Jane Austen's Books & Adaptations discussion

This thread is for discussion about Jane Austen's heroes. Which ones do you love, which ones do you dislike and why? Do you have a ranking? What's your favorite casting?

From all the main Jane Austen heroes I really dislike only Edmund Bertram. He's a hypocrisy incarnate. Sanctimonious patronizing prick. His one redeeming quality is that he's the only person in Mansfield Park who treats Fanny with kindness.
Though in their interactions (in the book) he's always very "brotherly" condescending.

At the end of the book on the last two pages Edmund (spoilers for the ending of Mansfield Park)

(view spoiler)[gets over Miss Crawford, falls in love with Fanny and marries her.Yes, it all happens on two pages. We learn why he decided to transfer his affections to Fanny, despite being so entirely romantically indifferent to her before.

"With such a regard for her, indeed, as his had long been, a regard founded on the most endearing claims of innocence and helplessness, and completed by every recommendation of growing worth, what could be more natural than the change? Loving, guiding, protecting her, as he had been doing ever since her being ten years old, her mind in so great a degree formed by his care, and her comfort depending on his kindness, an object to him of such close and peculiar interest, dearer by all his own importance with her than any one else at Mansfield, what was there now to add, but that he should learn to prefer soft light eyes to sparkling dark ones?"

Jane Austen. Mansfield Park (Kindle Locations 7085-7089). Barnes&Noble.

In short, Edmund brought up a wife for himself. There's not a thought in that pretty head that he hadn't put there himself. The only "problem" is that Fanny takes everything he taught her very literally and as far as morals go she's "more papal than the Pope himself". (hide spoiler)]

That's why I vastly prefer Knightly - he argues with Emma and scolds her - but Emma for better or worse is very independent both in mind and action - and he knows and cherishes it. He prefers her mischief over Jane Fairfax's propriety and is not afraid to say so.

I have kind of the opposite reaction. Edmund can be kind of straight-laced, but he and Fanny are suited to one another. On the other hand, Knightly is so much older than Emma, almost fatherly, and while Emma is not perfect, and he helps her realize her faults, there is something patronizing about Knightly that always made me uncomfortable. There is a significant age difference between Marianne and Brandon, but I don't ever feel he is patronizing.