"Two men both alike in dignity" (line 1, prologue of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare) describes two similar but very different men in the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. There we are in the 18th century with these two dignified but different men, Fitzwilliam Darcy and George Wickham. Although they are well dignified, they are not friends because of a promise that Darcy's father made with Wickham but he (Darcy) did not keep it, instead he gave Wickham a choice; too take money or the position that his father offered.

Wickham chose the money that Darcy offered him. Darcy gave the money to him, but Wickham as it says in the novel, spent all the money on things that he wanted to do, then when he was out of money, he decided to take the position that Darcy's father promised him. This is where Darcy doesn't let him have the land because he gave Wickham a choice already. Wickham spent the money purposely as the the novel says, his attentions were to spend it all then to ask for the land thinking that he'd get them both.

Friends they are not, with honor of their own. The one promise Darcy's father gave Wickham started their relationship between them, off with jealousy in both their eyes. They showed great honor though when with others, but at that one meet between just the two of them, as it describes it as, they bowed stiffly and tipped their hat slightly and were then off. This alone, shows us that they are not that friendly with each other.

This one promise Darcy's father gave to Wickham will keep Darcy and Wickham from friendship, not only will that keep them from each other but also the fact that Wickham tried to receive both offers from Darcy. These two men are not friends and are men in this book Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.