Mrs. Danvers Villain In Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca

As stated by Chadwick Boseman, “The only difference between a hero and a villain is that the villain chooses to use that power in a way that is selfish and hurts other people”. In his statement about villains, Boseman explains that all heroes and villains are similar because they all have the same power. The determining factor on whether they are a hero or a villain depends on if the power is used to save others or instead to harm others. Throughout Daphne Du Maurier’s novel Rebecca, readers go back and forth on which character is the main villain of the novel. One character whom readers sometimes view as the villain is Mrs. Danvers. Mrs. Danvers is the head housekeeper at Manderley, the estate where the novel takes place, and she has known

Danvers showcases her evil motives and causes the Narrator pain. This is shown in one scene when Mrs. Danvers finds the Narrator exploring in the west wing. Once Mrs. Danvers notices this, the expression on her face is “triumphant, gloating, excited in a strange unhealthy way” (Du Maurier 170). Mrs. Danvers recognizes that this is a moment where she can frighten the narrator and decides to show the Narrator the west wing. She then “took hold of [the Narrator’s] arm” (Du Maurier 174) and went throughout the room forcing the Narrator to touch Rebecca’s items. In one example, Mrs. Danvers “forces [Rebecca’s] slippers over [the Narrator’s] hands” (Du Maurier 174) as she talks about Rebecca’s looks. She then tells the Narrator that she still feels Rebecca’s presence throughout Manderley(adverb) and “wonders if [Rebecca] comes back here to Manderley and watches you and Mr. De Winter together” (De Maurier 176). When Mrs. Danvers forces the Narrator to touch Rebecca’s belongings, she makes the Narrator suffer and feel tormented. Everything Mrs. Danvers says in this scene is said consciously to make the Narrator feel inferior to Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers knows that showing the Narrator the west wing will only negatively affect her but still continues on with her evil motives. Later on in the novel, Mrs. Danvers continues to use her evil motives when she tries to convince the Narrator to kill herself. She tells the Narrator that “[Maxim] doesn’t want you, he

Danvers continually shows her discomforting presence, demonstrates her disturbing actions, and showcases her plans for revenge which in the end causes everyone to suffer. She causes the Narrator to suffer because she makes her feel threatened and beneath herself. Maxim suffers because Mrs. Danvers reminds him of an unhappy time in his life and she destroys his home. All of the workers at Manderley suffer as well because she burns down their workplace which is their source of income. If it weren’t for Mrs. Danvers' heartless actions, everyone at Manderley would have been free from suffering. In all her actions, she lets her own animosity take over and proves that she truly only cares about the wellbeing of herself as well as making others feel the pain she has felt. She “uses her power in a way that is selfish and hurts other people” all because of one motive,