Masochistic Pursuit of Wealth and Status
Review of Daphne duMaurier's "Rebecca"
John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews
Made you look with that title, eh?
Well, think about it: "the second Mrs. DeWinter" in "Rebecca" is never even identified by name in this book. She sucks up all the abuse heaped on her by a servant, no less, because she wants to please everyone so much.
du Maurier was trying to tell us something in this great book: our own initiative, curiosity and self-worth matter so much more than what sort of birth status we have, or what we marry. In fact, you could argue that by destroying Manderley at the end, du Maurier was making the strongest possible declaration against the so-called privileges of aristocracy. Such privilege breeds evil and madness.
And Mrs. DeW2 only learns that toward the end - and, of course, each of us is Mrs. DeW2.
John P Bernat (Kingsport, TN USA) - See all my reviews
Made you look with that title, eh?
Well, think about it: "the second Mrs. DeWinter" in "Rebecca" is never even identified by name in this book. She sucks up all the abuse heaped on her by a servant, no less, because she wants to please everyone so much.
du Maurier was trying to tell us something in this great book: our own initiative, curiosity and self-worth matter so much more than what sort of birth status we have, or what we marry. In fact, you could argue that by destroying Manderley at the end, du Maurier was making the strongest possible declaration against the so-called privileges of aristocracy. Such privilege breeds evil and madness.
And Mrs. DeW2 only learns that toward the end - and, of course, each of us is Mrs. DeW2.
posted by John Bernat @ 9:09 AM
1 Comments:
At Thu Mar 16, 10:36:00 AM PST,
Anonymous said…
"our own initiative, curiosity and self-worth matter so much more than what sort of birth status we have, or what we marry."...or 'whom' we marry. Good assessment. So what did you give up for Lent?
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