Novel Rebecca Mrs De Winter example essay topic

I enjoyed the novel Rebecca thoroughly because of its many plot twists, suspense, universal themes and realistic characters. This novel ties closely with the novel Jane Eyre, in theme, plot and characters. My second novel A Room With A View has similar women characters and themes but has a very dissimilar plot line. All three of the novels are set in Italy in the early 1900's. All three authors wrote love stories that included a strong will edman and an inferior woman. I found Daphne DuMaurier and Charlotte Bronte's writing styles similar in many ways.

Rebecca is written in the first person as a memory from the past. The novel begins by sinking directly into the story", Last night I dreamt I went to Manderlyagain". (DuMaurier 5). At no point in the novel does the author get so wrapped up in description that you loose the story.

We learn about the authors characters through their actions and insight from other characters. A Room With A View, begins by describing a elegant dining room in the present tense. Although this description gives you a clear view of the setting it looses the readers interest in the first few pages. Jane Eyre, commences with, "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day" (Bronte 3). This quote shows Charlotte Bronte introducing her novel also in the past tense as a vivid memory. All three novels included the character of a very inferior feeling, plain woman.

Although all three of these characters begin with low self esteem they evolve throughout the novel and end as very strong respectful women. In Rebecca the main character's name was Mrs. De Winter. Rebecca is Mr. De Winter's first wife and is only reflected as a memory of the past. In Jane Eyre the character's name was Jane and in A Room With View, the character's name was Lucy. Mrs. De Winter in the novel, Rebecca, looks back on herself and states", I have lost my diffidence, my timidity, my shyness with strangers. Iam very different from that self who drove to Manderly for the first time, hopeful and eager, handicapped by a rather desperate gaucherie and filled with an intense desire to please.

It was my lack of poise of course that made such a bad impression on people like Mrs. Danvers". (DuMaurier 13). This quote shows how Mrs. De Winter has become strong since the first time she seen the enormous mansion called Manderly. All three ladies are dressed quite plain in the novels. This characteristic parallels the ladies plain personalities. Jane describes her attire as", I dressed myself with care: obliged to be plain- for I had no article of attire that was not made with extreme simplicity - I was still by nature solicitous to be neat.

I ever wished to look as well as I could, and to please as much as my want of beauty would permit". (Bronte 35). Although Jane, Lucy and Mrs. De Winter are shown at the beginning of the novels as plain and inferior they all have a place in their hearts to be strong and confident. Throughout the novel A Room With A View, Mr. Be bbe expresses his feelings by saying", If Lucy lived as passionately as she played the piano she would become an extraordinary person" (Forster 62)... This quote illustrates Lucy's place in her heart of sophistication and brilliance. All three women were seen as inferior and impressionable, but, showed potential of strong characters.

All three characters evolved into confident women and became the characters they were in their hearts. The main women characters were initially weak, but, evolve to be the strongest characters in the novel, the three men characters in the novels were confident and oblivious to what their wife or finance is feeling. In the novel Jane Eyre, Rochester is the object of Jane's affection. Rochester says to Jane in a meeting, "You examine me, Miss Eyre,' said he: 'do you think me handsome?' (Bronte 114). Jane replies, ' I should, if I had deliberated, have replied to this question by something conventionally vague and polite; but the answer somehow slipped from my tongue before I was aware- 'No, sir. ' (Bronte 114).

Jane is very nervous and trembles when Rochester is around. When Rochester enters the household he is highly respected and all the housemaids run around to complete his every whim. Mrs. Fairfax described Mr. Rochester as", He is considered a just and liberal landlord by his tenants: but he has never lived much amongst them" (Bronte 91). In the novel Rebecca Mrs. De Winter feels inferior and nervous when Maxim is around. Mrs. De Winter says, "One was too sensitive, too raw, there were thorns and pin-pricks in so many words that in reality fell lightly on the air" (DuMarier 15). Both Jane and Mrs. De Winter feel that all they should do is please people and do not think much of themselves.

At the end of the novel the strong men begin to realize their flaws. Rochester says, "Jane I will abide by your decision" (Bronte 394). Throughout the novel Rochester is exposed as confident and intelligent. This quote is a turning point in his character because he is shown innocent and asking for advice. Jane and Mrs. De Winter begin to recognize their own personal strong points as their loving husbands point them out to them. George says to Lucy, "Well, I acted the truth - the only thing I did do - and you come back to me.

So possibly you know" (Forster 228). This shows George being honest about his feelings to Lucy. This quote illustrates a turning point in George because he is acting in a rational and honest manner. After each character evolves and changes they find true love between one another. In the novels Jane Eyre and Rebecca both Jane and Mrs. De Winter move into mansions that take over their lives. Mrs. De Winter moves into Manderley, "Ancient, beautiful Manderley, between the rose garden and the sea, is the county's showpiece" (DuMarier 5).

Manderly was previously taken care of by Rebecca who had a marriage agreement with Maxim. Maxim agreed that Rebecca was to take care of Manderly and throw parties and also act as a wife to him. Mrs. De Winter was so overcome by the shrine Rebecca had left behind she did not begin her new life with Maxim until Manderly burnt to the ground. Jane moved into Thorn field and described it as", An aspect of a home of the past: a shrine of memory" (Bronte 92). Jane soon finds out that this is altogether very true. Jane was overcome by the mysterious tenant living in the west wing.

The lady often broke Jane's concentration to work and often left her feeling unfulfilled. When Jane discovered that the strange woman living in the west wing was Rochester's wife, the unsettling feelings bleed through to her upcoming marriage to Rochester. Jane could also not come back to her love until the past was burnt to the ground. Although these mansions held extreme material wealth they both carried unwanted memories of the past. It was not until both these mansions burnt down that Jane and Rochester, Mrs. De Winter and Maxim truly fell in love. Love vs. Duty is a theme carried out throughout all three novels.

Lucy feels she has a duty to Cecil", The contest lay not between love and duty? Perhaps there never is such a contest". (Forster 181). In this quote Lucy begins to realize her connection to Cecil through duty and social order rather than love. Jane feels her call to duty when St. John asks her to marry him. Jane tells Rochester, "He does not love me: I do not love him.

He loves as he can love, and that is not as you love. He wanted to marry me only because he thought I should make a suitable missionary's wife. (Bronte 394). Jane feels that if she is Rochester's wife she will go against her morals because he is already married. Jane finally realizes that true love does not come from the morals you are brought up in but rather from the heart, and to marry St. John would be going against her heart because she does not truly love him.

Mrs. De Winter feels that her duty is to take Rebecca's place and take care of the household and parties. Mrs. De Winter realizes that is not expressing her love to Maxim and that all Maxim wants is her love. Mrs. De Winter aborts her social duty to Manderly and then recaptures her love for Maxim. Although all three women are confused about their true love they discover that duty cannot replace love. Social order is a theme that carries throughout all three novels.

At the beginning social order is upset by a servant (Jane) marrying a high class man (Rochester), a polite young lady (Lucy) marrying a daring uneducated man (George) and Mrs. De Winter a mere companion marrying a polite respected man like Maxim. We are introduced to the theme of social order in the novel Rebecca, Mrs. De Winter says", The uncanny swiftness of his kind, had long sensed my position as inferior and subservient to hers". (DuMarier 14). Weare introduced to Maxim by Mrs. Van Hopper who says, "It's Max de Winter, the man who owns Manderley". (DuMarier 15). The separation of Maxim and Mrs. de Winter a remade early so the reader can see the social order be upset by the two figures coming together.

When social order is upset the internal order of the female character is also disrupted. Jane Eyre illustrates internal imbalance when St. Peter asks Jane to marry him and Jane hears Rochester's voice calling out her name in her mind. The social order is not restored until the end of the novels when the public, Lucy, Jane, and Mrs. De Winter realize that it does not matter what social standing they are from only that two people love each other. Lucy, Jane and Mrs. De Winter cannot ignore their love even though they were taught social status and tradition. The women must upset social order to restore the internal balance and order in their hearts. The novel I enjoyed most was Rebecca, because of the mysterious character of Rebecca, the interesting love triangles, and Maxim's love for Manderly.

Although Rebecca is dead she is a main character in the novel. Rebecca controlled all of the activities withinManderly, and when she died so did the brilliance of Manderly. Rebecca's presence only in memory interested me because she had so much influence on the characters even though she died. Mrs. De Winter cannot seem to please the servants of Manderly as Rebecca did. Maxim cannot seem to get rid of Rebecca's things in the west wing so her memory seems to live on in the household. Mrs. Danvers says to Mrs. De Winter", Mr. De Winter said you would prefer to be on this side.

The rooms in the west wing are very old. The bedroom in the big suite is twice as large as this; a very beautiful room too... the most beautiful room in the house". (DuMarier 80). Mrs. De Winter felt uncomfortable after this statement and thinks to herself", Where I found myself to be installed, was something inferior, not up to Manderley standard, a second-rate room, as it were, for a second-rate person". (DuMarier 81). The author uses the word 'installed' to describe how Mrs. De Winter moves in.

This word is impersonal and describes the feelings Mrs. De Winter is experiencing. The love string that occurs in the novel before Maxim's second wife arrives. Rebecca has many partners whom are related and or best friends with Maxim. This plot provides an element of mystery to the novel.

I found the mystery element to make the novel more complex and interesting. Throughout the novel Manderly stands as a symbol of Rebecca and her strong character like the strong frame of Manderly. Maxim lived for Manderly and it's ambiance. When Mrs. and Mr. De Winter go away and find out the flaw in Rebecca that she had cancer her shrine of perfection finally fell.

Manderly burnt to the ground", The sky was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea". (DuMarier 397). Imagery is incorporated in the last sentence of the novel. At the end, the reader learns that Maxim actually kills Rebecca and this reflects the splash of blood. The salt wind from the sea is the memory of Rebecca's west wing room by the sea.

All of these memories are taken away by the thick inky clouds of smoke and are never spoken of again.