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Du Maurier’s most popular novel is narrated by the unnamed second
wife of Maxim de Winter, broody owner of Manderley, his ancestral home. It is
so vividly described and central to the novel that it almost becomes a
character in its own right. The couple meet in the South of France les than a
year after the death of his first wife, Rebecca. Even during the proposal he
expresses no love for the timid narrator and she naively accepts, thinking she
is freeing herself from her servitude of companion to Mrs Van Hopper but
condemning herself to a passionless marriage and a similar subservient
companionship.
On their return to Manderley she struggles with the ghost of Rebecca
whose beauty and talents were beloved of almost all. Mrs Danvers, the
housekeeper, was particularly devoted to her and frightens the new Mrs de
Winter, ensuring that she always feels inferior. In the final quarter of the
novel a revelation gives the young bride hope of happiness only for it quickly
to be torn away in the dramatic conclusion.
Despite only appearing in memory and imagination it is Rebecca that
endures for the reader. The narrator becomes exasperating with her endless
doubts and unwillingness to assert any authority. The secret that releases her
from her jealousy and inferiority does not paint her in a positive light and
she seems selfish in her obsession with being freed from Rebecca’s presence. In
saying that, the reader has become so entangled in her narrative that you can’t
help but hope events unfold as she wishes, making you question your morals.
The novel dissects the role of women and the expectations of
femininity, something which it is said du Maurier struggled with herself. She
was shy and did not enjoy entertaining and yet Rebecca also reflects aspects of
her creator’s personality in her sexual liberation and aptitude at sailing. The
fact she makes Rebecca the stronger, more memorable character may hint at where
she felt her true self lay.
This atmospheric novel examines the complex
jealousy of a second wife, a topic not often discussed in fiction. We feel so
vividly the presence of Rebecca as we walk in the footsteps of the paranoid
narrator. Du Maurier successfully created a sense of place so believable we
feel as though we have wandered its corridors and explored the gardens. The
claustrophobia felt by the narrator is palpable and makes for a disturbing
read.
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I had to read this for 'Popular Fiction' during my undergrad. The trickiest thing about that book was putting it down. Gripping stuff! 10/10 would marry a mysterious widower again. (The comment has gone through this time! :P)
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