British literature has spawned many of our romantic ideals, from Romeo to Mr. Darcy. Posted without commentary, Carrie Frye at the Awl has compiled a list of 111 Male Characters Of British Literature, In Order Of Bangability. But of course British literature is not all Shakespeare and Jane Austin, so the author must tackle questions such as, Who would you rather do: Frankenstein or Uriah Heep? (Numbers 111 and 110 respectively!) Here’s how some other favorites fared:

96. Dr. Watson (“A Study In Scarlet”)
95. Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
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78. Leopold Bloom (Ulysses)
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63. Romeo (Romeo and Juliet)
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49. Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
48. King Arthur (The Once and Future King)
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44. Robin Hood (Piers Plowman)
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34. Tarzan/Lord Greystoke (Tarzan of the Apes)
33. Severus Snape (Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone)
32. Aslan (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
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23. James Bond (Casino Royale)
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12. Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights)
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3. Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
2. Strider/ Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings)
1. Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre)

Check out the full list at The Awl!

I am one of approximately four female mortals who has not read any of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books, but am always curious about a literary phenomenon that a) gets kids reading and b) gets money into the pockets of a female writer (since acclaim seems woefully lacking these days).

Despite my concern that Meyer’s vampire novels are not fact-based (everyone knows vampires burn up in direct sunlight — they don’t sparkle, for God’s sake), I say kudos to her for creating some characters so indelible that people who have never read the books can have opinions on them. And indeed, perhaps young Twilight fans can go on to explore other “literary hotties,” guided by this YourTango post, Seven Book Characters Hotter than Edward Cullen.

CAUTION: Not including Zooey or Adso of Melk casts grave doubts on this list’s accuracy! Any additions of your own?