Heroes?

A poll was recently conducted at a British literary site on who people think are the greatest literary heroes of all time. Topping the list was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. (Though, despite my defense of Pride & Prejudice here a few days ago, I can't entirely disagree with the statement, "The fact that Mr Darcy is number one says more about Colin Firth than it does Jane Austen.") Harry Potter was number two, Oliver Twist three, Pip from Great Expectations four, Romeo at five, the guy from The DaVinci Code nine, Frodo Baggins number ten, and Sherlock Holmes sixteen.

I really don't have much of an opinion about the results. These sort of polls really don't mean much, in my view, though literary people sure do like to bitch about them and look down their noses at the results. I do have to scratch my head, a little, however. Pip? Oliver Twist? Romeo? Heroes???? Protagonists, yes, but not really "heroes" as such. What did Pip do that's so heroic? What on earth did Romeo do except die?

(Via Bookslut)