In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice two men wear a blue coat: Bingley and Wickham. True to Austen’s style, everything in her novel is doubled and twisted.
Bingley is an honest man, but careless as Werther was. His writing style that he is so proud of is an imitation of Werther’s carelessness in letter writing. Bingley resembles Goethe’s protagonist in his social behaviour as well. He’s kind to those who are lower on the social ladder, and unconcerned with titles. The very first thing the girls notice about him is that he wears blue coat. We learn then that he’s romantic in advance. Yet his negligence in observing etiquette has its drawbacks. He asks Jane twice to dance with him on the first occasion, causing gossip that he yet doesn’t know he’s likely to follow. We know that, like Werther again, he was in love before. There must have been ladies with broken hearts and disappointed hopes. At the same time he overlooks Lizzy for his “Angel”, once more, Werther’s nickname for his sweetheart, causing her to sit down a dance when he should be dancing with her. In my opinion his conduct is a result of thoughtlessness. In this he’s similar to Marianne, in love with the image of himself, styled upon Werther’s example, without consideration for the feelings of others, because he cannot imagine he could hurt.
Bingley’s indecision mirrors that of Werther’s as well.
