Mrs Danvers: a Foil for The Narrator of "Rebecca"

In the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, the character of Mrs Danvers is presented as a foil to the narrator: a character who provides a contrast to the narrator in order to highlight her attributes. Mrs Danvers is the housekeeper at Mannerly and looked after the title character, Rebecca, from Rebecca's youth; she then moved to Manderley after the marriage to Maxim de Winter. Mrs Danvers was devoted to Rebecca and despises the narrator, because she doesn’t want her to replace Rebecca. She therefore takes great pleasure in undermining the narrator and making her feel as though she is inferior to Rebecca.

One of the most obvious contrasts between Mrs Danvers and the narrator is their physical appearances. When the narrator first sets her eyes on Mrs Danvers upon her arrival at Manderley, she describes her as: ‘Tall and gaunt, dressed in deep black, whose prominent cheek-bones and great, hollow eyes gave her a skull’s face, parchment white, set on a skeleton’s frame.’ By pointing out her skull’s face and comparing her to a skeleton, things that are associated with death and decay, makes the reader believe that Mrs Danvers is someone to be afraid of. It is as if she was so connected to Rebecca that she died with her; the only time she ever seems to really come alive is when she reminisces about Rebecca to the narrator. In contrast, the narrator is youthful and na?ve, she doesn’t have much experience in the world. As she says in chapter two, when looking back on the events at Manderley, ‘I can see myself now… bobbed hair and youthful, unpowered face… like a shy, uneasy colt’. She also later states ‘how young and inexperienced I must have seemed’.

There are also considerable contrasts in the personalities of Mrs Danvers and the narrator. Mrs Danvers is very bullying, and her manipulative and sly behaviour first came to light when she suggests to the narrator that she should dress as Caroline de Winter for the notorious costume ball. She knows that by doing this, it will humiliate the narrator, because it is the same costume that the late Rebecca wore to the last costume ball. Despite having no reason to trust Mrs Danvers following her previous hostile behaviour towards her, the narrator agrees to wear the costume, believing that it will gain her approval. This shows how the narrator is insecure and self-conscious because she doesn’t even question Mrs Danvers motives as she is so desperate to please.

Despite this, Mrs Danvers and the narrator do have some things in common. For example, they are both very loyal characters – Mrs Danvers has her devotion to Rebecca and the narrator is committed to Mr de Winter. Mrs Danvers often speaks of Rebecca lovingly, despite knowing about her perversely malicious and cruel nature. Through her actions, Mrs Danvers could even be seen as carrying out the role of Rebecca after her death. This unconditional devotion that Mrs Danvers has for Rebecca is similar to the narrator’s devotion to Maxim, even after she finds out the truth that he killed the former Mrs de Winter. She vows to ‘fight for Maxim’, she would ‘lie and perjure and swear’ for him. This shows how both the characters of Mrs Danvers and the narrator are similar: they are quite selfless, and would do almost anything for the people the love.

Though Mrs Danvers is a good representation of a foil to the narrator, a better example of a foil to the narrator is Rebecca. As Maxim’s wives, both of these characters are constantly being compared to each other. At the beginning of the novel, the narrator feels that she is inferior to Rebecca; that Rebecca is everything she isn’t – alluring, self-assured and charismatic. They are even physically different: Rebecca is tall, slim and elegant, whereas the narrator is short, boyish and clumsy. By the end of the novel, when we learn the true nature of Rebecca, she and the narrator still differ, however the narrator’s unsophisticated and na?ve manner are more of a breath of fresh air when she is compared to Rebecca’s callous and manipulative ways.

The character of Mrs Danvers does, in major respects, provide a contrast to the narrator; however, they do have things in common. A more stark foil to the narrator is Rebecca, as they are a direct opposite in their characters. Thereby showing that beneath the surface there are many contrasts which could appear to be a foil to the narrator not just the one of Mrs Danvers.