The Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Power in Rebecca

Abstract

Rebecca is the most famous work of British female writer Daphne du Maurier. Many scholars have analyzed the mysterious protagonist Rebecca under Foucault’s theory of discourse and power. They claim that as an absent character, Rebecca’s story can only be told by others and prefer to read her as an absent victim in the story. However, this paper argues that Rebecca is no longer a victim; instead, she is portrayed as the winner in the story through building her own power and discourse. Similarly, while the anonymous female narrator is usually regarded as an obedient and childish wife, analyzing the story with Foucault’s theory reveals that she also builds her own power and discourse to some extent.