Rebecca | Social Concerns/Themes
With the now famous opening lines of Rebecca — "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" — du Maurier begins her exploration of the relationship between the past and present. For Maxim and his second wife, the two protagonists, the past and the present are inextricably linked. The second wife's insecure past leads her to feel insecure in her new marriage, and Maxim's past relationship with Rebecca damages his relationship with his new wife. Manderley, Maxim's family home, most clearly symbolizes the relationship between the past and present. Because Rebecca can make Manderley...
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