Might it help define Bingley if we introduced a level of fairness and asked was he a wimp in general, or just in his actions over Jane? (with apologies for anything already said, as I've only been here a couple of days.)
The sort of guy he comes across as generally (somewhat defined by Jane herself after a first meeting)
" He is just what a young man ought to be,'' said she, ``sensible, good humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! -- so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!'' sounds like someone far more preferable than Wickham, for instance. Now granted, this from a woman who saw good in everyone, but also an honest person and describing someone she is very attracted to personally. As such, her judgement must be considered, and nothing about Bingley is ever seen as dislikeable. Darcy, hardly everyone's idea of Mr Joviality, has him as his closest friend, a recommendation on at least some admirable qualities, surely? Personally, I have stated Bingley as wimpish in his acceptance of someone else's view in a matter so importance as choosing the woman you'll marry, but that apart he actually comes across as "a jolly fine sort of chap".
I see Bingley as another of Jane Austen's Yin and Yang creations in his total opposition to Darcy. She seems to enjoy making her characters show contrasting traits and personalities and, at times leaves some things unsaid. She has that magical knack of describing people intimately by hardly saying very much about them and letting the readers use their own imaginations. Above all, no one is totally perfect ,except Jane, of course, who could see a highwayman rob her and wonder perhaps if it was a case of mistaken identity? (-:
