Abstract: Rebecca is the masterpiece of Daphne Du Maurier (1907-1989). The novel was first published in 1938 and became an English and American bestseller. Daphne Du Maurier, as a suspense and romantic writer, enjoys a unique reputation in the history of English literature. This paper will focus on the dead heroine Rebecca and the emotional entanglement between the leading roles and discuss the concrete embodiment of Gothic style in the novel from these aspects: characters, environment, image and the combination of realities and illusions, so that the readers can have a deeper understanding of this novel.

Key words: Rebecca; Gothic; characters; image

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction of the Author-1

1.2 Introduction of the Novel-2

2. Previous Research on Rebecca-3

3. Introduction of Gothic-4

3.1 Definition of Gothic-4

3.2 Features of Gothic-5

3.3 Development of Gothic-7

4. The Embodiment of Gothic in Rebecca-8

4.1 Manderley-8

4.2 Gothic Images-10

4.2.2 Rhododendrons-11

4.2.3 The Death of Rebecca-12

4.3 The Depiction of Characters-13

4.3.1 Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca-13

4.3.2 The Narrator “I”-15

4.3.2 The Villain Hero--Maxim-16

4.4 Combination of Realities and Illusions-17

5. Conclusion-19

References-21