Our Shared Shelf discussion

Any thoughts on Rebecca's sexuality and gender identity?

Was she a lesbian in love with Mrs. Danvers?
Was she bisexual, pansexual, etc?
Was she gender fluid? Was she trans? Was she giving in to her masculine nature? A Tomboy?


How did you read Du Maurier's titular character?

It is said that Jack Favell was her lover but the revelation of Mrs. Danvers shows that Rebecca seemed to not care that much about this relationship (she was having fun I assume).

I do not exactly know if you mean physical attraction or "romantic" attraction. In my opinion, Rebecca does not seem to be really interested in any particular gender/sex. Maybe she was asexual.

Regarding her gender, I have no idea (for now) because of the little information we have.

I honestly think she was straight but she never fell in love hence lack of respect for the men in her life.
I always thought Mrs Danvers was a maternal figure to Rebecca.

To me Mrs Danvers was the confident of Rebecca, so Rebecca loved her but as a friend not as a lover.

Florian wrote: "To me Mrs Danvers was the confident of Rebecca, so Rebecca loved her but as a friend not as a lover."

I read Danvers as obsessed with Rebecca - thinking of the scene where the narrator wanders into the west wing and Danvers goes on and on about Rebecca's things. (I listened to the audiobook and the audio narrator played this up well, which may influence my perspective) If we view Rebecca as the manipulative character she is painted to be in the book, then I considered her relationship with Danvers to be as exploitative, and abusive, as the rest of Rebecca's relationships. Danvers worshiped her, which was what we are lead to believe Rebecca reveled in. Rebecca shared the anecdotes that made her appear larger than life, for that time period, but withheld what made her weak - the cancer.