Most widely known character?

[MsAmerica]

I was just reading some Sherlock Holmes, and in an introduction, it was said that the New York Times lauded Holmes as "the most widely known character in English fiction since Pickwick." No date on that, unfortunately. Don't even know if it meant fiction by an English author or fiction in the English language. But it surprised me. Pickwick?

What would you say would be the most widely known character? If it had been the time of Arthur Conan Doyle's death in 1930, I might have guessed David Copperfield. These days, I would have to say, sadly, Harry Potter. What do you think?

Mr darcy
willy wonka

I guess it would change with every generation?

I would guess it is still Sherlock Holmes. there can't be many people who don't know who he is.

Robin Hood
Or a fairy tale character - cinderella, little red riding hood

Harry Potter?

Dracula?

James Bond?
Frankenstein?

I was going to say Mr Darcy, but looking at the above, surely Harry Potter?!

More than Cinderella, really?

Frodo or Bilbo Baggins

The Hobbit? (Although I personally do not like Tolkien's books).

Harry Potter, perhaps.

Bridget Jones

Cinderella isn't an English character though, Stealth.

Ah good point. Can I raise Robin Hood again?

or Santa. He's from Hull, didn't you know?

or the watership down bunnies

Robin Hood is a good one.

Jesus

Scarlett O'Hara/Rhett Butler? That's two but they are well known as a couple

Gandalf

Scrooge, I'd say.

Romeo and Juliet.

After Harry and Voldie.

Scarlett O Hara/Rhett Butler are from American fiction.

Romeo and Juliet is a good suggestion.

How about Alice in Wonderland?

Romeo & Juliet were originally in an Italian folk tale, weren't they?

Jesus is not an English invention.

How about Scrooge? Alice from Alice in wonderland? Any character that's been Disney'd :)