Introduction
Feminism is a concept that has been a debate over the years, taking into consideration the social perception of male and female genders. Efforts have been made in various communities and societies to ensure that gender equality is attained based on gender roles. Nevertheless, there are communities across the world that still hold the traditions that place the male gender at the top (McBride and Janine, p. 174). This paper explores the novel “Rebecca” and the theme of feminism and gender roles. Daphne Du Maurier utilizes the gothic style in her novel to demonstrate two women characters and how there are impacted by society due to the stereotypes it exhibits. Even though one character emerges as a hero in the novel, the narrator and Rebecca serve as a representation of how gender roles and feminism impact the perception that people have in life.
Literature
The novel “Rebecca" is dated in numerous ways. Since its publication, its 75 years ago, and there have been changes in the assumptions made concerning women, particularly the married women, and the behavior that they needed to demonstrated in the early days and in the modern world. The author, Du Mourier, blurs the majority of the sexual information of her novel. For instance, it is clear if the narrator sleeps in the same bed with her husband, if she is attracted to other men, whether she has sex with her husband, among others. It is worth thinking a little in a detailed manner concerning how the portrayal of gender roles by Rebecca has aged in a bad way, as well as the ways through which it was ahead of time. The most considerable challenge to Rebecca’s interpretation in a pro-feminist way is Rebecca herself. The more we learn about Rebecca, it increasingly becomes more negative concerning how we perceive her. We ultimately learn that she was a two-faced liar, as she was a very skilled manipulator of all people in a surrounding and that she demonstrated extramarital affairs as well as being loose in London. Rebecca does not appear so bad, taking into consideration of the modern world. Due to Rebecca’s duplicity and also reckless behavior, she could be perceived as a sexist victim during her era. Consequently, Du Mourier offers a reflection of the social mores, especially of the early twentieth century England in character Rebecca, which is perceived as very distinct in the modern world. The novel thus could be considered a critical one during this era.
Feminism usually champions for women liberation, particularly from the gender inequality bonds that are perpetuated by societies across the world. in the novel “Rebecca," the theme of feminism is evident across the chapters since the author articulates the male dominance issue toward their female gender. The author advocates the course of women described as fighting for their identifies and their lives regardless of gender and class constraints. During the 1930s, this represented the period when women were grouped in certain brackets due to their gender. Society, particularly men, dictated women's behavior both in public and private spaces. The culture during this era was ingrained such that the older women during the time observed the tendencies of patronizing from men. Mrs. Van Hopper, the culprit, expresses her embarrassment that is caused by the efforts of the narrator to monopolize the conversation, she stated that men usually loathe the sort of thing (Goodspeed). This is perceived as an absurd assertion and which is directed towards a young woman where she is expected to learn her place in the world. in this case, the young woman is made to accept that she is not equal to a man and that she is beneath the man.
The patriarchy system is represented by Manderley, where it has misogynistic social codes, hierarchical systems, and strictness (Portinari, p. 57). The Maxim patriarch is a representation of authority, dominance, as well as masculine dominance (Koller). When the story starts, the narrators do not have agency as she holds a very low position that includes a paid companion to Mrs. Van Hopper, who regularly berates her unseemly actions and manners. Since she is humiliated and powerless, she feels the feeling of a whipping boy who is compelled to bear the pain of his master when she watched people laugh at the back of Mrs. Van Hopper. Her position was not elevated even when she was married to Maxim, regardless of being his companion. She is expected to play a submissive relationship after the declaration of Maxim that she was his, and the new duties she would perform remained nearly the same. Women in the society are depicted as compelled to play the subservient role in their relationship, especially under the order of their men. Maxim is a representation of the men in society and their authority over women. He demonstrates a patronizing speech and attitude where she called her a fool as he asked her marriage. When Maxim refers to her as a fool, it shows the treatment that women in society are subjected to. They are considered illiterate and humans who lack the power to express themselves, especially during the marriage. The man is presented as dictating all that a woman should in marriage decisions. Society portrays women weak humans and powerless before men, and this amounts to significant mistreatment and suffering that women experience in the hands of men. Besides, he foreshadows full patriarchal control, especially in his vicious marriage proposal. He further regularly points out her social clumsiness and naivete, which is a reflection of her inferiority. Maxim employs words, including ignorant and unintelligent, when describing the narrator. He also adds that he had the authority to judge whether or not she belonged to Manderley, belittling her abilities to make decisions about where she belongs.
The female characters Across the novel are presented as struggling to fit into the gender roles that they are compelled to fit in. Rebecca, the main character in the novel, is presented as a feminist heroine among the women as she regularly fights against the status quo, oppression, and male dominance and authority as a liberated woman. Rebecca is portrayed as undermining the sexual norms and which her society is not in a position of dealing with the deviance. Through her gender constructs, fragility is exposed and proposes that there is a possibility of deregulating female sexuality through the transgression of the social norms. By demonstrating her as a heroine in her female liberation efforts, she serves in defining feminine behavior.
Villainy emerges from one gender and is then directed to another. The husband of Rebecca, Maxim, describes her as a very corrupt lady, and through the image he paints her, he makes his mind to kill her. In this case, Maxim becomes the villain and the perpetrator of the heinous crime, especially against women. The motive towards the murder could be attributed to jealousy since he could not accommodate the reputation that Rebecca earned. The narrator justifies the decision of Maxim to kill Rebecca by claiming that she was evil, rotten, and vicious. Even after establishing the restricted sovereign power of Maxim, the narrator still submits to Maxim’s authority partly due to her internalized misogyny as well as a subversive tactic of undermining the hierarchies from within.
The identity of the narrator is unknown in the entire novel as her name is completely absorbed into that of her husband, Maxim (Kędra-Kardela, p. 76). Society is described in the novel as completely male-dominated such that the women are compelled to identify themselves with women. Du Mourier manages to draw a parallel between sexism and marriage, where a woman is forced to leave her identity as well as the old life and ultimately structure her life entirely around that of her husband.
Gothic romance is an exemplification of the patriarchal requirements of the female domination since it carries didact advice that the female masochism describes the way to attaining romantic fulfillment. Rebecca is presented as declining to surrender her power to Maxim, who has described her as not normal (Daphne). In this case, Rebecca is described as having succeeded as a female gothic, which leads to multiple feelings of anger, terror, awe as well as self-disgust and self-fear that is directed towards the female role, female physiology, sexuality, and procreation. The novel “Rebecca has succeeded in capturing and conveying the ways women in the society are treated, and their place as the society perceives them. Women are lowly placed and experience domination from men in all activities. Men in society, as presented by Du Mourier, exert their authority over women and perceives them as unable to make their personal decisions about life.
Conclusion
Daphne Du Maurier utilizes the gothic style in her novel to demonstrate two women characters and how there are impacted by society due to the stereotypes it exhibits. Men in society, as presented by Du Mourier, exert their authority over women and perceives them as unable to make their personal decisions about life. Du Mourier offers a reflection of the social mores, especially of early twentieth-century England, in character Rebecca, which is perceived as very distinct in the modern world. During the 1930s, this represented the period when women were grouped in certain brackets due to their gender. Society, particularly men, dictated women's behavior both in public and private spaces. The culture during this era was ingrained such that the older women during the time observed the tendencies of condescending from men.
