Which Bronte is your favourite and why?

Forgot to add that Jane Eyre is actually the prototype of every Mills & Boon - poor, plain girl tangles with handsome rich man, renounces him, suffers, and eventually bags him - though obviously vastly superior

Yep, Charlotte every time. I read Jane Eyre as an (early) teen when someone gave my mum a box of old books - totally gripped to the end. Loved 'Villette' as well.

Sorry Emily and Anne, but Charlotte wins!

Definitely Charlotte. Villette would be one of my Desert Island books along with Jane Eyre but I'd rather eat my own feet than ever read Wuthering Heights again. Can't be doing with all that wuthering.

Does anyone want my pointless fact of the day? There was no recorded use of the name Shirley as a girl's name until Charlotte Bronte wrote the book - it was exclusively a boy's name up until the point the book was published.

Charlotte
I am so not bothered about Emily
I actually got The Tenant of Wildfell Hall from the library this week, after this reminded me of Anne's existence.

Only read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights but I say Jane Eyre for me purely because I love how at the end its Jane who is the rich one and Mr Rochester is all burnt and blind yet they still have a very happy marriage.

However I will give a hat tip towards Wuthering Heights as I did also love reading that one.

I'm surprised so many dislike the Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I definitely wouldn't consider Shirley to be hard work; much less so than Wuthering Heights, for example.

Of all the books I'd say that Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey have the strongest feminist message (and indeed I think Wildfell Hall was very significant in its day).

But . . . I studied economics and have a particular interest in economic history, so I guess the more naturalistic novels which deal with economic/social issues are of more interest to me. I also like Mrs Gaskell, particularly Mary Barton and North & South.

I remember Top Withens as being like <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=top+withens+pics&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=wTL&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1024&bih=649&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=XmFct3dpTbM5DM:&imgrefurl=saltairedailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/top-withens.html&docid=dzobnWVpDhYG2M&imgurl=4.bp.blogspot.com/_jKnJY2a-_E8/THK8acjGbFI/AAAAAAAABno/SeOxrHP1kPE/s1600/Top%252BWithens%252BFarm%252Bnow%252Bblog.jpg&w=900&h=610&ei=NTFET-vxBoHN0QWpjYmPDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=258&sig=102656225729385695837&page=2&tbnh=136&tbnw=213&start=12&ndsp=18&ved=0CLoBEK0DMBs&tx=100&ty=73" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this, but there are lots of old pics out there of it with a roof on - <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=top+withens+pics&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=wTL&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&biw=1024&bih=649&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=DhCjPPXX9_auDM:&imgrefurl=saltairedailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/top-withens.html&docid=dzobnWVpDhYG2M&imgurl=3.bp.blogspot.com/_jKnJY2a-_E8/THK8Z9BbdJI/AAAAAAAABng/rD2VhRS2UnU/s1600/Top%252BWithens%252B%28old%29%252Bblog.jpg&w=900&h=532&ei=NTFET-vxBoHN0QWpjYmPDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=87&vpy=4&dur=1108&hovh=172&hovw=292&tx=137&ty=107&sig=102656225729385695837&page=2&tbnh=110&tbnw=186&start=12&ndsp=18&ved=0CKEBEK0DMBU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">like here.

Top Withens is alleged to have been the inspiration for the house Wuthering Heights. If I remember rightly, it was a farm that the Bronte's often visited. It was just a ruin 25 years ago so I imagine that it's still one, unless some well-meaning people have turned it into a visitors' centre. It's right out on the moors - I can't remember how far but I do remember that we were all knackered by the time we got up there.

There is another large house about 6 miles away that is supposed to be the inspiration for Thrushcross Grange. I do remember that we were all gobsmacked at the idea of two young children running all the way from that house up to Top Withens, as H and C did regularly.

Bramwell was an alcoholic and an opium addict, but I think he actually died of TB, like most of the others. He frequented a local pub which now trades rather well off the association.

I thought Branwell died naturally, despite various addictions? TB, like his sisters? Or have I imagined that?

Emily for me. I love Wuthering Heights. It's my most read, worn book on my book case. I can honestly say I've read it about 20 times. All that tortured love, barren moors and Heathcliff

I do quite like Jane Eyre too. They were the two books I decided to do my A-Level english lit coursework on - the theme of mother figures in the two books.

Tried to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall years ago but never succeeded.

thanks for that image Harriet, benches, lawks! Is there a building up there, is it deserted? Is it supposed to have been an inspiration for WH?
What about wicked Bramwell? The lost painter, did he top himself? I can't remember whether he was a drug addict or a drunk... someone here will know! The combined general knowledge of this site on an average evening is scary.

Emily is my favourite as she seems to have been utterly bonkers.

Noelle, I've been to Top Withens, we went on a school trip back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth (well, it was some time ago) and it was wonderful. Apart from us the place was deserted. It was fairly early in the morning and it was Autumn and misty, and if I remember rightly it's a fair walk from the Parsonage.

I keep meaning to go back there but never get round to it, though I have heard that they've put (horror) picnic benches up there now and that it's very busy in good weather. I'd say that you'd only want to go up there in good weather - ground must be treacherous in the winter.

BTW about 20 years ago I went to the parsonage on my own on a day off and wandered round the place at the end of the day in the winter, there was no one there but staff, such an atmospheric place, loved it. Worth going, but have never been up to Top Withens or wha'eva they call it, has anyone else?

has to be Charlotte because of Jane Eyre have read it 10 times maybe? and I'm not a big re reader.

Read Wuthering Heights when I was too young, loved it but I always found it a torturous read in terms of plot unlike the above.

To my shame I don't know Anne B's work did she write the tenant of Wildfell Hall? Should I read that? What's it like?

Anne.

I hated WH. I was in the only person in my A-Level year group to persist with Villette. It's in 3 parts and I hated parts 1 and 3, but quite liked part 2 and have recently been fighting the urge to read it again in case I disappoint myself.

I love Jane Eyre so much.

I like Shirley, have read it several times. Not sure it has that much of a feminist message (from a modern perspective) as one of the main female characters is a bit of a drip, and [don't give away the not really surprising ending CQ].

Emily for me. I also did WH for A level and I remember racing through the book in 2 days, I got so into it. I love all the Brontes though and am fascinated by their story.

Crystal Queen, your 14 yr old self is quite right. Best novel ever. No argument. Withering Heights I cannot stand. tenant of wildfell is v interesting considering the subject matter and when it was written (shocking for domestic violence to be even talked about let alone criticised). Hve not read Shirley but feel I should now.

Have never been able to even start WH. I've read all I can of Charlotte, but think Jane Eyre is her best.
My favourite is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, so Anne is my favourite.

I did WH for A-level. When you've looked that closely at a text you will either hate it or be in awe of the artistry and beauty of it. Happily for Emily for me it's the latter.

Wimp because Shirley is supposed to be this worthy, quite feminist novel and I just can't be bothered . I'm open to correction though?

Jane Eyre is the best book ever written. Or so my 14 year old self thought. Now I just flick to the bits with Rochester .
Wuthering Heights on the other hand is tripe. Cathy, just pull yourself together. It's the only Bronte novel I didn't enjoy.