So you don't like Heathcliff?

A writer friend once told me that you can tell a lot about a woman's romantic nature by asking which classic she prefers -- Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice. In her opinion WH types are inclined towards bad boys like Heathcliff, whereas P&P types make more sensible choices.

That's spot on as far as I'm concerned. I find Heathcliff incredibly sexy. Sure, he's vile and vengeful, but he's one of the most original and fascinating bad boys in literature. He's dark and sensual. He's wild and passionate. He's the ultimate 'harden the fuck up' hero who doesn't suffer spoiled, insipid fools.

But am I the only one who gets him?

Film characterisations are usually woeful. OK Tom Hardy did a pretty good job in the recent ITV mini-series, even though he doesn't look dark enough for a gypsy. But most actors fall well short of Heathcliff's darkly complex mark. They're often kinda namby-pamby. Urgh.

What disappoints me more, though, is the fact that young fans of the book leave messages on the web wailing about what a monster Heathcliff is. OMG. They're outraged at the way he treated Isabella. They can't understand why he keeps pining for a woman who married another man. They think Edgar Linton's a better deal anyhow.

What's the matter with WH types of today? Are they really Twilight types who like their bad boys pretty and girly? Urgh.

I've got my own Heathcliff at home, thank you very much, but I'd love to see Emily Bronte's done justice on the screen.