Jane Eyre
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If you've read both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights - Rochester or Heathcliff?
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Kaida46 (deb)
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Feb 16, 2013 12:50PM
Definitely Rochester, Heathcliff is just plain mean.
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Rochester without any doubt.
Mmm I love both books, but I would never date either man...
Rochester. Any given day.
Rochester. Heathcliff was a cruel, twisted, selfish man.
DEFINITELY Rochester.Like you, I've read Wuthering Heights multiple times, but I've also read Jane Eyre multiple times.
As a teenager I was strongly drawn to Heathcliff, but reading the books in later years, I see that he was violent and mean. Rochester is charismatic and appealing, but he's the kind of guy you could marry.
In real life I've also learned that the bad boy is exciting, but he rarely makes a good husband.
Rochester. Heathcliff was a miserable wretch and he descended into madness. Rochester was intense at times but he wasn't insane.
Wow! There are a lot of comments here! I read both books and enjoyed both. For many reasons I'd choose Rochester over Heathcliff. Yet, I think the bigger question here isn't about which man would you rather be with, but what you think pure love really is. Love isn't just a warm feeling even though that feeling is absolutely beautiful. Love is an action! Do either of them really display kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (or the ladies for that matter)? Do either of them put their loved one first? What about restraint? I sometimes think that love is wanting the other so much that a look is the same to the heart as a touch. I think that when you love someone just the sight of them is like nourishment for your soul. Neither man displays it perfectly, but I think Rochester understands it better than Heathcliff, at least toward the end of the book. For those women out there that made comments about liking Heathcliff better because he's "passionate" and "more exciting" or because Rochester is "old" think about this: that passionate feeling (although important) can pass and what love truly lies beneath that passion is what you end up with; the kind of excitement men like Heathcliff brings also brings misery and drama--someone strong, protective, dependable and steady is preferable; and, although there are extra obstacles to anyone being with someone twice their age, if they truly love each other and are partners and companions of the heart and soul which makes them better as people together than apart it's important that they spend as much time with one another as they can possibly have. Rochester over Heathcliff? No contest.
Hands down Heathcliff, Kathy made him cruel because of the standards set for the times. If it was real love, and I believe it was, she would have trusted him to take care of her and look what happened. But in the end, they once again roamed the moors. Such romance!
Lauren wrote: "Wow! There are a lot of comments here! I read both books and enjoyed both. For many reasons I'd choose Rochester over Heathcliff. Yet, I think the bigger question here isn't about which man woul..."I agree completely. Though some of Rochester's actions weren't the best (like attempted marriage while he was married already) he was not as evil as Heathcliff at all.
Heathcliff def Rochester seems rather boring.
I believe that every woman would like Rochester's gentleness beneath his dark mystery (because just a gentleness becomes boring) but of course sometimes every woman would like to be Catherine so to have Heathcliff's great passionate love. I prefer Rochester for a life, Heathcliff maybe in my dreams only (to avoid abusement for not being his Catherine!)
Do I have to choose? But seriously, I would have to say Heathcliff. Yes, he was obsessed with Catherine, but she was his first and ONLY love. They were as Catherine said, ""He is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. If all else perished and he remained, I should still continue to be, and if all else remained, and we were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger… He’s always, always in my mind; not as a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
They were the same. Without Cathy, Heathcliff could not be happy. And in turn, without Heathcliff, Cathy couldn't be happy. They were both Wild, untamed beings, and when Cathy started spending time with the Linton's, that inner fire started to die, and Heathcliff saw it, and tried to relight it. But he couldn't and the world was just sad... :( What I'm trying to say is, Heathcliff loved Catherine for who she really was. Warts and all. Edward loved her when she became a "lady".
But I still love Rochester, just not as much as Heathcliff.:)
I have read both books three or four times. Because the actors who played those parts in the movies became so associated with their parts, I would have to say I favor Heathcliff. I was not an Orson Welles fan. But they both were perfect choices for the films - terrific actors.Kathy
Random but based off of the post that Kathy made. Tom Hardy was simply amazing as Heathcliff on the PBS version of Wuthering Heights. :)
Rachel wrote: "Random but based off of the post that Kathy made. Tom Hardy was simply amazing as Heathcliff on the PBS version of Wuthering Heights. :)"Was he? I'm scared to watch it - the few Tom Hardy movies I've seen, he's been forgettable or worse. I'll always think of the Ralph Fiennes version, which is the one I watched in high school.
Tom owned the screen on Wuthering Heights. :) he was very good in it. Ralph Fiennes played Heathcliff ? I'm going to have to watch that now.
Heathcliff forever! Loved him when I read the book in 1967 at age 12. I understood his love obsession ... a painful love that makes you believe that one can be bound together even after life. I can't say it's a situation fit for every relationship, but my goodness it was dark and passionate.
C'mon it has to be Rochester. Unless you enjoy being miserable on a moor with a loved one who would rather you be cursed to haunt him forever (no rest for you dear) then to move on.
Rochester just had the crazy wife in the attic. In fact the attic could be read as a home-made mental health facility if you think about it - she even had a nurse (or was it just a maid?) to look after her. Rochester was a big-hearted wife hiding liar by omission.
In all seriousness though I love both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights has some of the most powerfully articulated declarations of love I've ever read including 'Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you--haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe--I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!' He's crazy that Heathcliff but goodness those speeches!
He was ultimately self-destructive and obsessed though, so if you had to pick between the two, it seems fairly obvious that happiness lies by way of Rochester rather than the moor.
Neither. Well, maybe Heathcliff before he went crazy... nah, neither.
Heathcliff!! Wuthering Heights rates WAY up there as one of my favorite novels.
While not a woman, nor attracted to men, it has been related to me that Heathcliff represents a seductive mix of passion that verges a bit on the dangerous side. He is a man who is not only obsessed, but who seems to be on the edge. It is a type of passion that is often imagined and yearned for by some.
Heathcliff is a cad and a bounder, as manipulative as they come and interested in nothing but himself. Rochester, though flawed, is a decent man who *tries* to do right even if he is not always successful. That he actually loves Jane and marries her out of love was rather unusual for the upper classes of the time who usually saw marriage as a means of social and financial advantage. Love was saved for the mistress.Rochester and it isn't even close.
I was going to say Heathcliff. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized Rochester is the man I'd want. Heathcliff was obsessed, and Rochester was simply in love.
Rochester, hands down...I really wanted to like Heathcliff... kept looking for reasons to like him... but nope...couldn't find anything likeable about him....
Bill wrote: "Heathcliff is a cad and a bounder, as manipulative as they come and interested in nothing but himself. Rochester, though flawed, is a decent man who *tries* to do right even if he is not always suc..."I liked your point about the social classes. You're right, it would have been very unusual for Rochester to have married Jane during that time. It just goes to show that he did love her even if many of his choices were seriously flawed.
I would be concerned about what Heathcliff might do to my cat, he has a deplorable record with animals.Rochester all the way.
Heathcliff? No way. He's brutal, mean and basically a sociopath. Rochester all the way!
Sod the both of them.....Go with Gabriel Oak in Far From Madding Crowd Every Time !
Neither actually. Both are total assholes but if forced to choose I'd go for Heathcliff. I can at least comprehend Heathcliff's anger and callousness in comparison to an asshole who wouldn't mind marrying me while keeping me in the dark about his first wife. What a dick!
ROCHESTER. Heathcliff would eviscerate anyone but Cathy.
Come on - that's a no-brainer. On one hand, you have a sane man who loves you enough to let you go when - if - that is your wish and on the other you have one (who, I suspect, is teetering on the very fine line between insane and almost insane) who, after you refuse him, tries to harm his 'love' and her family.
Rochester. He seems more in love, more honest than Heathcliff.
Rochester of course , the one who still protecting people although his love but Heathcliff and his way of revenge from people who hurt him and also from innocent people , yes he loved and get hurt but the revenge is something bad to do and turn you like the people they hurt you
so Rochester of course
☯Emily wrote: "I see. It is like marrying a football player who makes a lot of money, but hits you every time you forget to pass the salt and then kills you one day in a rage. Sorry, not convinced."
Amen. I'll take a bigamist over a beater any day.
Elizabeth wrote: "ROCHESTER. Heathcliff would eviscerate anyone but Cathy."hehehehhe
Rochester all the way!!! I hate Heathcliff!!
Jeez, I fell in love with Mr Rochester when I was 14. Heathcliffe never turned my head, except for a brief flirtation with Laurence Olivier ACTING Heathcliffe. Interesting question.
When I was 21 it would have been Heathcliff. . . at 45 it is definitely Rochester. Maybe that's because in real life I married my Heathcliff?
Rochester, easily. As for Villette, I much preferred M. Paul Emmanuel over John Graham. He is fiery and mysterious. Dr.John only wants perfect little Paulina through most of the book.
Rochester, although I can see why people would choose Heathcliff too. I can't tell you how happy I am to see this thread on my feed rather then EDWARD vs JACOB? or worse EDWARD vs. CHRISTIAN?
A tear actually came to my eye as I saw women discussing the characters in one of my all time favorite books - Jane Eyre - intelligently and respectfully!
Anntonette wrote: "When I was 21 it would have been Heathcliff. . . at 45 it is definitely Rochester. Maybe that's because in real life I married my Heathcliff?"Sorry about your experience, but loved the reply.
Rochester. I was not a fan of Heathcliff at all. Though to be honest, neither of them - I have a soft spot for Rochester in that I'd like to be his friend. But the idea of either man romantically is a no.
Rochester, I love happy ending.
Rochester, forsure! He is the kind of misterious man with a tough side, but totally in love with Jane and ready to do everything to protects her!
Once upon a time, I had a cartoon of a man standing dramatically on the moors. On the wind, he hears "Heeeeathclifffff." And he thinks to himself "Ye Gods, will this novel never end?" That sums up my feelings on Wuthering Heights and on Heathcliff, although, to be fair Catherine was no prize: They deserved each other. But I still remember tearing through Jane Eyre in a day back in high school, and to this day may swoon to various incarnations of Rochester in the movies.
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