Mrs. Younge
Physical Appearance: No physical description.
Character Description and Analysis: Mrs. Younge is a character in Pride and Prejudice who plays a significant role in the narrative, despite not being one of the main characters. She was hired by Fitzwilliam Darcy to oversee an establishment in London for his fifteen-year-old sister, Georgiana, after she left school. However, Darcy was deceived in her character and discovered too late that she had a prior acquaintance with George Wickham, their late father’s godson and favorite, who had turned out very bad and developed a resentment for Darcy.She took Georgiana to Ramsgate in the summer where she reacquainted Georgiana with Wickham. With her connivance and aid, Wickham set about seducing Georgiana into an elopement that would grant him full control of Georgiana’s thirty thousand pounds and revenge himself upon Darcy. When Darcy unexpectedly joined them, Georgiana told him everything since she looked up to him as a father. Darcy wrote to Wickham, and he removed Mrs. Younge from her charge.
When Wickham eloped with Lydia Bennet, Mr. Darcy tracked down Mrs. Younge in London. She was then living in Edward-Street and letting lodgings. Wickham first came to Mrs. Younge for a place to stay, but she could not provide him one. Lydia’s aunt, Mrs. Gardiner, later implies to Lydia’s sister, Elizabeth, that Darcy had to bribe Mrs. Younge to find out where Wickham and Lydia were, because she knew where they were staying, and Mr. Darcy found them soon after.
In summary, Mrs. Younge is a character who, despite her limited presence, has a significant impact on the narrative of Pride and Prejudice. Her actions and decisions play a crucial role in the development of the plot and the relationships between the characters.
Character Mentions In the letter Darcy writes to Elizabeth in Chapter 35 and in the letter Aunt Gardiner writes to Elizabeth in Chapter 52.
Chapter 35
How he lived, I know not. But last summer he was again most painfully obtruded on my notice. I must now mention a circumstance which I would wish to forget myself, and which no obligation less than the present should induce me to unfold to any human being. Having said thus much, I feel no doubt of your secrecy. My sister, who is more than ten years my junior, was left to the guardianship of my mother’s nephew, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and myself. About a year ago, she was taken from school, and an establishment formed for her in London; and last summer she went with the lady who presided over it to Ramsgate; and thither also went Mr. Wickham, undoubtedly by design; for there proved to have been a prior acquaintance between him and Mrs. Younge, in whose character we were most unhappily deceived; and by her connivance and aid he so far recommended himself to Georgiana, whose affectionate heart retained a strong impression of his kindness to her as a child, that she was persuaded to believe herself in love and to consent to an elopement. She was then but fifteen, which must be her excuse; and after stating her imprudence, I am happy to add, that I owed the knowledge of it to herself. I joined them unexpectedly a day or two before the intended elopement; and then Georgiana, unable to support the idea of grieving and offending a brother whom she almost looked up to as a father, acknowledged the whole to me. You may imagine what{252} I felt and how I acted. Regard for my sister’s credit and feelings prevented any public exposure; but I wrote to Mr. Wickham, who left the place immediately, and Mrs. Younge was of course removed from her charge. Mr. Wickham’s chief object was unquestionably my sister’s fortune, which is thirty thousand pounds; but I cannot help supposing that the hope of revenging himself on me was a strong inducement.
Chapter 52
...
There is a lady, it seems, a Mrs. Younge, who was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy, and was dismissed from her charge on some cause of disapprobation, though he did not say what. She then took a large house in Edward Street, and has since maintained herself by letting lodgings. This Mrs. Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham; and he went to her for intelligence of him, as soon as he got to town. But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted. She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found. Wickham, indeed, had gone to her on their first arrival in London
... This Mrs. Younge was, he knew, intimately acquainted with Wickham; and he went to her for intelligence of him, as soon as he got to town. But it was two or three days before he could get from her what he wanted. She would not betray her trust, I suppose, without bribery and corruption, for she really did know where her friend was to be found. Wickham, indeed, had gone to her on their first arrival in London; and had she been able to receive them into her house, they would have taken up their abode with her.
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