# The Dope List of Top 100 fictional literary characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841 "2002-08-21T02:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/81 "2002-08-28T21:45:54Z")
Do’oh! How could I forget Tom Bombadil (_Lord of the Rings_, Tolkien) and Charles Wallace ??? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/82 "2002-08-29T01:53:46Z")
I’ll second the nominations for Iago, Odysseus, Archie Goodwin, Raskolnikov, and two of the Brothers Karamazov (Ivan and Alyosha). But among the great ones I HAVEN’T seen yet are… Bertie Wooster Jeeves Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher Father Brown Jimmy Rabbitt Sr. (from Roddy Doyle’s Barrytown series) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/83 "2002-08-29T03:29:35Z")
Oh, I’ll second Charles Wallace! And add (or possibly second, I don’t remember who all’s been mentioned): Stu Redman Joe Kavalier Taylor Greer ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/84 "2002-08-29T05:26:32Z")
Almost at 80… About 21 to go… ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/85 "2002-08-29T05:29:02Z")
I meant that there’s 79, so far. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/86 "2002-08-29T15:34:45Z")
John LeCarre’s George Smiley ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/87 "2002-08-29T22:15:10Z")
Randall P. McMurphy Chief Broom Big Nurse Augustus McCrae Hamish Macbeth Sherlock Holmes Bilbo Baggins Frodo Baggins Gandalf the Gray Valentine Michael Smith ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/88 "2002-08-30T21:33:49Z")
I also forgot: Nigger Jim (_The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin_, Mark Twain) Mickey Mouse Hari Seldon (_Foundation_, Isaac Asimov) Andrew Merton (“The Bicentennial Man”, Isaac Asimov) And from myth/folklore: Teresias Anansi the Spider Br’er Rabbit ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/89 "2002-08-31T00:14:57Z")
"Hari Seldon (\*Foundation, Isaac Asimov) Andrew Merton (“The Bicentennial Man”, Isaac Asimov) " I second these two. BTW, here’s the list now, so far. If I made any booboos, PLEASE let me know! Kthnx! 1.Sherlock Holmes–9 2Captain Ahab–5 3Robinson Curosoe–4 4James Bond–6 5Huckleberry Finn-9 6Superman–8 7Atticus Finch–8 8Gandalf-9 9Holden Caulfield–6 10Dracula–7 11Zaphod Beeblebrox -3 12Winston Smith–6 13Ford Perfect–3 14Arthur Dent–3 15Bilbo Baggins–8 16Dr. Frankenstein–6 17Ebenezer Scrooge --5 18Tom Sawer–6 19Tarzan–7 20Hamlet-7 21Othello-6 22Hannibal Lector–4 23Harry Potter–3 24Captain Nemo–5 25Marius–3 26. Jean Valjean --4 27. Don Quixote --5 28. Frankenstein’s Monster–6 29 Hercule Poirot 4 30. Jane Marple–3 31. Frodo–6 32. Gollum–5 33. Flagg-3 34. Achillies–7 35Lazarus Long–4 36. Elizabeth Bennet–4 37. Jay Gatsby–5 38. Lancelot–6 39. King Arthur–8 40. Hawkeye–3 41. Iago–6 42. Sheriff Pangborn-3 43. Satan-4 44. Robin Hood-5 45. Guenevere-4 46. Batman-5 47. Macbeth–4 48. King Lear–5 49. Oliver Twist–4 50. Oedipus–3 51. Romeo-3 52-Juliet–3 53. Sancho–3 54. Phillip Marlowe-3 55. Ichabod Crane–3 56. Quasimodo–3 57. Scarlett O’Hara --6 58. Grendel-3 59. Merlin–4 60. Lady Macbeth–5 61. Ulysses/Odysseus–6 62. Humbet Humbert–4 63. Aladdin-3 64. Anna Karenina -3 65. Don Juan–3 66. Puck–6 67. Falstaff–3 68. Doc Watson-3 69. Paul Atredies–4 70. Heathcliff–3 71. Jane Eyre–3 72. Emma Bovary–3 73. Rhett Butler–3 74. Tom Joad–3 75. Samwise Gamgee --6 76. HAL-3 77. Morgaine–3 78. Raskolnikov-3 79. Brothers Karamazov–3 80. B’rer Rabbit–4 ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/90 "2002-08-31T03:10:03Z")
Here’s the list, all tagimatated. THE DOPE LIST OF TOP – UMM – 80 FICTIONAL CHARACTERS: (in Letterman-style backwards order for your anticipatory pleasure) 1. Aladdin-3 2. Anna Karenina -3 3. Arthur Dent–3 4. Brothers Karamazov–3 5. Doc Watson-3 6. Don Juan–3 7. Emma Bovary–3 8. Falstaff–3 9. Flagg-3 10. Ford Perfect–3 11. Grendel-3 12. HAL-3 13. Harry Potter–3 14. Hawkeye–3 15. Heathcliff–3 16. Ichabod Crane–3 17. Jane Eyre–3 18. Jane Marple–3 19. Juliet–3 20. Marius–3 21. Morgaine–3 22. Oedipus–3 23. Phillip Marlowe-3 24. Quasimodo–3 25. Raskolnikov-3 26. Rhett Butler–3 27. Romeo-3 28. Sancho–3 29. Sheriff Pangborn-3 30. Tom Joad–3 31. Zaphod Beeblebrox -3 32. B’rer Rabbit–4 33. Elizabeth Bennet–4 34. Guenevere-4 35. Hannibal Lector–4 36. Hercule Poirot 4 37. Humbet Humbert–4 38. Jean Valjean --4 39. Lazarus Long–4 40. Macbeth–4 41. Merlin–4 42. Oliver Twist–4 43. Paul Atredies–4 44. Robinson Curosoe–4 45. Satan-4 46. Batman-5 47. Captain Ahab–5 48. Captain Nemo–5 49. Don Quixote --5 50. Ebenezer Scrooge --5 51. Gollum–5 52. Jay Gatsby–5 53. King Lear–5 54. Lady Macbeth–5 55. Robin Hood-5 56. Dr. Frankenstein–6 57. Frankenstein’s Monster–6 58. Frodo–6 59. Holden Caulfield–6 60. Iago–6 61. James Bond–6 62. Lancelot–6 63. Othello-6 64. Puck–6 65. Samwise Gamgee --6 66. Scarlett O’Hara --6 67. Tom Sawer–6 68. Ulysses/Odysseus–6 69. Winston Smith–6 70. Achillies–7 71. Dracula–7 72. Hamlet-7 73. Tarzan–7 74. Atticus Finch–8 75. Bilbo Baggins–8 76. King Arthur–8 77. Superman–8 78. Gandalf-9 79. Huckleberry Finn-9 80. Sherlock Holmes–9 Or to put it another way: Tied for 1st: Sherlock Holmes Huck Finn Gandalf Tied for 2nd: Atticus Finch Bilbo Baggins King Arthur Superman Tied for 3rd: Achillies Dracula Hamlet Tarzan Tied for 4th: Dr. Frankenstein Frankenstein’s Monster Frodo Holden Caulfield Iago James Bond Lancelot Othello Puck Samwise Gamgee Scarlett O’Hara Tom Sawer Ulysses/Odysseus Winston Smith Tied for 5th: Batman Captain Ahab Captain Nemo Don Quixote Ebenezer Scrooge Gollum Jay Gatsby King Lear Lady Macbeth Robin Hood Tied for 6th: B’rer Rabbit Elizabeth Bennet Guenevere Hannibal Lector Hercule Poirot Humbet Humbert Jean Valjean Lazarus Long Macbeth Merlin Oliver Twist Paul Atredies Robinson Curosoe Satan Tied for 7th: Aladdin Anna Karenina Arthur Dent Brothers Karamazov Doc Watson Don Juan Emma Bovary Falstaff Flagg Ford Perfect Grendel HAL Harry Potter Hawkeye Heathcliff Ichabod Crane Jane Eyre Jane Marple Juliet Marius Morgaine Oedipus Phillip Marlowe Quasimodo Raskolnikov Rhett Butler Romeo Sancho Sheriff Pangborn Tom Joad Zaphod Beeblebrox ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/91 "2002-09-01T00:35:09Z")
WHEEEEE!!! Thanks! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/92 "2002-09-01T19:45:49Z")
Is the “Hawkeye” on the list the same as “Natty Bumppo”? That was one of the names he went by (as well as Deerslayer, Leatherstocking, Pathfinder, and a few others), but it’s a common enough nickname that the folks who nominated him might have had someone else in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/93 "2002-09-03T23:00:57Z")
I never knew that “Hawkeye” was a nickname for Natty Bumppo, but I knew that the other ones were. Heh ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/94 "2002-09-04T05:01:51Z")
heh, I’m gonna throw in a bit for Yoshi Toranaga from Shogun. Erek ---
**Author:** ![theaternerd144](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@theaternerd144](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theaternerd144)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/95 "2011-10-21T21:07:28Z")
Annie Sullivan- the miracle worker, because she doesnt give up even though she is dealing with her own internal struggle Jean Valjean- LEs miserables- because he is kind and gentle and charitable but can kick some serious ass if need be Katherine- taming of the shrew, because she spoke her mind even though it was not acceptable for women to do that in that time period Blanche Dubois- a streetcar named desire, because she is one of the best potrayed crazy people ever and it is impossible not to feel for her ophelia- the basis of all good crazy characters dracula- dracula, because he is DVACULA lysistrata- lysistrata, because her plan to stop the war is funny as hell and it worked antigone- becasue she is strong and stands up for what she beleives in Fantine- les miserables, becasue she is the ultimate mother figure, sacrafising literally everything for the wellfare of her child Anna- My sister’s keeper, because she is so strong and loving not only everyone else but herself as well, a trait that many people have trouble with (also the book is just awesome) the lorax- the lorax, because he speaks for the trees the cat in the hat- the cat in the hat, because i need him to come clean m room Puck- mid summer nights dream, becuase hes just awesome (also his monolouge at the end could be used as a disclaimer for just about anything and is really fun to randomly start resiting) atticus finch- becasue he is exactly what everyone wishes the law was always like and a perfect role modle for pretty much everyone Elphaba- wicked, because backstories are important thats all…for now ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/96 "2011-10-21T21:21:39Z")
George Milton Lennie Small Dracula Dr. Frankenstein Frankenstein’s monster Tom Sawyer Captain Nemo Captain Ahab Oliver Twist Ebenezer Scrooge Superman Batman Spider-Man Bilbo Baggins Aslan Robin Hood There’s more. ---
**Author:** ![8ballz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f08c70/32.png) [@8ballz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/8ballz)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/97 "2011-10-26T12:15:46Z")
Yossarian of Catch-22 Humbert Humbert of Lolita Kilgore Trout- Breakfast of Champions and other Vonnegut novels Billy Pilgrim of Slaughterhouse-5 Lemuel Gulliver- Gulliver’s Travels Don Juan-Don Juan Bazarov- Fathers and Sons Randall McMurphy- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Nurse Ratchett- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Frederick Clegg- The Collector Frank Cauldhame- The Wasp Factory ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/98 "2011-10-26T14:03:27Z")
T. S. Garp–For remaining sexually normal when everyone around him is definitely bent. Gordon Ralfe from A Patch of Blue–Truly a remarkable man, willing to help a blind white girl in a time when it leads to his downfall. ---
**Author:** ![streetgang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@streetgang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/streetgang)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/99 "2011-10-26T14:20:42Z")
bluto in animal house. ---
**Author:** ![streetgang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@streetgang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/streetgang)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841/100 "2011-10-26T14:21:42Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > T. S. Garp–For remaining sexually normal when everyone around him is definitely bent. > > Gordon Ralfe from A Patch of Blue–Truly a remarkable man, willing to help a blind white girl in a time when it leads to his downfall. more racism [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dope-list-of-top-100-fictional-literary-characters/124841.md?page=6)