#Classic: Rebecca
- Author: D. du Maurier
- Title: Rebecca
- Published: 1938
- List of Challenges
- Monthly plan
- Classic Club Master list
Quickscan:
- Lovers: Young girl met in Monte Carlo…(name?) and Max
- Family issue: reputation – Manderley must not fall into the hands of illegitimate heir
- Hook: Ch 1: mysterious, lyrical introduction about the estate of Manderley.
- Genre: Gothic romance…later a thriller
- Focus: heroine, her fears of physical danger real? or just paranoia?
- Pivotal plot twist: Max’ confession
- Villain: Mrs. Danvers manipulative, cold, ruthless (arsonist!)
- Heroine Mrs. de Winter: girl –>woman, child bride –> mature wife
- Minor character who plays major role: Col. Julyan
- Symbol: sea (Rebecca) deceptive beauty and destructive force
- Symbol: rhododendrons (Rebecca)
- “..stood 50 feet high twisted and entwined with bracken…” (pg 1)
- …”a lilac mated with a copper beech…”(heroine and Max) (pg 1)
- …so different one is a shrub…the other a tree.
- Motif: Feeling of a ghost in the house.
- Du Maurier’s statement: ” Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” (iconic)
- Writing: very little information about heroine (no name!)
- Writing: frame story. begins at the end, moves into flashbacks
- Irony: We root for the criminal to escape punishment.
- Setting: Manderley, Cornish Coast
- Major themes: memory, reputation, appearance vs reality
- Max still in love with Rebecca?...reality: he hates her.
- Mrs. Danvers loyal servant?…reality: she terrorizes her mistress.
- Minor themes: isolation, entrapment (second wife)
- Body count: 1
Why is Rebecca similar to Othello?
Chapter 23:
- ” All married men with lovely wives are jealous, aren’t they?
- And some of ’em just can’t help playing Othello.”
Heroine and Desdemona:
- Innocence can be dangerous, even fatal.
- The young wife considers suicide.
- Desdemona is killed by Othello because
- ….she is innocent
- thinking she can be friendly with other men and still
- remain loyal and honorable in her marriage.
Heroine and Desdemona:
- Desdemona and Mrs. de Winter
- …were both young wives married to
- …men 20+ years older.
- Both women think
- …love is equivocal to submission.
Othello and Max:
- Othello and Max de Winter go to
- extremes to preserve their reputation
- …they both kill!
- Othello —> Desdamona is alleged of having an affair
- Max —> Rebecca tauted husband…expecting a child
- …pass it off as Max’ heir! (Manderley)
Othello and Max:
- Both men reject reason and clarity and rational thinking.
- They focus heavily on emotion and extreme passion.
- “Le crime passionnel”
Title:
- Book is titled Othello...but it is all about Iago!
- Book is titled Rebecca…but it is all about second wife, Mrs. de Winter!
Last thoughts:
- I had to ‘sleep on it’ to decide what I really thought of this book.
- I’m NOT following the herd on this one.
- The book was readable…in parts lyrical (ch 1)
- …but Du Maurier is not consistent.
- After two-thirds of the book
- …I finally got interested (Max’ confession).
- It is an average book that has
- …a cult following which keeps it on our radar.
- It started out so well.
- ..then it dropped below my endurance level.
- Dialogue was first person simple…
- and Mrs. Danvers was predictable spooky.
- This easy classic read will
- …always find its audience….just not me!
- I dare to be disliked while saying:
- the first bite was delicious….but
- it satisfies no craving.
6 Comments
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Interesting comparisons! Did you like the book? It’s such a highly rated classic that is liked unanimously, wondering if it lived up to that for you?
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Claire, I had to let my thoughts rest last night
and was not ready to make a final call on this book.
This morning I added ‘Last Thoughts. 🙂
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Interesting, I agree it had something of a cult following, there’s even fan fiction written inspired by it. I enjoyed it probably because I find so many of the classics tiresome and this one doesn’t read as much like one expects a classic to. Prefer French women writer classics personally Sagan, Collete.
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Sometimes tiresome and challenging is a compliment about a book.
It’s like climbing a mountain….hard work…but the view is terrific when you get to the top!
What’s your next classic?
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I agree Nancy. Rebecca left me scratching my head, wondering why so many people raved about it. I had no intention of reading any more of her work, but then picked up a copy of Mary Anne on a holiday (a loosely based bio on one of her ancestors) which I loved reading as I toured our the English countryside.
My Cousin Rachel was also an annoying/suspenseful/sometimes overwrought experience, but I enjoyed it far more than Rebecca.
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I’m definitely not reading Du Maurier ….for a while. She does not appeal to me.
I can’t put a finger on it….but I’d rather read Edna O’ Brian and even a Irish writer that has fallen between the cracks Jennifer Johnston (1930). I read Two Moons ..you can see short review on Goodreads. Thanks for you comments!
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