would rather than 句型结构中前后2个句子的时态问题？

1）shy,reserved and proud, I would have died rather than have breathed a syllable of my view.

2）I would rather have gone to the theater than stayed home last night. （该句来自 http://ask.yygrammar.com/q-39997.html ）

对比上述2个句子，很明显，1）句than后是完成时，2)句than后是过去时

请教老师：

a) 是would rather... than...还是would...rather than...? 就是rather位置究竟是如何的？

b) 参见 http://ask.yygrammar.com/q-39997.html 上的答复， 想知道would rather... than... 或 would...rather than...前后2句究竟应该选用哪种时态？？？