Jane Austen Character Rankings

 Today I wanted to take a look at the heros, heroines and villains of Jane Austen's main 6 novels.

My ranking of the heroines:

1.       Anne Eliot – Anne is my favourite heroine because she reminds me of myself. She is more on the quiet side, literary, and caring.

2.       Elizabeth Bennet – It is so enjoyable how Eliza knows her own mind, loves her family (flaws and all) and is confident in herself.

3.       Elinor Dashwood – I love that she is the strength of her family and tries to be wise in all her actions.

4.       Catherine Moorland – Catherine is so sweet and adorable in her innocence. I find her overactive imagination delightful to witness (even if it is overdramatic and unrealistic).

5.       Fanny Price -  I love her conviction and strength of character, her endurance and constancy.

6.       Marianne Dashwood – I like how passionate she was (just not her stubbornness in holding to the overdramatic).

7.       Emma Woodhouse – I’m afraid Emma really frustrates me. She is charming and truly cares for those she takes into her intimate circle, but her arrogance in believing she knows what is best for everyone is grating.

 

My ranking of the heroes:

1.       Colonel Brandon – Though often overlooked, I love that he is such a good man with hidden passion and his constancy is heart-melting.

2.       George Knightley – I love how honourable he is; that he is responsible and kind-hearted.

3.       Fitzwilliam Darcy – I love his growth and how he becomes a better man through the story.

4.       Henry Tilney – Henry is such an enjoyable tease and so sweet in his care for his sister.

5.       Captain Frederick Wentworth – I have to admit Wentworth’s leader presence is attractive and his constant love (if not always well handled in dealing with others) is moving.

6.       Edward Ferrars – I love how Edward tries to do the honourable thing no matter the consequences, but really don’t like how he treated Elinor.

7.       Edmund Bertram – I’m sorry to say I don’t really like Edmund. He tries to be a moral example in his family and gives into them instead; not to mention seeing what he wanted to see in others instead of reality.

 

My ranking of the “villains” worst to least bad:

1.       John Willoughby – He is entirely selfish and leaves the most damage behind him.

2.       George Wickham – He too is completely selfish, but does less overall damage (at least to the characters we know of).

3.       Henry Crawford – His arrogance, self-centeredness and lack of self-control is such a turnoff; along with how he treats Fanny as invisible and then a challenge/prize to win.

4.       Mr Eliot -  Again he is self-centred and manipulative.

5.       Lucy Steele – The only female on this list, but well deservedly here because she is manipulative, greedy and intentionally hurtful.

6.       John Thorpe – He is greedy and rude and self-absorbed.

7.       Frank Churchill – Some may debate me on Churchill being on this list but he was manipulative to those around him and hurtful towards his fiancé. The only reason he isn’t thought of as worse is because he lucked out in Emma not falling for him and not having to go against his Aunt to marry who he wanted.