Literary Criticism: Rebecca

 

Literary Analysis: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

"Rebecca, always Rebecca. Wherever I walked in Manderley, wherever I sat, even in my thoughts and in my dreams, I met Rebecca."

Setting the Scene

Rebecca begins in Monte Carlo before moving to Manderley, a sprawling estate in Cornwall, United Kingdom. Manderley is an ancient manor once inhabited by Rebecca, the first wife of Maxim de Winter. The manor is surrounded by lush gardens, and below the cliffs lies the Atlantic Ocean and a small boathouse, which is strictly forbidden to guests.

Inside the manor, a sense of mystery hovers; the memory of Rebecca is everywhere, embedded in every object and every corner.

The Protagonists

Maxim de Winter: An aristocratic man and the owner of Manderley. He is grieving his first wife, Rebecca, who supposedly drowned in the Atlantic. Maxim is charismatic, handsome, and the personification of a traditional nobleman, yet he carries a dark, heavy secret.

The Narrator (The Second Mrs. de Winter): A shy, young woman who falls in love with the wealthy Maxim. She is initially a frail, insecure creature and a victim of the psychological bullying perpetrated by Mrs. Danvers. However, by the end of the novel, she matures into a self-confident woman.

The Villains

Rebecca de Winter: Although she is deceased, her spirit haunts Manderley. She was manipulative, cruel, and libertine—a liar and a "sadistic psychopath" without remorse or conscience.

Mrs. Danvers: The housekeeper whose sole mission is to preserve Rebecca’s legacy. She is cold and obsessive. She reveals her true malice when she urges the young narrator to commit suicide, telling her she will never measure up to Rebecca. She even manipulates the narrator into wearing a costume for a ball, hiding the fact that Rebecca wore the exact same outfit shortly before her death.

Jack Favell: Rebecca’s cousin and lover. He is manipulative, cruel, often drunk, and driven by greed and immorality.

The most charming character: Jasper, the faithful spaniel.

Core Themes

Jealousy and Insecurity: The narrator's constant struggle with the "ghost" of a woman she believes was perfect.

The Power of the Past Over the Present: How Manderley remains a museum for a dead woman.

Social Appearances: The pressure to maintain a "perfect" facade despite the rot underneath.

The Climax: A World in Flames

The best description of the external world occurs during the destruction of the manor:

"There was no moon. The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."