(Untitled)

[woyce]

I've been watching the BBC's adaptation of Jane Eyre these past two weeks and enjoying it (although Jane herself is really, really dull). Anyway, in classic BBC fashion there was a sort of related show afterwards on BBC 4 on women and romantic heroes. And there was lots of discussion about the usual suspects, Darcy, Rochester, Heathcliff, Rhett

Comments

[j00j]

I don't know about "romantic hero," but as I said in IM, I think my first fictional crush was possibly Calvin O'Keefe from _A Wrinkle in Time_. That being said, I've devoured a lot of books over the years, so it's possible that this is not, in fact, the case. But not so much with the broody Austin characters.
Movies... I'm not sure. I tend not to fall for someone, in person or, apparently, in fiction, unless I've known them for awhile. A movie is such a short space of time to get to know a character. Um, at some point Han Solo probably would have qualified. And I'm trying to figure out when I first saw The Princess Bride, because, well, Westley is fun.

[skaryma]

Mine was totally Han Solo. He was the first.

Literary-wise? Probably George Cooper from the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce. I had a huge crush on him.

[lunaesia]

After much reflection, I've figured out why my love life always seems so strange. I'm going to share, although it's a bit embarassing

[fuzzywoolsocks]

I remember reading To Kill A Mockingbird sometime in elementary school and really liking Atticus Finch, but that wasn't in a romantic hero way. On that same vein, I had a kind of older man crush on Jack Bristow on Alias (the main character's father), who wasn't a romantic hero to me, but a hero because of his seemingly pure love for his daughter. I love Atticus and Jack! Ooo! Also Claudius from I, Claudius. And Gandalf and Dumbledore! There has to be a category for respect crushes, with an understanding that if the characters were younger in the book/exude more than responsible older man-ness, I would totally be into them as romantic heros

[gardenhappy]

So nice to meet another "Lion in Winter" afficionado. Wasn't it Geoffrey with the good line - John (I think?) the youngest of the brothers, was whining that nobody was concerned about him, and bitterly said that if he was on fire nobody would bother to piss on him to put out the flames. Geoffrey offers, "Why don't we strike a match and find out?"

Too tired to think about early crushes on film or literary heroes, having just got in from Brazil, (which was very cool - will have to post about it). But Atticus Finch and Richard the Lionhearted rank right up there. Yes, in the movie Richard is gay but that didn't deter me. I've always gone for guys with dark hair and dark eyes. I wound up marrying a guy with light hair and blue eyes - go figure.

[arcanejill]

i was gonna agree w/ the original post and then all the comments made me want to add more. so yes, gilbert, calvin, and george. swoon.
later on (and less literary) clark but not superman from lois and clark, wesley from the princess bride and in an odd way arthur dent.