I know a lot of ladies go ga-ga over Mr Rochester, especially as he has the tendency to be played by rather pretty men. I read the book first, luckily, so I usually thought of him as a silly old goat. He's damaged, true, but he makes no effort at hiding his damage and even revels in it.

Jane on the other hand I liked very much, but pitied as well. The effect of mental and emotional abuse by her family affected her personality and sense of worth, but she is too full of fire and spirit to let it get the best of her. Jane never did any "soul-searching" or "finding herself", she was what she was and that's that. This rock-like belief in herself is what drew Rochester to her. He himself is a victim of his family, and ended up trusting no one. In a way, this is a Beauty and the Beast tale, where Jane draws out Rochester's proper human self through her own strength of spirit.