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Characters · 14
Beatrice Lacy
Beatrice Lacy is Maxim de Winter's straightforward, hearty older sister and one of the few characters in Rebecca who interacts with the unnamed narrator in a genuine, if somewhat tactless, way.
character
Ben
Ben is a simple local man who lives near the cove and woods on the Manderley estate, a quietly significant character in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
character
Colonel Julyan
Colonel Julyan serves as the local magistrate of the Kerrith district, a figure of institutional authority whose decisions hold significant weight during the novel's climax.
character
Dr. Baker
Dr. Baker is a minor yet crucial character in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, serving as an unwitting key to the novel's central mystery.
character
Frank Crawley
Frank Crawley is the quietly essential estate manager of Manderley and one of the novel's most reliable supporting characters.
character
Frith
Frith is the senior butler at Manderley, the grand estate of Maxim de Winter in Cornwall, embodying the house’s formal and tradition-bound hierarchy.
character
Giles Lacy
Giles Lacy is a minor yet socially grounding character in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
character
Jack Favell
Jack Favell is Rebecca de Winter's cousin and secret lover, and he acts as the main antagonist after the investigation into Rebecca's death.
character
Maxim de Winter
Maxim de Winter is the brooding, aristocratic owner of Manderley, the grand estate in Cornwall that lies at the center of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1938).
character
Mrs. Danvers
Mrs. Danvers is the intimidating housekeeper at Manderley and serves as the novel's main antagonist.
character
Mrs. Van Hopper
Mrs. Van Hopper is a wealthy American widow with social ambitions, and though she only appears in the Monte Carlo opening of the novel, her brief presence sets the entire plot in motion.
character
Rebecca de Winter
Rebecca de Winter is the haunting yet never-seen figure at the center of Daphne du Maurier's novel—she's already dead when the story starts, yet her presence looms over every scene.
character
Robert
Robert is a young footman at Manderley, the grand Cornish estate of Maxim de Winter, in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca.
character
The Unnamed Narrator (the second Mrs. de Winter)
The unnamed narrator, referred to as "the second Mrs. de Winter," serves as the novel's first-person voice and central consciousness.
character
Key quotes · 11
“She can't hurt you. She can't touch you now. You have nothing to be afraid of.”
This reassurance is given by Maxim de Winter to the unnamed narrator (the second Mrs. de Winter) in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
Maxim de Winter
“She knew she had won. She always wins.”
This chilling line is from Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938), spoken by the unnamed narrator as she considers the haunting influence of the first Mrs. de Winter.
Narrator (the second Mrs. de Winter) · Late chapters (approximate)
“He was not thinking of me, he was thinking of Rebecca.”
This line is spoken internally by the unnamed narrator — the second Mrs. de Winter — in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (second Mrs. de Winter)
“You thought I loved Rebecca? I hated her.”
This shocking confession comes from Maxim de Winter, directed at his unnamed second wife (the narrator) in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
Maxim de Winter · Chapter 20
“Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.”
This reflective line is delivered by the unnamed narrator — the young and insecure second Mrs. de Winter — in Daphne du Maurier's gothic romance Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (second Mrs. de Winter) · Chapter 5
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
This is the famous opening line of Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938), spoken by the unnamed narrator — the second Mrs. de Winter — as she reflects on her past in a dreamlike state.
The unnamed narrator (the second Mrs. de Winter) · Chapter 1
“We can never go back again, that much is certain. The past is still too close to us.”
This reflective line is delivered by the unnamed narrator — the young and insecure second Mrs. de Winter — early in Daphne du Maurier's gothic romance Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (second Mrs. de Winter) · Chapter 1
“Mrs. de Winter is dead. You are Mrs. de Winter now.”
This chilling line is delivered by Mrs. Danvers, the fiercely loyal housekeeper of Manderley, to the unnamed narrator — the second Mrs. de Winter — in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
Mrs. Danvers
“I am no great hand at description; I always think it is better to leave things to the imagination.”
This line is spoken by the unnamed first-person narrator — the second Mrs. de Winter — early in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (second Mrs. de Winter) · Chapter 1–2 (opening section)
“I suppose there is not a great deal to choose between the two states, in the end: waking or dreaming.”
This haunting line is delivered by the unnamed narrator in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (the second Mrs. de Winter) · Late chapters (Chapter 26–27)
“I am very different from Rebecca. I am not like her at all.”
This line is delivered by the unnamed narrator — the second Mrs. de Winter — in Daphne du Maurier's gothic novel Rebecca (1938).
The unnamed narrator (second Mrs. de Winter)
Symbols · 6
Manderley
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, Manderley—the grand estate of Maxim de Winter in Cornwall—captures the oppressive grip of the past on the present.
Rebecca's Bedroom
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the west-wing bedroom, left exactly as Rebecca de Winter did, serves as a haunting tribute to her power.
Rebecca's Monogram
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the intricate "R de W" monogram stitched onto linens, stationery, and personal items reflects the oppressive, constant influence of the deceased first wife on Manderley and everyone who lives there.
The Morning Room
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the Morning Room symbolizes Rebecca's lasting influence over Manderley and the psychological hold she has on the second Mrs. de Winter.
The Rhododendrons
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the rhododendrons at Manderley represent the stifling, unavoidable presence of the first Mrs. de Winter.
The Sea
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the sea symbolizes the unavoidable, haunting past and Rebecca's destructive influence.
Literary devices · 9
Motif
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the motif of the dead first wife's name—never uttered by Maxim but always looming—permeates every scene and space.
Foil
In Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier intentionally portrays the unnamed second Mrs. de Winter as a contrast to her predecessor, which fuels the novel's tension.
Pathetic Fallacy
In Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier skillfully uses pathetic fallacy to reflect the natural surroundings of Manderley and how they relate to the unnamed narrator's emotional state, as well as the haunting presence of Rebecca.
Foreshadowing
In Rebecca, du Maurier weaves foreshadowing into the narrative from the very first line — "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" — which immediately reveals that Manderley is lost and can only exist in memory.
Suspense
In Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier creates suspense not through action but by withholding information — the reader, confined to the unnamed narrator's limited view, knows only what she knows, which is very little.
Flashback
In Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier shapes the entire novel as a sweeping flashback.
Unreliable Narrator
In Rebecca, du Maurier creates an unnamed narrator whose unreliability stems not from deceit, but from deep insecurity and a tendency to erase herself.
Symbolism
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, the symbolism throughout Manderley plays a crucial role in exploring psychological themes that direct statements could never convey.
Imagery
In Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, imagery serves as the novel's main tool for creating psychological dread.
Vocabulary · 21
promontory
A high point of land that juts out into the sea or over a lower area; here used to describe the elevated, dramatic landscape surrounding Manderley.
noun · Chapter 1
undulating
Moving or shaped in a smooth, wave-like rising and falling motion; used to describe the rolling grounds and landscape of the estate.
adjective · Chapter 1
rhododendrons
Large flowering shrubs with thick, dark leaves and clusters of blooms; in the novel they grow wild and oppressively dense on the Manderley grounds, symbolising Rebecca's lingering presence.
noun · Chapter 6
obsequious
Excessively eager to serve or please someone, in a way that feels servile and insincere; used to describe the fawning manner of certain characters toward those of higher status.
adjective · Chapter 3
diffident
Lacking confidence in oneself and therefore hesitant or shy in manner; used repeatedly to characterise the narrator's timid, self-doubting personality.
adjective · Chapter 2
brusque
Abrupt and unfriendly in speech or manner, without bothering to be polite; used to describe Maxim de Winter's curt way of speaking to the narrator early on.
adjective · Chapter 2
vapid
Offering nothing interesting or stimulating; dull and empty-headed; used to characterise the shallow social world Mrs. Van Hopper inhabits.
adjective · Chapter 3
sycophantic
Behaving in an overly flattering way toward someone powerful or wealthy in order to gain favour; describes the social climbing behaviour around wealthy guests in Monte Carlo.
adjective · Chapter 3
reticent
Not willing to speak openly about one's thoughts or feelings; reserved and uncommunicative; used to describe Maxim's guarded silence about his past and about Rebecca.
adjective · Chapter 4
taciturn
Habitually saying very little; a person of few words; used to describe the closed, uncommunicative quality of certain characters, especially servants at Manderley.
adjective · Chapter 7
sepulchral
Having the gloomy, dark, and silent quality associated with a tomb or burial vault; used to describe the oppressive, death-haunted atmosphere of rooms at Manderley.
adjective · Chapter 7
inquest
An official legal inquiry, typically held before a jury, to establish the cause of a sudden or suspicious death; the formal investigation into how Rebecca died.
noun · Chapter 12
insinuate
To suggest something unpleasant or accusatory in an indirect, sly way rather than stating it openly; used when characters hint at Maxim's guilt without saying so directly.
verb · Chapter 12
malevolent
Having or showing a wish to do evil or cause harm to others; used to describe Mrs. Danvers's hostility toward the narrator and her devotion to Rebecca's memory.
adjective · Chapter 7
imperious
Assuming power or authority without justification; domineering and arrogant in manner; used to describe the commanding, intimidating presence of Mrs. Danvers.
adjective · Chapter 7
blackmail
The act of demanding money or favours from someone by threatening to reveal damaging information about them; Favell's attempt to extort Maxim using knowledge of Rebecca's death.
noun · Chapter 15
coroner
A public official whose duty is to investigate deaths that are sudden, violent, or of uncertain cause, often by holding an inquest; the official who oversees the inquiry into Rebecca's death.
noun · Chapter 12
deposition
A formal written or spoken statement given under oath, used as evidence in a legal proceeding; refers to the sworn testimony given during the inquest.
noun · Chapter 12
carcinoma
A type of cancer that originates in the cells lining organs or tissues; the medical term used by Dr. Baker to describe the terminal illness Rebecca had been diagnosed with.
noun · Chapter 17
exonerate
To officially clear someone of blame or a criminal charge; used in the context of the investigation's findings that relieve Maxim of legal suspicion.
verb · Chapter 16
conflagration
A large, destructive, and uncontrollable fire; used to describe the catastrophic blaze that destroys Manderley at the novel's climax.
noun · Chapter 18