The fancy dress ball, was it a Mrs Danver's triumph?

Traditionally a fancy dress ball is held at Manderley every year and it is agreed that the tradition should continue so that Maxim can show off his bride to the county. The narrator cannot make up her mind what to wear.

Surprisingly Mrs Danvers steps in to help and suggests that she copies the costume from a painting of Caroline de Winter, one of Maxim’s ancestors.On the evening of the ball the narrator’s maid helps her to dress and transformed into Caroline de Winter she looks absolutely beautiful as she steps out of her bedroom and down the stairs to where Maxim, Beatrice, Giles and Frank are waiting. But as she steps forward a look of horror crosses all their faces and Maxim starts shouting at her. The narrator tries to explain that she has copied the painting, but by now Maxim is shaking with rage and tells her to go and get changed. The narrator turns and runs back to her room, tears filling her eyes and as she runs she sees Mrs Danvers standing in the shadows with a look of triumph on her evil face.

The fancy dress ball, was it a Mrs Danver's triumph?

Daphne du Maurier and Manderley

Daphne was born in 1907, grand-daughter of the brilliant artist and writer George du Maurier, daughter of Gerald, the most famous Actor Manager of his day, she came from a creative and successful family.

She began writing short stories in 1928, and in 1931 her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit' was published. It received rave reviews and further books followed. Then came her most famous three novels, 'Jamaica Inn', 'Frenchman's Creek' and Rebecca'. Each novel being inspired by her love of Cornwall, where she lived and wrote.

The narrator is distressed by how powerfully Rebecca’s presence is felt in and around Manderley even though she has been dead for over a year. And how everyone seems to want to tell her how wonderful Rebecca was except Maxim who can hardly bear to mention Rebecca’s name.


DID YOU EXPECT TO SEE MANDERLEY BURNED DOWN LIKE THAT AT THE END OF THE FILM? WHY? HAS IT ANY SPECIAL MEANING FOR YOU?
WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?
Does the novel end in the same way?

Let's have a quick look at the main Characters,

You can also write you opinions on them...

The Heroine - The novel's protagonist and narrator; we never learn her given name.

Maxim de Winter - A cultured, intelligent older man, and the owner of Manderley, a prized estate and mansion on the English coast.

Rebecca - In life, Rebecca was the beautiful, much-loved, wife of Maxim de Winter...

Mrs. Danvers - The sinister housekeeper at Manderley.Click on this video to hear her voice.



Jack Favell - Rebecca's cousin.

Frank Crawley - Maxim's kind, loyal overseer at Manderley.

Beatrice - Maxim's sister.

Mrs. Van Hopper - A vulgar, gossipy and wealthy American woman. She employs the heroine as a companion while she travels from one European resort town to another.

Ben - A harmless man, mildly retarded, who spends much of his time on the beach near Manderley.

Colonel Julyan - The local magistrate.

Lady Crowan - A local noblewoman who suggests that Maxim and the heroine revive the tradition of holding an annual costume ball at Manderley.

Baker - A London doctor

Frith - The butler at Manderley

Clarice - The heroine's maid

Jasper - One of Maxim's pet spaniels, and the heroine's favorite

Reading Daphne du Maurier's

Rebecca

...Maxim de Winter never talked about Rebecca, but others talked...

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