Daphne Du Maurier
Amanda Seneri and Swetha Sirisinahal
Daphne Du Maurier
Rebecca and Jamaica
Inn
Table of Contents
I. Biography
II. Summaries
III. Analysis
IV. Works Cited
Biography:
Daphne Du
Maurier was born in
Du Maurier married Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick "Boy" Browning, who was
also wealthy. They had two daughters and a son and attention has
often been drawn to the possibility that Du Maurier was distant and
uninvolved in her children’s lives. This at the time was quite common and the
nanny played a large role in raising the children rather than the mother.
Although Daphne Du Maurirer was often portrayed as private and even a recluse this was
often proven to not be the case. After the release of her novel A Bridge too
Far in which her husband was portrayed as abusive
and unkind. Many of Du Maurier’s friends and relatives said that she was a
lively woman who was warm and welcoming. She died in
Summaries:
The novel Rebecca is Daphne Du Maurier’s most well known novel with its complex plot and intriguing mysteries. The novel begins with a young woman, whose name is never revealed, falling in love with and marrying a wealthy man named Maxim De Winter. As the wife attempts to uphold societal roles and please her husband, Mr. De Winter’s past slowly reveals itself. In time, it is discovered that he was married to a woman named Rebecca in the past who oddly resembles his current wife. Although Mr. De Winter admits to his wife that he murdered Rebecca because she was adulterous and carrying another man’s baby, the murder is ruled as a suicide by the authorities. It is also discovered that Rebecca was fatally ill at the time of her death. With the horrors of the past behind them the couple returns to their estate to find it burned down by their servant Mrs. Danvers, who adored Rebecca and despised the new wife.
Another
best seller by Du Maurier
is Jamaica Inn which portrays the journey taken by a
young, orphaned farm girl. Mary Yellan makes a
promise to her dying mother to live with her Aunt Patience after her mother’s
death. As she is following through with her patience and going to Jamaica Inn,
which is owned by Aunt Patience and her Uncle Joss, she is told that Jamaica Inn is feared by locals. Upon arriving at the
Author Style:
- Vivid Imagery
Ex. Rebecca: “But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with chrimson, like a shot of blood. And the ashes blew toward us with the salt wind of the sea” (p. 380).
- This is used to describe how Manderley is burning to the ground as Maxim and his wife return to their mansion.
Ex. Jamaica Inn: “The clouds were low, and straggled across the sky as though interwoven with the mist, while to the east a faint glow heralded the pale, reluctant sun” (pg. 290)/.
- Suppression of women
Ex. Rebecca: This occurs when Rebecca feels the need to uphold a certain persona to the public in order to be viewed as the perfect wife, even if she is in a loveless relationship.
Ex. Jamaica Inn: “…the strained, haunted expression returned again, the fixed, almost idiot stare that she wore habitually in the presence of her husband” (pg. 46).
- This describes how Aunt Patience acts around her husband because she is unable to express herself, in fear of angering her husband.
- Relates scene to type of weather
Ex. Rebecca: “The air was full of thunder, and there was rain behind the white dull sky, but it did not fall” (pg. 304).
- This is the description that is provided right before the boat is found with Rebecca’s dead body. The tension is mounting in Manderley and this description of the weather shows how the built up tension will burst.
Ex. Jamaica Inn: “ The weather had changed overnight, when a backing wind brought a granite sky and a mizzling rain with it…” (pg. 7).
- As Mary Yellan is on her journey to Jamaica Inn, a strong storm hits and forebodes the coming tribulations.
- Irony
Ex. Rebecca: Rebecca turns out to not be the glorified woman that Maxim’s new wife becomes jealous of and is actually revealed to be adulterous,
Ex. Jamaica Inn: The vicar that Mary Yellan goes to for comfort turns out to be the leader of the bandits that Mary Yellan believed her uncle led.
- Flashback:
Ex. Rebecca: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again (pg. 1).
-The entire scene is a flashback based off of a dream that the wife had about being back at the house in which she experienced various problems.
Ex. Jamaica Inn: Mary Yellan looks back on when her mother was passing away and the promise made, along with her path to Jamaica Inn.
Comparative Essay: Deconstructionist
Read
Daphne
Du Maurier was a novelist
writing during the Gothic Era. Her novels, Rebecca and Jamaica
Inn are classic novels that display all of the characteristics of modern
gothic novels. Both novels have a sense of intensity caused by their craft
and gothic elements. Du Maurier
constructed both novels in such a way that their deeper elements parallel the
writing itself. The extreme terror and unsuspected twists, which appear in
both novels, are what cause them to be famous in today’s society. In
Daphne Du Maurier’s novels,
Rebecca and Jamaica Inn common gothic elements are
prevalent. The craft of these novels includes elements such as picturesque
settings, a feeling of mystery and terror, and insights into violence and
supernatural beings, which define the characteristics of gothic literature.
Profound
picturesque settings are a common characteristic in modern gothic
literature. In both Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, the description and imagery
is heavily detailed. The settings in both novels help to inform the reader
of the relationships of the characters in the novel. In Rebecca, Manderley serves as a home to Maxim and his mistress,
however taunts Maxim of his dark and unrevealed past. The beauty of the
estate directly relates to the importance of esthetics to Maxim’s ex-wife
Rebecca (Du Maurier
158). Their relationship, based upon secrets, lies and beauty lacks the
element of love. In Jamaica Inn, the haunted inn relates to Mary Yellan’s surroundings, and the people that surround
her. Not knowing that her uncle is involved in a “gang” where he aids
others in killing innocent people, she believes her surroundings are perfectly
normal (Du Maurier
122). The setting of the inn helps to provide Mary with the clues she
needs to reveal the truth. The descriptions of the weather in both novels aids
in the tone of the plot. On the night that Maxim killed Rebecca the
weather, described as being stormy and dark is a direct parallel to the setting
(Du Maurier 239). The
dark weather also foreshadows the secrets in which Maxim hides from his
mistress. In Jamaica Inn, as Mary is driving out to the inn there
is a storm that reflects her sadness and mourning of the recent death of her
mother (Du Maurier
86). The elements of descriptive imagery allow the novels to uphold a
gothic style.
The
atmosphere and constant feeling of mystery and terror create the feeling of
gothic literature. This constant tone allows the unexpected twists and
dark plot to have a more intensified effect on the reader. In Rebecca,
Maxim’s annual ball, filled with a sense of mystery and terror creates tension
between Maxim and his new wife when she unknowingly dresses like Rebecca (Du Maurier 196). The first
major twist in the story allows the reader to lament for Maxim when the reader
discovers that Rebecca was terminally ill and infertile, but lied to
Maxim. The dark turn of events creates true mystery and an intense sense
of terror. In Jamaica Inn, the biggest turn of events happens when
Mary realizes that the one person she found to trust was actually the darkest
person in the novel. Du Maurier’s
choice of diction and set-up of events creates the mystery and terror that is
paramount to gothic literature.
The
violence and presence of supernatural beings also fulfills the characteristics
of gothic literature. In Rebecca, the violence lies in Maxim’s
past of killing his ex-wife upon learning she cheated on him. Her ghost
comes back to haunt the mistress and drive her out of Maxim’s estate and life (Du Maurier 224). Rebecca’s
faithful servant, Mrs. Danvers also aids Rebecca in this. Du Maurier creates these
characters with complicated lives and strong beliefs to create tension and
unresolved issues between the characters. In Jamaica Inn, the
violence lies in the killing and deceit that surrounds Mary. She is lied to and finds hidden clues to lead her to the truth
about the people she is living with. Du Maurier uses this deceit and mystery to present the
violence in a less intense manner that allows the reader to feel a sense of
suspense.
The
deconstructionist views of these novels show that the gothic era is prevalent
within Du Maurier’s
writing. She uses all of the classic characteristics that compose gothic
literature. Based upon her own experiences and her love of suspense
novels, Du Maurier has
created gothic novels that are used as profound
examples of writing from that era. Rebecca and Jamaica Inn are true
examples of literature that show the characteristics of gothic literature.
Comparative Essay: Feminist Read
Daphne du Maurier’s novels, Rebecca and Jamaica Inn both involve women that became suppressed by the men that enter their lives. Both novels also focus on betrayal and murder. Also, the woman in each story is the one that uncovers the truth about the man she is with. The parallel storylines and the innocent women that are presented reveal the feminist views Daphne Du Maurier was trying to exhibit in both Rebecca and Jamaica Inn in hopes of rallying women to be more independent.
Jamaica Inn involves the life of a young woman by the name of Mary Yellan. Throughout the novel, Mary Yellan is driven to do what she promised her deceased mother she would do. Even though Mary Yellan knows that going to Jamaica Inn might be dangerous, she continues to go on to meet her Aunt and Uncle, the owners of Jamaica Inn. In her journey, she falls in love with her uncle’s brother Jem and continues to be faithful to him even though he has been caught as a thief. She also quickly trusts the vicar that lives in a neighboring town. The vicar is later proven to be the main leader of the gang of murderers that were terrorizing the towns. Mary Yellan’s independence in certain matters shows how as a woman she is strong and driven. She goes to complain about the man that murdered her Aunt and Uncle and confronts the vicar when she realizes that he is the murderer. Although Daphne Du Maurier used elements such as this to represent the independence a woman can have, there are parts of the novel in which the main character is dependent on her male lover. This dependence is present when Mary Yellan is saved by Jem after she is kidnapped. It is also apparent when she follows Jem in his journey and leaves her life behind. By using a character that is both independent and dependent, Daphne Du Maurier allows readers to see the need for women to be able to be outspoken and independent and to have the ability to save themselves in times of need. This dependence can also be seen in Aunt Patience, who often shudders upon the arrival of her husband, such as when he returned home after being gone for a week on a trip. While observing her aunt, Mary Yellan states that “…she had again become the nervy, shattered creature of before” (46). Her aunt was unable to be carefree around her husband, but instead was fearful and shielded, a characteristic that many women at the time shared. She tells her niece to ignore anything she sees or hear that might be related to the gang of bandits that Uncle Joss leads. By saying this and not standing up to her husband, Aunt Patience abandons her rights and falls to her fears. The novel occurs in a time when woman’s rights were minimal and fought strongly for.
Rebecca resembles Jamaica Inn through the characterization of the main character, whose name is never revealed. This is done in order to show the importance of Rebecca as the main character of the novel, even though she has been murdered. The mistress quickly marries Maxim with little thought, mostly because of his financial stability, showing how woman based their thoughts on materialistic possessions at the time. Class meant more than true love, and although the mistress does begin to love Maxim, the importance of Maxim’s high social status shows how woman at the time required wealth in order to marry. The mistress, parallel to Mary Yellan in Jamaica Inn, begins to discover the truth about her husband and that he murdered his ex wife. After discovering these horrific truths, the mistress still supports her husband and runs away with him in the end. This signifies how women at the time might have supported their husband in hopes of fitting the standards set by society to be a faithful wife and expresses Daphne Du Maurier’s opinion that these standards should be changed by women. Another important factor that is present in Rebecca is how Rebecca is revealed as an adulterous woman that is extremely provocative privately and is concerned with how people perceive her. Rebecca is also seen as promiscuous as she shockingly asks her husband “why fellows can’t share their women” and suggests that “ [a] lovely woman isn’t like a motor tyre…[t]he more you use her the better she goes” (32). This suggestive tone and casual attitude towards adultery characterizes Rebecca as an independent woman that secretly went against the ideals set for her by society. The menagerie that Rebecca casts reveals how woman at the time were more concerned with outward appearance than inward fulfillment.
Daphne Du Maurier came from a high social class and a rich background. She wrote various gothic books at the time that exemplified the importance of women being independent and not focused on materialistic possessions or society’s rules. A call for woman to change is shown and is represented by the characters in both novels through their dependence on the men that are present in their lives. The women also struggle with fearing their loved ones for the crimes that he has committed and the need to overcome this fear along with pent up jealousy in order to be successful and lead a joyous life. The tribulations the characters in Du Maurier’s novels face exemplify both the downfalls a woman may encounter and the strength a woman can have.
Daphne Du Maurier used similar patterns of characterization in both of her novels in order to represent the feminist ideals she wanted to see in the world. She also showed through the various crimes that were committed, the susceptibility woman had to evil and not standing up for their own right. Also, the importance of being able to state the truth without worrying about what others may think and how women should be in society is important
Reader Based Rebecca
·
Love is based upon materialistic objects and
beauty
-The main character marries Maxim mostly for how wealthy he is and the luxuries he will be able to provide for her
·
Jealousy in the presence of new people and
sadness because of the loss of loved ones\
- Mrs. Danvers, the servant, becomes extremely jealous of the new wife that is present because she misses Rebecca
- The main character becomes envious of Rebecca because of how poised she seems
·
Destruction of valued items because of
selfishness
·
Secrets of a dark past are never left as secrets
Reader Based Jamaica Inn
·
The aunt is in an abusive relationship so
readers that have been involved in such scenarios are able to relate
·
As Mary Yellan is
surrounded by crime she is unsure of what to do or say at the time
·
The idea of forbidden love between Mary Yellan and Jem
Historical Read Rebecca
·
Type of family you married into defined the type
of person you were
·
Cheating and divorce was not common and looked
down upon
·
A woman’s role in society was to uphold the
marriage and household
·
Many people had servants
Historical Read Jamaica Inn
- The “gangs” of the time ruled the community
- There were restrictions amongst who was allowed to fall in love
- The women were expected to stay silent and ignore what they saw or heard
-
Instead of taking in their niece as a daughter, they make her work for them, similar to a servant
Biographical Read Rebecca
·
The author grew up in
·
Du Maurier
was born and married into a rich family
·
The nanny took care of her
·
Money was of significant value for her, and it
was the same for Rebecca
Biographical Read Jamaica Inn
- The author may have been abused by her husband, which was revealed after her husband’s death
- This is similar to how Aunt Patience was abused by her husband
- Mary Yellan is alone after her mother’s death. Daphne Du Maurier lived a lonely life most of the time in her youth.
- The story takes place in the same setting as Rebecca, which is also where Daphne Du Maurier grew up
25 Question Quiz:
1. Which of the following is not an element of modern gothic literature?
A) Picturesque Settings
B) Intense pain within the
main character
C) Feeling of mystery and
terror
D) Insights into violence
E) Presence of supernatural
beings
2. What year was Daphne Du Maurier born in?
A) 1905
B) 1908
C) 1907
D) 1927
E) 1917
3. Which city in
A)
B) Manderley
C)
D)
E)
4. Which style element is not present in most or all of Du Maurier’s literature?
A) Vivid Imagery
B) Relation of events to
weather
C) Irony
D) Flashback
E) Metaphors
5. How many sisters did Du Maurier have?
A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4
6. Du Maurier reflects which element of her life in both Rebecca and Jamaica Inn?
A) Wealth
of families and social status
B) Trials and tribulations of
being a woman
C) Being single in a society
where most women are married
D) Evil nature of men
E) Violence and crime
7. Which type of person served as a mother to children in the times Du Maurier grew up?
A) Teachers
B) Nurses
C) Nannys
D)
E) Doctors
8. How does the description of settings in the novels help the reader?
A) Informs
the reader of where the novel takes place
B) Helps the reader to analyze
the setting
C) Allows the reader to infer
possible events in the book
D) Informs the reader of
possible relationships between characters
E) Aids the reader in
understanding the characters
9. How many major plot twists are in the
novel Rebecca?
A) 2
B) 5
C) 10
D) 6
E) 3
10. The picture of the wolf leading the sheep that Mary Yellan finds in the novel
A) The
animals that live by the inn
B) The true identity of the
vicar
C) The way in which her mother
died
D) All of the above
E) None
of the above
11. Through a deconstructionist read what does the gothic elements Du Maurier uses in
her novels portray?
A) The type
of person she was
B) The tone of her novels
C) The characterization of the
main characters
D) Du
Maurier’s heritage
E) The era in which she wrote
12. Who saves Mary in the novel Jamaica Inn?
A) The
vicar
B) Her father
C) Jem
D) Her Uncle
E) Her Aunt
13. What type of weather wad depicted when Rebecca’s body was found?
A) Sun
B) Rain
C) A large storm
D) Snow
E) A slight breeze
14. What is the title of Du Maurier’s first novel?
A) Jamaica
Inn
B) Rebecca
C) A Bridge Too Close
D) A Bridge Too Far
E) The Storm
15. Which family members of Du Maurier’s were not an influential part of society?
A) Her
Parents
B) Her Cousin
C) Her Aunt
D) Her Uncle
E) None of the above
16. What is the name of the mistress’ evil servant in the
novel Rebecca?
A) Mrs.
B) Ms. De Winters
C) Mrs. De Winters
D) Miss
E) Mrs. Danvill
17. What words did Du Maurier’s relatives use to describe her?
A) Lively
B) Warm
C) Welcoming
D) Kind
E) Cold
18. What type of girl is Mary Yellan?
A) Spoiled by her parents
B) A rich business woman
C) A wealthy farm girl
D) An orphaned farm girl
E) An orphaned business owner
19. Based on a feminist read, the men in both novels pride themselves on finding women who _______
A) Are rich
B) Are naïve
C) Are beautiful
D) Are young
E) Are weak
20. Using a reader based read, the novel Rebecca is relatable to the reader because of which element?
A) Man’s hidden secrets
B) The importance of money to society
C) The disgrace of a cheating partner
D) The embarrassment of divorce
E) None of the above
21. The importance of social standing is based of a _______ read
A) Archetypal
B) Author based
C) Deconstructionist
D) Historical
E) Feminist
22. Which of the following are reader based ideas from the novel Jamaica Inn?
A) Abusive relationships
B) Surrounded by crime
C) Forbidden love
D) All of the above
E) None of the above
23. Based on a feminist read of Rebecca what are the similarities between Rebecca and the new mistress?
A) Their naïve nature
B) Their love for beauty
C) Their relationship with the servant
D) Their love for the Manderley estate
E) Their secrets from their husband
24. A biographical read on the novel Jamaica Inn would not include which element?
A) Abusive relationships
B) Loneliness and presence of death
C) The importance of her hometown
D) Fame within her family
E) None of the above
25. A biographical read on the novel Rebecca would not include which element?
A) Tragic events that happen in life
B) Born and raised in a rich family
C) The nanny was the primary caregiver
D) The significance of money
E) The setting is the same in both the author and the main character’s life
Works Cited:
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Biography – Daphne Du
Maurier. Ed. Lisa L.
Moore.
Daphne Du Maurier. Ed. Mary Daniels Brown. 2000. BookCrossing. 9 April 2008< http://www.notesinthemargin.org/dumaurier.html>
Daphne Du Maurier (1907-1989). Ed. Oriel Malet. 2002. Bamber Gascoigne. 10 April 2008< http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/dumaurie.htm>
Daphne Du Maurier Biography. Ed. Richard
Forster.
Days of Imperialism. Ed.
Jesse BC.
Deconstruction.
Deconstruction: Definition and Much More. 2006. Wikipedia. 31 March 2008< http://www.answers.com/topic/deconstruction>
Deconstructionist Read. Ed. Ross Murfin. 1998.
Du Maurier,
Daphne. Jamaica Inn.
Du Maurier,
Daphne. Rebecca.
Feminist Page. Ed. Anna Wilson.
Feminist
Gaps In Perception: Feminist
Reading Responses. Ed. Jessica Laccetti.
criticism/116631
Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier. Ed.Victor Gollancz. 1936. West Wind Internet. 10 April 2008< http://www.dumaurier.org/jamaica.html>.
Jamaica Inn (Novel). Ed. Sean O’faolain. August 2006. Wikipedia. 10 April 2008< http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Jamaica_Inn_%28novel%29>.
The History of Jamaica Inn. 2003. Four Degrees West. 9 April 2008< http://www.notesinthemargin.org/dumaurier.html>
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier – Review. 2005. Bisca International Investments Ltd. 8 April 2008< http://www.libdex.com/Book4.html>
Rebecca (Novel)- Wikipedia. 9April 2008. GNU Free Documentation License. 10 April 2008< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_(novel)>
Rebecca Study Guide. 2006. Thompson Gale Corporation. 8 April 2008< http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-rebecca/>