appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

SCMP Reporter

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is an HKCEE text

Five ideas about Mrs Danvers

Mrs Danvers is the housekeeper at Manderley. It is her job to manage  the large country house - organise the servants, ensure that the place is clean and well looked after and, of course, carry out the orders of her mistress.  At their first meeting, Mrs de Winter feels uncomfortable. Why is this?

Mrs Danvers resents Mrs de Winter

The new Mrs de Winter realises, during their first meeting, that  Mrs Danvers does not like her.  The language used by the housekeeper is cold, formal and distant. She speaks in a  way that does not invite affection or confidence.

Although Mrs de Winter does not realise it, she has found the key to Mrs Danvers' attitude. She was devoted to Rebecca whom she worshipped like a goddess:

'She simply adored Rebecca.' P. 113

In her eyes, no one else can be as good as Rebecca, so she bitterly resents anyone who tries to take her place.

Mrs Danvers is evil

Mrs Danvers' persecution of Mrs de Winter is so heartless  that she seems to be  an evil person. She is described almost like a ghost:

'She was like a shadow standing there, watching me, appraising me with her hollow eyes, set in that dead skull's face.' P. 82

Du Maurier underlines the point through repeating the same image: shadow, hollow, dead, skull. Mrs de Winter cannot establish with her tormentor any of the usual warm, human contact that you expect. Mrs Danvers is less than human.

She is powerful

Mrs Danvers is powerful because she is clever. She watches Mrs de Winter and finds her weak spots. She knows when to make suggestions that her victim will blindly follow. The incident over the costume  for the big party (Chapter 16) is a good example. She allows Mrs de Winter to walk into  a trap - her  dress is similar to the one worn by Rebecca at an earlier ball. She knows that Max will hate it. She knows there will be an uproar, but she allows Mrs de Winter to continue with her plan.

A witch

Another example of Mrs Danvers' power is when she almost hypnotises Mrs de Winter into falling to her death. Listen to the rhythm of her voice:

'Look down there,' she said, 'It's easy isn't it? Why don't you jump? It wouldn't hurt, not to break your neck. It's a quick, kind way, not like drowning. Why don't you try it? Why don't you go?' P. 276

She uses short, suggestive sentences. Her tone of voice is calm and gentle. It is as if she is talking to a child. The questions and statements begin to sound dangerously reasonable.  She could be a witch casting a spell over her victim that is only broken by the sound of the distress rockets being fired on the coast.

Mrs Danvers and Rebecca

In the middle of Chapter 24, Mrs Danvers is summoned by Colonel Julyan to answer questions about Rebecca's death. Favell asks her to confirm that he and Rebecca had been lovers. She scorns him:

'Lovemaking was a game with her, only a game. She told me so ... She laughed at you like she did the rest. I've known her come back and sit upstairs in her bed and rock with laughter at the lot of you.'

P. 382.

Mrs Danvers felt that she was closer to Rebecca than anyone else in the world, including her lover and her husband. She felt that the two of them shared a secret in a way in which Rebecca deceived everyone; only her 'Danny' knew the truth. Their conversations took place in the bedroom; it was an appropriate place to share intimacy and secrets.

No wonder Mrs Danvers could not face the idea of having the weak, spineless Mrs de Winter in place of her beloved Rebecca. She disappears at the end of the novel. Is she the one who sets fire to Manderley? We do not know, but we can guess.



Housekeeper casts evil spell over her mistress