Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Most Aptly Named Character

Emma's ruined outing at Box Hill vexed readers most. Emma, as we have all read, has become the most popular girl's name in the U.S., besting Emily. In keeping with the name theme, who is the most aptly named Jane Austen character? Mr. Wickham or Mr. Knightley. You decide who is

Most Aptly Named

Mr. Knightley, Emma
Mr. Knightley defends Miss Bates with a vengeance, telling Emma in no uncertain terms that she had made cruel sport of a defenseless woman. He also comes to Miss Harriet Smith's rescue, dancing with her when Mr. Elton so rudely snubs her at the Crown Inn ball. Who among us cannot admire such a chivalrous character? Emma observed: "In another moment a happier sight caught her;—Mr. Knightley leading Harriet to the set!—Never had she been more surprised, seldom more delighted, than at that instant. She was all pleasure and gratitude, both for Harriet and herself, and longed to be thanking him; and though too distant for speech, her countenance said much, as soon as she could catch his eye again. His dancing proved to be just what she had believed it, extremely good; and Harriet would have seemed almost too lucky, if it had not been for the cruel state of things before, and for the very complete enjoyment and very high sense of the distinction which her happy features announced."

Mr. Wickham, Pride and Prejudice
The wickedly devilish Mr. Wickham is one of those bad boys who some women tend to love no matter what. On the surface he seems charming, but his selfish actions could have ruined Lydia, since he did not intend to wed her. An unabashed fortune hunter, Wickham almost ruined innocent Georgianna Darcy and badmouthed her brother to Elizabeth, lying to her in the process. Elizabeth eventually caught on to his schemes. She also learned the following information from Mrs. Gardiner about Wickham's behavior in London: "[Mr. Darcy] thought, to secure and expedite a marriage, which, in his very first conversation with Wickham, he easily learnt had never been his design. He confessed himself obliged to leave the regiment, on account of some debts of honour, which were very pressing; and scrupled not to lay all the ill-consequences of Lydia's flight on her own folly alone. He meant to resign his commission immediately; and as to his future situation, he could conjecture very little about it...Wickham still cherished the hope of more effectually making his fortune by marriage in some other country."