Thanks for the posting this fascinating treatment. I didn't know any of it. I feel silly-- I have read both Jane Eyre (three times) and Rebecca, yet the parallels didn't occur to me. I think your moral- biographical literary critique is fair, but it's hard for me to connect it to what I think of the novel Rebecca itself. I think I want to consider it independent of biographical morality. However, this doesn't really contradict anything you wrote about it. It's disturbing to think how and if DDM's problems contributed to what makes her work special. You might enjoy (aside from agreement/disagreement) Slavoj Zizek's essay on Daphne du Maurier, which includes: "There is one term that encapsulates everything that renders this space-and du Maurier's writing itself-so problematic for contemporary feminism: feminine masochism. What du Maurier stages again and again in a shamelessly direct way is the different figure of 'feminine masochism', of a woman enjoying her own ruin, finding a tortured satisfaction in her subjection and humiliation, etc. So how are we to redeem this feature?" https://www.lacan.com/zizdaphmaur.htm PS. Slavoj Zizek started a Substack account recently.
I just read this article and found it truly fascinating.
In seeing the movie again after this reading, I may keep this info in the back of my mind, like I do rewatching The Wizard of Oz with Wicked's reimagining of the story, but I don't think I will think of Jan Ricardo as a victim. It's awful she killed herself, but without knowing the precise reason why, it's easy (for me) to separate my feelings on it and consider there were other factors involved.
But thank you for this wonderful insight to my absolutely most favorite novel. I will be sharing it with others and have our own conversation about it.
Thank you for your comment. In all the research I've done, it has been confirmed that Jan Ricardo Maxwell was warned about the book, and then later read it and immediately recognized herself as the character Rebecca. It has also been confirmed that Du Maurier was obsessed for years with Jan Ricardo Maxwell. As Rebecca is portrayed as something of a monster, or at least a sociopath, and as she is described in detail, as a woman identical in characteristics and attributes to Jan Ricardo Maxwell, I'm certain, speaking as a woman familiar with these kinds of dynamics that Jan Ricardo Maxwell had to have been deeply insulted, if not actually horrified. This was not some minor thing in her life, this was huge.
I'd say what she did was thoughtless and cruel, but not monstrous. She was young, insecure, jealous and weak. I've known women like her. I will always admire her as one of my favorite writers and authors, but learning the details of this very tragic story, I feel she has shown herself to be more human and fallible than I'd thought before...
Thanks for the posting this fascinating treatment. I didn't know any of it. I feel silly-- I have read both Jane Eyre (three times) and Rebecca, yet the parallels didn't occur to me. I think your moral- biographical literary critique is fair, but it's hard for me to connect it to what I think of the novel Rebecca itself. I think I want to consider it independent of biographical morality. However, this doesn't really contradict anything you wrote about it. It's disturbing to think how and if DDM's problems contributed to what makes her work special. You might enjoy (aside from agreement/disagreement) Slavoj Zizek's essay on Daphne du Maurier, which includes: "There is one term that encapsulates everything that renders this space-and du Maurier's writing itself-so problematic for contemporary feminism: feminine masochism. What du Maurier stages again and again in a shamelessly direct way is the different figure of 'feminine masochism', of a woman enjoying her own ruin, finding a tortured satisfaction in her subjection and humiliation, etc. So how are we to redeem this feature?" https://www.lacan.com/zizdaphmaur.htm PS. Slavoj Zizek started a Substack account recently.
Cool link! Thank you!! I’m going to read this now. Yes, it’s a complex story, but doesn’t change how much I love her books. Thank you! 😊
I just read this article and found it truly fascinating.
In seeing the movie again after this reading, I may keep this info in the back of my mind, like I do rewatching The Wizard of Oz with Wicked's reimagining of the story, but I don't think I will think of Jan Ricardo as a victim. It's awful she killed herself, but without knowing the precise reason why, it's easy (for me) to separate my feelings on it and consider there were other factors involved.
But thank you for this wonderful insight to my absolutely most favorite novel. I will be sharing it with others and have our own conversation about it.
Thank you for your comment. In all the research I've done, it has been confirmed that Jan Ricardo Maxwell was warned about the book, and then later read it and immediately recognized herself as the character Rebecca. It has also been confirmed that Du Maurier was obsessed for years with Jan Ricardo Maxwell. As Rebecca is portrayed as something of a monster, or at least a sociopath, and as she is described in detail, as a woman identical in characteristics and attributes to Jan Ricardo Maxwell, I'm certain, speaking as a woman familiar with these kinds of dynamics that Jan Ricardo Maxwell had to have been deeply insulted, if not actually horrified. This was not some minor thing in her life, this was huge.
Then I stand corrected; so duMaurier was rather the monstrous one in creating the world of the deWinters.
I have not yet heard from those I've shared it with. I'm excited to get their responses.
Again, thank you for this exposé.
I'd say what she did was thoughtless and cruel, but not monstrous. She was young, insecure, jealous and weak. I've known women like her. I will always admire her as one of my favorite writers and authors, but learning the details of this very tragic story, I feel she has shown herself to be more human and fallible than I'd thought before...
This was one of Theresa's finest essays. A worthy story.