuade you that he does not care about you." When Jane visits London, Caroline does not return her visit for a fortnight, and when she finally does, her manner is so altered that Jane resolves to continue the acquaintance no longer. Elizabeth later reflects that the united efforts of Bingley's two unfeeling sisters and his overpowering friend, assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy, might be too much for the strength of his attachment.
Confrontation and Defeat
Caroline Bingley's schemes ultimately fail. At Pemberley, she is mortified by Darcy's evident admiration for Elizabeth, and she attempts to undermine Elizabeth by mentioning Wickham and the militia, hoping to remind Darcy of the follies and absurdities of Elizabeth's family. Darcy, however, defends Elizabeth, declaring that he has considered her "one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance" for many months. After Darcy's marriage to Elizabeth, Caroline is "very deeply mortified," but she drops all her resentment, becomes fonder than ever of Georgiana, and pays off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth in order to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley.
Character and Significance
Caroline Bingley embodies the social snobbery and mercenary values that the novel critiques. She is a woman of fashion and fortune who uses her influence to manipulate her brother's affections and to pursue a man who does not return her interest. Her jealousy of Elizabeth and her contempt for the Bennet family's lower connections reveal the class prejudices that Darcy himself must overcome. Her ultimate defeat—forced to be civil to the woman she despises—underscores the novel's theme that genuine merit and affection triumph over wealth and social ambition. She serves as a foil to Elizabeth, representing the kind of woman Darcy might have married had he not learned to value intelligence and character over fortune and fashion.
