Gothic Elements In Rebecca Essay Example

Gothic literature is a genre of fiction written in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, often with a major building as a central part of the plot. In addition to this, gothic literature has one or more gothic elements present. Gothic elements aid in giving a gothic story a scar or otherwise unsettling setting, plot, or cast of characters. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a gothic novel telling the story of an unnamed protagonist’s new life married to Maxim de Winter at Manderley and Rebecca’s ongoing presence, despite her death 10 months prior. The strongest gothic elements present in this story include “The Outsider” and “Inversion.”

“The Outsider” is a gothic element present in the novel Rebecca exemplified by a character who does not behave like what is custom. The protagonist did not fit into the Manderley routine or understand the emotions of the Manderley staff. Despite connecting with Maxim before her arrival, she often found herself failing to fit in with the established Manderley routine, created by and sustained in the name of Rebecca. An early example of the protagonist being an outsider is her first morning at Manderley when she saw the fire in the library unlit, only to be informed Rebecca would spend her mornings in the Morning-room. She found Jasper and the old dog already there. Reflecting on their knowledge of the routine, the protagonist thinks “This was their routine. They knew, even as Frith had known, that the library fire was not lit until the afternoon.” (Du Maurier 84). Dogs fit in with Manderley better than the protagonist at first. Rebecca’s routines and death continued to have an impact on Manderley, but the protagonist had no knowledge of her ongoing emotional effect. The article “Modern Grief, Postmodern Grief” discusses private grief, the kind of grief most often practiced in England. Private grief is denoted as “Those who do not see themselves as mourners respect the grief of the family by not intruding upon it, though they will always be on the lookout for small ways in which they can support individual mourners. A radical divide is thus created between mourners and everybody else…” (Walter 4). The protagonist experienced this divide. Frank loved Rebecca during her life, meaning her death was difficult for him. He spoke about her with affection and remembrance, saying “‘Yes, I suppose she was the most beautiful creature I ever say in my life.’” (Du Maurier 137). Conversely, the protagonist spoke about Rebecca with jealousy and resentment. She tells Frank “‘And I realize, every day, that things I lack, confidence, grace, beauty, intelligence, wit… she possessed.’” (Du Maurier 135). Differences in opinions and feelings of grief regarding Rebecca and the protagonist's naivete created a distinct difference between Manderley staff and herself. As someone who is new to Manderley, the protagonist had not experienced the daily routine or grief for Rebecca as everyone else has. Her lack of understanding established her position as an outsider in Manderley. 

The protagonist’s unfamiliarity with Manderley created an environment for her to be both an outsider and have less power than what she should have had as the wife of the owner. “Inversion” is a gothic element representative of relationships or circumstances that are different from what is typical or natural. Ms. Danvers, as the head maid, should work for the protagonist. Instead, she antagonized the protagonist by comparing her to Rebecca, convincing her to commit suicide, and having a bitter attitude towards the protagonist despite the protagonist’s polite disposition. The traditional social order is that the head maid works for the owner or owners of the house. Ms. Danvers inverts this typical power structure by controlling the protagonist. Encouraging the protagonist to die, Ms. Danvers said “She pushed me towards the open window… ‘It’s easy isn’t it? Why don’t you jump?’” (Du Maurier 250). This was spoken shortly before Rebecca’s body was found and Maxim confessed to murdering Rebecca. Learning the truth about Rebecca’s death was a turning point that gave the protagonist the confidence to oversee Ms. Danvers. This means Ms. Danvers’s pressure to commit suicide was the peak of her control. The protagonist was prepared to kill herself before being interrupted, making this scene a testament to the power Ms. Danvers held over the protagonist. As well as the protagonist’s lack of control under Ms. Danvers, she perceived Ms. Danvers as a monster who is the authority of the property. Her perception of Ms. Danvers is important, as it added to the protagonist’s fear, which made her unable to take control of Manderley for a long time. The article “Why Do Some Brains Enjoy Fear?” defines an aspect of monster Ms. Danvers shared. It outlines “Another shared characteristic of monsters across the globe is their blurred relationship with death and the body.” (Ringo). Her abnormal relationship with death was demonstrated when she confronted the protagonist about Rebecca’s ongoing presence. Ms. Danvers said “‘I feel her everywhere… And in the minstrels’ gallery above the hall. I’ve seen her leaning there…’” (Du Maurier 175). She believed Rebecca still existed at Manderley, establishing her status as a monster because of her relationship with death. The power Ms. Danvers had within Manderley and her monstrous attributes created a situation that inverted traditional roles within the household. 

The elements “The Outsider” and “Inversion” are included in the gothic novel Rebecca. Both elements are present in the story as a result of Maxim, Ms. Danvers, and the staff at Manderley’s previous experience with Rebecca. She controlled everything, making it possible for Ms. Danvers to take over after her death. This created an environment that made the protagonist an outsider in her own home and  inverted the power structure within Manderley. Besides “The Outsider” and “Inversion”, Du Maurier wrote the character Rebecca in a way that  presented gothic elements such as “Decay and Ruin”, “Power”, and “Sensibility Shirt'' in the story. Overall, the gothic elements present throughout the story added to the plot, characters, and settings.