College
College of Arts and Sciences
Mentor Information
Dr. Emily Jones
Description
This paper explores the dynamic between Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. It is revealed later in the novel that Mrs. Danvers worked for Rebecca’s family prior to becoming the housekeeper of Manderley. She took on a maternal role over the other woman that was characterized by an overbearing love for her. After Rebecca’s death, this love turned into obsession and readers have often noted sexual undertones within the way Mrs. Danvers refers to the woman she watched grow up. This is reminiscent of Raymond de Saussure’s Jocasta Complex which analyzes a mothers incestual fixation with her son. Du Maurier’s characters capture this relationship aiding in the commentary surrounding psychological principles of this era and their lack of exploration or inaccurate assumptions surrounding gender dynamics.
The Gothic’s Boy Mom: a Depiction of the Jocasta Complex in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca
This paper explores the dynamic between Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. It is revealed later in the novel that Mrs. Danvers worked for Rebecca’s family prior to becoming the housekeeper of Manderley. She took on a maternal role over the other woman that was characterized by an overbearing love for her. After Rebecca’s death, this love turned into obsession and readers have often noted sexual undertones within the way Mrs. Danvers refers to the woman she watched grow up. This is reminiscent of Raymond de Saussure’s Jocasta Complex which analyzes a mothers incestual fixation with her son. Du Maurier’s characters capture this relationship aiding in the commentary surrounding psychological principles of this era and their lack of exploration or inaccurate assumptions surrounding gender dynamics.
