“Who is hands-down the best literary hero, in your opinion? Likewise, who is the best heroine?” (Taken from the last nineteen classics I have read.)
Nominees for best literary hero:
Razumikhin
in Crime and Punishment
Lenin
in Anna Karenina
Diggory
in The Return of the Native
Ralph
Touchett in The Portrait of a Lady
Huckleberry
Finn in The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn
Tom
Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
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Martin Donovan as Ralph Touchett |
All of
these men or young men demonstrate exceptional moral character, which makes
them worthy of the honor. But if I must
choose one, I choose Ralph Touchett. If
anything good can come out of The
Portrait of a Lady, it is he. Ralph
is infinitely altruistic, considerate, and kindhearted. He selflessly loves his cousin. He is a good man. Too bad for Isabel; she does not deserve him
anyway.
My
extremely close second is Tom Sawyer.
Naturally a mischievous, naughty boy, yet when called to do what is
right and good, he shows his ability to be honorable. He affectionately tends to, protects, and
cares for Becky when they are lost inside the cave; and once they are found, he
does the right thing by alerting the authorities about Injun Joe being locked
in the cave – albeit too late for Joe. There
is something about a person who can rise to the occasion and demonstrate honor
and courage when the time calls for it.
Nominees for best literary heroine:
Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice
Eva in
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Darya
Alexandrovna (Dolly) in Anna Karenina
Henrietta
in The Portrait of a Lady
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Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet |
My favorite literary heroine is between Elizabeth and Henrietta.
Henrietta had a smaller part in The Portrait of a Lady, and at first I
detested her; however, by the end of the novel she was proactive and took
loving charge to care for Ralph in his greatest time of need. It showcased her
feminine side.
However, Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice discovered a great and important lesson in her life, and she admitted
her indecency with noble gentility and graciousness. Plus she was the main character, so there was
more of her to experience than with the other contenders. I would have loved to be in her shoes. So I suppose in the end Elizabeth is the deserved favorite.
Great question! Literary hero for me would be Diggory from The Return of the Native. He was a great character. Heroine - definitely Jane Eyre. She was a strong person.
ReplyDeleteJane Eyre seems to be a popular favorite.
DeleteHa...Ralph Touchet is one of my candidates as well, but I think in the end someone else will take his place ;)
ReplyDeleteNice. I'm looking forward to see who you choose!
DeleteI had a really hard time deciding on the heroine. I chose against Elizabeth because she was so flawed...but you make an excellent point. She learned a very good lesson in life...and was able to admit her mistake and set her pride aside. :)
ReplyDeleteMy April Meme