Jane Eyre question

Nishtha wrote: "While I know wholeheartedly that both the books are incomparable and absolutely amazing, I can't seem feel as gravitated towards Wuthering Heights as I do towards Jane Eyre. What are your views?
I ..."loved the shift in narration Emily gave us in WH, with Nellie throwing her views at the reader. But...

Charlotte makes a place for us alongside Jane. Emily allows Cathy to disappear into the landscape. The different approaches are fantastic. Charlotte edges the other book out by a page-width - no more.

I suspect it's the opening, in the school, that haunts the rest of Jane's narrative. That autobiographical aspect makes the decision for me.

Jane Eyre, I've read it, listened to the audio, watched the movie and consider it my favorite literary classic novel.

Jane Eyre, positively; Wuthering Heights is downright crap.

In my opinion both books are very different: one is more about the positive aspect of love, while the other emphasizes in its suffering.
I like both, one for when I feel positive and the other one for when I need to realize my life is not that bad. :)

I enjoyed Jane Eyre very much. I've tried to read Wuthering Heights twice, and gave up both times.

Wuthering Heights may have its merits, but I'm not sure if I would ever use the word "enjoyable" to describe it...

Jane Eyre is by far the more readable of the two. Was there ever a better story about true love?

Both of the novels are just amazing, I enjoyed reading them both. But, I love Wuthering Heights more, It's a very different story, there is so much creativity in it. for Jane Eyre, we have seen many other stories that dealt with the same topic (Orphans). For me, Wuthering Heights is one of the most passionate and heartfelt novels ever written, I adore it !

Jane Eyre!!!

Wuthering Heights just barely beats Jane Eyre...... While I love Jane and Rochester, the Cathy/Heathliff love and hate thing....it's chilling, it's raw. WH was the first "classic" I ever willingly read,and I loved it. Even though everyone died :/

I love Jane Eyre much more

^ Wuthering Heights is sad though. Jane Eyre ends with her happily married. Wuthering Heights might as well be called "Everybody is Sad then Everybody Dies"

JANE EYRE. JANE EYRE. JANE EYRE.

Without a doubt Jane Eyre was the most enjoyable. Wuthering was very depressing and dark as compared.

Jane Eyre is definitely better. Wuthering Heights was a horrible story. I had to force myself to finish it.

Jane Eyre, I love a happy ending.

Wuthering Height. Rarely read a book with so much raw energy (and it has to be said sex appeal) which transcends the ages. Incredible intense. Agree that most of the characters are very flawed, but who isn't. Do love Jane Eyre though as well.

Jane Eyre!! Love that story. Have read Wuthering Heights and I don't get involved with the characters like I did with Jane.

I'm never good at saying one book, especially classics of this caliber, is better than another.
Both of these books are compelling to me and were central to me during my teen years.
I agree that both of these books are important to include in any discussion of the Romantic Period. They embody everything that was "The Romantic," and need to be understood from that perspective.
From another perspective--the humane--it was difficult to read of the abuse that went on in the households--in both books--it helped me to realize important aspects of human behavior, and the cyclical nature of abuse and its continuance throughout generations.
This is especially true in Wuthering Heights and it surprises me how many people writing here "hated" Heathcliff and Catherine. How would you expect two children raised in such abuse and terror to turn out?

Jane Eyre was/is an important expose on how children (especially girls) were treated in that era (and now, sadly),also how mental disease was viewed--incurable and worthy of being chained in an attic!

There is one thing that profoundly changed my views on Jane Eyre, however, and that was when I read, "The Wide Sargasso Sea" by Jean Rhys. I could never regard Mr. Rochester in the same light after that.

I definitely preferred Jane Eyre.

I prefer Jane Eyre

I have read both and feel that each book has its merit. However, to compare them is like comparing apples to oranges. I take Wuthering Heights more as a gothic novel, whereas Jane Eyre is definitely Victorian.

Jane Eyre by far.

jane eyre

I'm glad to have read both of them, but I would (and do) reread Jane Eyre, and, even after just seeing a movie of it, don't inflict Wuthering Heights on myself.

All time favorite....JANE EYRE. First book I completely read without having to.

Jane Eyre, for sure

"Jane Eyre" is one of my two favorite novels (Pride and Prejudice is the other), so I am biased toward it. I love "Wuthering Heights" as well.

It is like Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. How can you choose between them? They are both wonderful, have different styles, and are elite in their own way. They are of two different minds, settings, and two of the greatest novels ever written.

Has anyone out there also read Anne Bronte's "The Tenant of Wildfell hall?" You have to read a complete Bronte set!

Not to get off-topic, but....

I also have to add that not only do I love Jane Eyre, with its Gothic setting, but also loved as a child, "The Secret Garden." Both have similar elements, if you compare them! One for grownups and the other a Gothic novel for children. Both have secrets rooms with screaming in the night, candles, large mansions,and a larger than life master of the household, a rebirth, among some of the attributes.

I enjoyed Jane Eyre more than Wuthering Heights because of the romantic parts of it. Wuthering Heights is interesting because of the characters are so-crazy. lol.

I prefer Jane Eyre because it has an intelligent and independent heroine, and a dark, yet redeemable man. Plus, there's a mystery thrown in too.
That's not to say that I didn't love Wuthering Heights too! I did, and it did have a happy ending in a way, but the main characters were such awful people. However, it was interesting to explore their motives and emotions.

I find Jane Eyre more enjoyable than Wuthering Heights.

Wuthering Heights was the best - true love enduring even after death.

Jane Eyre, no offense, but Wuthering Heights is just weird and creepy. I also can't deal with Cathy and her bipolar issues.

I'm sorry, I always found Heathcliff to be cruel and selfish. While Rochester may not have been totally honest about having a (living) wife, at least he brought her home and tried to take care of her, as opposed to locking her up in an asylum in another country and forgetting about her.

Depends if you find a book about that thwarted love and crazy maniacs enjoyable. lol Seriously it's my favorite classic romantic book ever! Try it if you haven't already!

While I also think the flawed characters are in a way more exiting than the white ones, I think in this case my vote goes to the goodies. Mr. Rochester and Jane are more simplistic than Heathcliff and Cathy on the terms of greyness, because they both lack cruelty and are genuinely good people, but I find them deeper in a way. I adore their confidence, their maturity, their inner strength and emotional intelligence. They are beautifully written and absolutely engaging. I've never felt bored while reading "Jane Eyre".

I love Hethcliff and Cathy too but they were both too weak, too immature and too cruel. Especially Heathcliff. Like I said, I love greyness, but I think Heathcliff was bit too much on the dark side, so he wasn't that grey. He was basically black with a little bit of white. Besides, greyness is interesting when it's about realizing your deeds, seeking redemption and so on. Neither Cathy, nor Heathcliff ever realized what they've done or have sought redemption. Heathcliff was a bit too much of psychopath for me. Their positive side is their all consuming passion. I've rarely read so powerful, so exiting statements as theirs.

With everything said, I don't mean I don't love WH, because I do. I adore it to no end. I just prefer JE a little bit more.

I fell for the comparison too, merely because the authors are sisters. In my opinion, Jane Eyre is MUCH better than Wuthering Heights on so many levels. The coherence of the plot, the acceleration of events, the narration style, the interesting characters, and everything else is on Jane Eyre's side.

Jane Eyre without a doubt. I can't remember how many times I've read Jane Eyer (feels like a million! Lol), Wuthering Heights, once! Lol

I found Wuthering Heights somewhat boring at times, I really had to pep talk myself to finish it.

I also didn't like Heathcliff or Catherine. (That is their names? Right? Lol)

Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite classics. I love the fact that Jane is not some "great beauty" which is the case in so many romances. I did not care for Wuthering Heights and found it difficult to like the main characters.

for pure enjoyment- I'd have to vote for Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights is a masterpiece and it benefits from analysis-questioning the narrators, noticing the role Nelly plays in the story herself, etc. There is more art in W.H. but Jane Eyre leaves me feeling happier

For me, it's an age thing. I first read both books as a teenager and though I thought Jane Eyre was OK, I absolutely adored WH. All that wild passion was irresistible. In comparison, Jane seemed too restrained, just a little bit mousey. But years later, when I re-read both novels, guess what - a complete reversal. WH seemed almost stagey and JE, really heartfelt and quite fiercely feminist.

Of cours Jane Eyre. It's full of love and truthful emotions

Jane Eyre, completely. I enjoyed every part of that book and have read it several times. Wuthering Heights...was okay. I don't get all the "all that passion!" comments. I don't remember the book being that passionate honestly. It just didn't leave that big of an impression me. Perhaps I ought to read it again but as it stands, it was just ok as far as enjoyment is concerned.

I've never been able to finish either. Jane Eyre is such a whiny brat at the beginning that I can never get past the first few chapters. I made it about half way through Wuthering Heights, but the characters were so uniformly unpleasant that I just couldn't take any more.

I love both but I prefer Jane Eyre by far!

Jane Eyre, I find myself going back to read it sometimes. I just watched the miniseries again. Wuthering Heights is something I read a couple times to give it a spot on my shelf.

I've read both, but the only one I remember much of is Jane Eyre. So my vote goes to Jane Eyre.

I love both the books. But Wuthering Heights is in my Admired Books list and Jane Eyre in my Comfort Reads list :) I felt caught in a storm while reading Wuthering Heights. I consider it superb book, but haven't yet been able to dare read it again. But Jane Eyre, like Pride and prejudice, is my Comfort Read. Every time I feel gloomy a or dull, a peek through its pages makes me feel good. And so, I have read it five times at least.

Wuthering heights is better.In Jane Eyre the charecters are or good or bad.That is too simple.

If I'm in a passionate mood, Wuthering Heights. If more relaxed, it's Jane.