'The drive twisted and turned as a serpent, scarce wider in places than a path and above our heads was a great colonnade of trees, whose branches nodded and intermingled with one another. Even the midday sun would not penetrate the interlacing of those green leaves, they were too thickly entwined, one with another, and only little flickering patches of warm light would come in intermittent waves to dapple the drive with gold. It was very silent, very still.'
Setting and atmosphere
This passage describes the arrival of Mrs de Winter and Max at Manderley for the first time. It is a beautiful passage that captures the scene at Manderley. It also shows us something that is true of all good writers. The description of the scene serves other purposes. It creates atmosphere. It also suggests how the characters are feeling.
Oppressive and imprisoning
Whilst Mrs de Winter is at Manderley, she feels oppressed. The presence of the dead Rebecca is so strong that it stifles her own personality. She lives under Rebecca's shadow and cannot break free of the way in which she did things.
This sense of being oppressed by the past is increased by the continual presence and reminders of Mrs Danvers. She increases the sense of oppression because she never allows Mrs de Winter to forget that she is - in her eyes - inferior to Rebecca in every way.
