Welcome to Manderley: Your Study Guide to "Rebecca"
Hello! Get ready to step into the mysterious and beautiful world of Daphne du Maurier's masterpiece, Rebecca. This is more than just a story; it's a deep dive into jealousy, identity, and the haunting power of the past. These notes are designed to help you understand the novel inside and out, whether you're aiming for a top grade or just want to feel more confident about the story. We'll break everything down into simple, easy-to-understand parts. Let's explore the secrets of Manderley together!
Section 1: The Big Picture - What's "Rebecca" All About?
Who wrote it and when?
Rebecca was written by Daphne du Maurier and published in 1938. This is important because it was a time of great uncertainty in the world, just before World War II. This feeling of anxiety and things not being what they seem is a big part of the novel's atmosphere.
What kind of novel is it?
At its heart, Rebecca is a Gothic novel. Don't worry if that sounds fancy! A Gothic novel is basically a story with a spooky, mysterious feeling. Think of these key ingredients:
A large, mysterious old house: Manderley is the perfect example!
Secrets and a dark past: Maxim de Winter has a huge secret about his first wife.
Psychological suspense: The story plays with your mind. The tension comes from emotions and fear, not just action.
A feeling of being haunted: Even though there are no real ghosts, the memory of Rebecca haunts everyone and everything.
Think of it like this: A Gothic novel is like a haunted house story, but the "ghost" is a memory or a secret, making it a psychological thriller instead of a simple horror story.
Key Takeaway
Rebecca is a Gothic psychological thriller written by Daphne du Maurier. It uses mystery, secrets, and a haunting atmosphere to explore the mind of its main character.
Section 2: The Story - A Quick Plot Walkthrough
The plot can feel complicated, so let's break it into three main parts. Understanding the structure will help you remember the key events.
Part 1: The Beginning in Monte Carlo
We meet the main character, a young, shy, and poor lady's companion. Important: She is never given a name! We call her "the narrator" or "the second Mrs de Winter."
She meets the wealthy, handsome, and mysterious older man, Maxim de Winter.
After a quick romance, he proposes, and she accepts. She thinks she's living a fairy tale.
Part 2: Life at Manderley
The narrator arrives at Manderley, Maxim's grand country estate. It's beautiful but also intimidating.
She quickly realises that the house is dominated by the memory of Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, who died in a boating accident a year earlier.
The housekeeper, Mrs Danvers, was obsessed with Rebecca and is cold and cruel to the narrator. She constantly compares the narrator to the "perfect" Rebecca, making her feel insecure and worthless.
The narrator feels like she can never escape Rebecca's shadow. Rebecca's things are everywhere, and everyone talks about how amazing she was.
The climax of this section is the Manderley fancy-dress ball. Mrs Danvers tricks the narrator into wearing the same dress Rebecca wore at her last ball, which causes Maxim to become furious.
Part 3: The Truth is Revealed
Distraught after the ball, the narrator is almost convinced by Mrs Danvers to jump out of the window.
Suddenly, a ship runs aground in the bay, and Rebecca's boat (with a body inside) is discovered.
The Big Twist: Maxim confesses to the narrator that he never loved Rebecca. He reveals she was a cruel, manipulative, and evil person. He admits that he killed her during an argument and sank her body in the boat.
The narrator's love for Maxim deepens now that she knows the truth. She is no longer a scared girl but a woman determined to protect her husband.
An investigation follows. It looks like Maxim will be found guilty, but a final discovery in Rebecca's medical records reveals she had terminal cancer and was provoking Maxim to kill her, likely to frame him. The official verdict becomes suicide.
Maxim and the narrator are free, but when they drive back to Manderley, they see it is on fire. The novel ends with the image of the burning house, likely set ablaze by a vengeful Mrs Danvers.
Key Takeaway
The story moves from a seemingly simple romance to a dark psychological drama. The central conflict is the narrator's struggle against the "ghost" of Rebecca, which leads to the discovery of a shocking murder secret.
Section 3: The Characters - Who's Who?
Understanding the characters is key to acing your essays. Let's look at the main players.
The Narrator (The Second Mrs de Winter)
Who is she? A young, shy, and insecure woman who marries Maxim. Her defining feature is that she has no name. This symbolises her lack of identity. At the start, she is a nobody, defined only by her job or her relationship to others ("Mrs de Winter").
Her Journey: She goes through a massive transformation. She starts as a timid girl, terrified of Manderley and Mrs Danvers. After Maxim's confession, she grows up instantly, becoming a strong, decisive woman who protects her husband.
Think of her as: A blank canvas that is slowly being painted over by the dark colours of Manderley, until she finally learns to paint her own picture.
Maxim de Winter
Who is he? The rich, charming, and brooding owner of Manderley. He is a classic Byronic hero – a type of character who is handsome and charismatic but also has a dark, mysterious past and is prone to moodiness.
His Secret: His whole personality is shaped by the trauma of his marriage to Rebecca and the secret of her murder. His anger and distance are not because he misses Rebecca, but because he hated her and is tormented by his guilt.
Appearance vs. Reality: The world sees him as a grieving widower, but in reality, he is a man freed from a torturous relationship.
Rebecca
Who is she? Maxim's first wife. She is dead before the story even begins, but she is arguably the most powerful character in the book. She is the antagonist (the character who creates the conflict).
Her Presence: We never meet her, but we "see" her through the memories of others, her perfectly preserved room, and her beautiful handwriting. She represents an impossible ideal of beauty, confidence, and charm that the narrator can't live up to.
The Truth: We later learn this perfect image was a lie. She was cruel, selfish, and manipulative. She controlled everyone around her.
Mrs Danvers
Who is she? The sinister head housekeeper of Manderley. She was fanatically devoted to Rebecca.
Her Motivation: She worships Rebecca's memory and sees the new Mrs de Winter as an unworthy intruder. Her goal is to mentally destroy the narrator and drive her out of Manderley.
Think of her as: The guardian of Rebecca's "ghost." She keeps Rebecca's memory alive and uses it as a weapon against the narrator.
Quick Review: Character Dynamics
• The Narrator struggles to find her identity.
• Maxim is trapped by his secret past.
• Rebecca (her memory) is the source of the conflict.
• Mrs Danvers is the agent of Rebecca's haunting influence.
Section 4: Key Themes - The Big Ideas for Your Essays
Themes are the main ideas or messages in a novel. Understanding these will give you great material for your essays. Don't worry, we'll make them simple!
1. The Past vs. The Present
This is the biggest theme in the book! The past, represented by Rebecca, completely controls the present at Manderley. The narrator can't start a new life with Maxim because the old one is still there, haunting every room. The final fire is symbolic: only by completely destroying the past (Manderley) can they truly be free.
Example: Mrs Danvers keeping Rebecca's room like a shrine is a perfect example of the past being kept alive to poison the present.
2. Identity and Insecurity
The narrator's journey is all about finding her own identity. Because she is nameless, she feels she has no worth. She tries to become like Rebecca, thinking that's what Maxim wants, but fails. She only becomes a confident, whole person when she stops trying to be someone else and stands by Maxim as herself.
Think about it: How can you be yourself if you're constantly living in someone else's shadow?
3. Jealousy
The narrator is consumed by jealousy for a woman who is already dead. She is jealous of Rebecca's beauty, her confidence, her skills, and her connection to Manderley. The irony is that she is jealous of a person who never really existed in the way she imagines. It's a powerful exploration of how our own insecurities can create monsters in our minds.
4. Appearance vs. Reality
Nothing in Rebecca is what it seems on the surface.
Manderley: Looks like a perfect English home, but it's filled with secrets and hatred.
Maxim & Rebecca's Marriage: Looked like the perfect high-society couple, but in reality, it was full of mutual hatred.
Rebecca: Seemed like a flawless, beloved woman, but she was cruel and destructive.
Du Maurier teaches us to always look beneath the surface.
Key Takeaway
The main themes are the struggle between the past and present, the search for identity, the destructive power of jealousy, and the difference between appearance and reality. These themes are all connected and drive the psychological drama.
Section 5: Style & Symbolism - How Du Maurier Tells the Story
This section is super important for passage analysis (Paper 2)! It's about the *techniques* the author uses to create meaning and atmosphere.
Setting: Manderley is a Character
Manderley isn't just a house; it's a living, breathing part of the story. It represents Rebecca's power and the weight of the past. Notice how different parts of the estate have different feelings:
The West Wing: Rebecca's old rooms, perfectly preserved by Mrs Danvers. This is the heart of the "haunting." It's a place of the past.
The East Wing: The narrator's rooms. They are unfamiliar and less grand, showing her status as an outsider.
The Happy Valley: A beautiful garden that is suddenly invaded by overgrown, blood-red rhododendrons, showing how Rebecca's beautiful-but-dangerous nature is taking over.
Narration: First-Person Point of View
The entire story is told from the narrator's perspective. This is a very clever choice by du Maurier. Why?
It creates suspense: We only know what the narrator knows. We feel her confusion, fear, and insecurity along with her.
It's an unreliable perspective: Her insecurities might make her misinterpret things. We see Maxim and Mrs Danvers through her frightened eyes, so our own judgement is clouded.
Symbolism: Objects with Deeper Meanings
Symbols are objects or images that represent a bigger idea.
The Rhododendrons: They are everywhere at Manderley. They are described as "blood-red" and "slaughterous." They are beautiful but also threatening and overpowering, just like Rebecca's memory.
The Sea: It is a constant presence. It represents the unconscious, deep secrets, and danger. It's the place where Rebecca died, and it's what gives up her secret in the end.
Fire: The fire that destroys Manderley at the end symbolises both destruction and purification. The past must be burned away for Maxim and the narrator to have a future.
Key Takeaway
Du Maurier uses the setting of Manderley, a limited first-person narrator, and powerful symbols (like rhododendrons and the sea) to build a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere.
Section 6: Get Ready for the Exam!
Common Essay Question Angles
Exam questions will ask you to think critically. Here are some common types of questions you might see:
Character Analysis: "To what extent is the narrator a stronger character than Rebecca?" or "Is Maxim de Winter a sympathetic character?"
Thematic Analysis: "Discuss the theme of appearance versus reality in the novel." or "How does du Maurier explore the power of the past?"
Analysis of Technique: "In what ways is Manderley itself the most important character in Rebecca?" or "How does the first-person narration contribute to the novel's suspense?"
Tips for Passage Analysis (Paper 2)
When you get a passage, don't panic! Use this 4-step method:
What is happening? Briefly summarise the events or feelings in this specific part of the story.
How is it written? Look for literary devices! What is the tone (e.g., tense, sad, angry)? Is there any symbolism? What does the word choice tell you? How is the setting described?
Why here? Why is this passage important at this point in the novel? Does it reveal something new about a character? Does it advance the plot?
Link to the big picture: Connect the passage to the novel's main themes or character developments. For example, a passage describing the narrator feeling small in Manderley's library links to the theme of identity and insecurity.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Don't just retell the plot. The examiner knows the story. Your job is to ANALYSE it. Always ask "why?" and "how?"
• Don't call Rebecca a real ghost. She is not a supernatural being. Her power comes from memory and psychological influence. Make this distinction clear!
• Don't forget the narrator is biased. Remember that everything we learn is filtered through her insecure perspective, at least until the end.
You've got this! Rebecca is a rich and rewarding novel. By understanding these key characters, themes, and techniques, you'll be well on your way to writing fantastic essays and analyses. Good luck!