The Gothic Influence In Rebecca By Daphne Du Marier

The Gothic Influence Although the word “Gothic” is often associated with supernatural creatures or haunted, abandoned places, the word actually originates from an elaborate style of architecture. The reason that the word “Gothic” has become associated with these ideas of horror and death is because the architecture was thought of the ideal place for mysterious, suspenseful, and dark stories to occur. These types of stories became known as the Gothic genre. The Gothic literary genre often includes elements of fear, death, and strong emotions, and is set in set in a dark or mysterious place. The book Rebecca by Daphne du Marier is the epitome of the Gothic literary genre because it involves a witch-like character, a Gothic hero, and it is set

Danvers possesses multiple witch-like qualities, which can be seen with her ghastly appearance, constant watching of other characters, ability to identify and exploit others’ weaknesses, and her attempt to harm the main characters. When the Narrator sees Mrs. Danvers for the first time, she describes her as, “… tall and gaunt, dressed in deep black, whose prominent cheek-bones and great, hollow eyes gave her a skull’s face, parchment-white, set on a skeleton’s frame” (du Maurier 67). This description brings to mind images of death and makes Mrs. Danvers appear to be more like a corpse than a living person. Another witch-like characteristic is noticeable when the Narrator feels like Mrs. Danvers has been keeping careful watch over everything she does, and she thinks, “She had been watching me then as I stood at the edge of the woods bathed in the white wall of fog. She had seen me walk slowly from the terrace to the lawns. She may have listened to my conversation with Frank on the telephone from the connecting line in her own room” (244). This passage makes it clear that the Narrator has the uncomfortable feeling of being watched, and when the Narrator talks with Frank over the phone, he confirms her suspicion of Mrs. Danvers when he indicates they should be talking in person. The next way Mrs. Danvers embodies the witch-like character is that she knows the Narrator is very insecure about her relationship with Maxim in comparison to Maxim’s relationship with Rebecca. She decides to exploit this by echoing the Narrator’s thoughts and confirming the Narrator’s insecurities when she tells the Narrator, “We none of us want you. He doesn’t want you, he never did. He can’t forget her. He wants to be alone in the house again, with her” (250). This brutal assessment of the situation is not necessarily true because Mrs. Danvers is speaking on behalf of others, but she says it because she knows it will negatively affect the Narrator. After Mrs. Danvers has