Heathcliff - why were ( & probably still are ) so many women in love with him?

My 13 year old GS has landed the part of young Heathcliff in a professional production of Wuthering Heights at the theatre in our city. I am more nervous that he is!!

And he's not a bad boy!

My sister hung around with the “bad boys” eventually married one, that lasted 4 yrs then married a really bad boy, 2 kids major abuse eventually he was jailed. Then at 50 she came to her senses found a decent man, since then OK but it took her long enough.

He drew sympathy to the reader , unhappy, then given a home happy, then his protector dies so unhappy

Oh and personally have never been attracted to bad boys.

From what I can gather Cathy was a pretty awful person too, I imagine they deserved each other.

It's the thing about bad boys isn't it,mad,bad and dangerous to know

I had a bit of a crush on him when I first read WH at about 15. I reread it as an adult and thought he was a psychopath. I don't care how sexy someone is - casually hanging puppies is a step too far, and his communication skills were 'undeveloped' to say the least.

Having had be in contact with bad boys due to my work - I see nothing attractive about them

Only ever in a book... a bit like Mr Grey.

The bad boys are attractive in fantasy in real life they are boring, frightening, etc.

Because he was a bad boy, the type of male that they would never have come into contact with. That made him exciting.
A bit of rough you might say.