Jane's Heroes

The most famous of her heroes is, of course, Mr Darcy. A man who is handsome, clever and rich with a huge country mansion called Pemberley, Darcy is the ultimate prize. But what about the others?

Taking them two by two, and marching them up the gangplank of my Noah’s Ark filled with Austen characters, I’m going to begin with Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey and Colonel Brandon from Sense & Sensibility.

Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey,

‘… seemed to be about four or five and twenty, was rather tall, had a pleasing countenance, a very intelligent and lively eye, and, if not quite handsome, was very near it… He talked with fluency and spirit - and there was an archness and pleasantry in his manner which interested, though it was hardly understood by her.’

In the 2007 ITV film version, J.J. Feild did a great job of being a tall, likeable, unassuming Henry with a good sense of humour.