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2020, Vol. 17, No. 1, 8-13. Teater FSP - ISI Yogyakarta

PROMOTING PATRIARCHAL POLITICS

IN DAPHNE DU MAURIER’S REBECCA
Thohiriyah
Universitas Negeri Semarang
[email protected]
.
Abstract: This paper aims to analyze a patriarchal politics performed by the male
antagonist named Maxim de Winter in his life of domestic partnership with a female
protagonist, Rebecca, elucidated in Daphne du Maurier’s novel entitled Rebecca.
The concept of promotion of patriarchal domination is done through deconstructive
narration. At first, the novel constructs a narration by putting the woman in a
privileged position. However, this position is later dismantled by male domination.
This paper employs some methods consisting of close reading, qualitative analysis,
and deconstructive analysis. The result shows that woman’s privileged position is
only used as a medium for a man to prove his domination and promote patriarchal
politics in the form of power struggle.

Key words: patriarchal politics, power, Rebecca

Introduction Manderley, Mrs. Denver, the sinister

Rebecca (1991) written by Daphne du housekeeper, always prevented her action by
Maurier (1907-1989), a British novelist, talks telling how Rebecca run it. Mrs. Denver’s
about a life of domestic partnership between action implies to show how incapable the
female protagonist named Rebecca, and male second Mrs. de Winter was. On the other
antagonist, Maxim de Winter. The couple hand, Maxim de Winter was haunted by her
lived in a great mansion, Manderley. Rebecca late wife. One day, when the ball was
died in a boat accident just a year before her conducted in Manderley, the second Mrs. de
husband, Maxim de Winter, married to a Winter put on a white gown and it made
young woman named Caroline or the second Maxim thought that his second wife was
Mrs. de Winter. Rebecca.
Rebecca’s death is in fact caused by a This novel at first narrates Rebecca’s
by-designed accident in which Maxim de influence and domination over Manderley
Winter is the one behind the death scene. and Maxim de Winter. However, Rebecca’s
Rebecca was shot dead by Maxim de Winter domination is told after her death through her
and he made it as if she got a boat accident. housekeeper. Rebecca’s domination doesn’t
He acclaimed that his marriage with Rebecca exactly show how powerful he is instead of
was full of manipulation. only being a medium of male antagonist to
Although Rebecca had died, she was promote his patriarchal domination. To
described as powerful and dominant. Her analyze how the male antagonist dismantles
domination and perfection were proved by female’s power, the concept of
Menderley in which all decorations reflect deconstructive analysis is used. Another
Rebecca’s possession of the mansion. The concept to support the analysis is the concept
second Mrs. de Winter could not even change of domination, patriarchal dominance, and
the decoration. Every time she tried to change politics.

8
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Previous Study 1999). Finally, alternative meaning can be

embraced.
There are several studies conducted
by the previous researchers which concern Method and Data
more on intrinsic analysis of the novel such
as characters and characterizations, and The method employed to analyze the data is
narration strategy. Parey (2015) reveals a using deconstructive-based steps. The
haunting figure of Rebecca, while Linkin deconstructive steps in analyzing the novel
(2016) focuses on the narrator’s deceptive are as follows: first, analyzing the text
strategy in Rebecca revealing the narrator’s structurally by using the structuralist
shift and character in telling the characters approach to figure out the oppositions;
under the narratological lens. Another second, reversing the outset meaning which
research conducted by Morden (2016) has been structurally analyzed by using
concerns on female identity construction in deconstruction approach. By using the
Rebecca. A study dealing with patriarchal deconstruction approach it is hoped that I can
politics promotion through dismantling reveal another assumption showing
female’s position and dominant character is alternative meaning behind the constructed
not conducted yet. Thus, this research is text. Meanwhile, the primary data used in this
aimed to show that the haunting character of paper is gained in the novel in the form of
Rebecca and the identity formation of the excerpts.
female protagonist are only media for the
male to promote his sense of patriarchal
politics. Results and Discussion

Rebecca: A Premature Assumption of

Powerful Woman
Deconstructive Theory
In Rebecca, there is a polemic between
Deconstruction thought adopts Derrida’s woman and man that can be seen in its plot
ideas which he borrows structuralism structure. The plot is dominated by serious
analysis as “the basis of and starting point”. conflict afflicting women in her relation to
Deconstruction provides another alternative men in marriage life. The serious marriage
meaning of the literary work since life conflict is reflected in the life of Rebecca
deconstruction has characteristic of poly- and her husband’s – Maximilian de Winter
interpretation. Deconstruction starts firstly (Maxim de Winter).
with the establishment of binary opposition.
Secondly, establishing the binary opposition, In Rebecca, Maurier describes
the next step is deciding the hierarchical powerful Rebecca’s domination in marriage
position i.e. privileged and non-privileged life. Although Rebecca has already died, her
positions. Then, after the hierarchical domination over Manderley and her life still
position has been decided, the next step is, exist. Man character, who is represented by
subverting the hierarchical position (Bressler, Maximilian de Winter, Rebecca’s husband,
 10

seems so powerless to defeat Rebecca’s the car and told me terrible, evil
domination. The aforementioned plot things about herself. Thisngs that I
structure leads to the premature assumption could not tell anyone.”
“She knew that I would never
that woman has powerful domination over
divorce her” (p.90).
man in domestic life. Below is a scheme I thought about Manderley too
showing Rebecca’s plot structure based on much,...I told her that Manderley
structural analysis. was mine” (p.91).
“And she smiled at me again. She
Climax was smiling when I killed her. the
bullet went through her heart”
(p.92).
Rising Action Falling
Action Maxim cannot forget Rebecca since
he has a very unpleasant memory with her
Incentive Resolution dealing with her domination in their marriage
Moment
Adopted from Wardoyo (2004) and domestic life. Maxim is being traumatic
person caused by Rebecca. His trauma
Picture 1. Rebecca’s plot structure scheme triggers him to kill Rebecca by shooting her.
De winter’s Trauma cannot be erased
Incentive Moment in Rebecca starts
although Rebecca had already died. Rebecca
when Caroline and Mr. de Winter meet each
causes so many troubles for de Winter’s life.
other in Monte Carlo. Then the Raising
De Winter lives in fear because of his
Action happened when they both decide to
conspiracy in killing Rebecca considered as a
get married and Caroline becomes Mrs. de
serious crime. His conspiracy brings to the
Winter. they both live in Manderley. Mrs.de
falling action plot i.e. Mr. de Winter
Winter cannot able to adapt to the life of
Judgement. The litigation is closed by the
Manderley so that she tends to be weak and
resolution namely Mr. de Winter’s impunity.
powerless. In addition, she cannot able to
Mr. de Winter gets the impunity since the
avoid Rebecca’s shadow in Manderley.
court cannot prove his fault.
Those aforementioned Mrs. de Winter /
In the above plot structure, there can
Caroline’s weak and powerless characters
be seen that there is a binary opposition
lead to the Climax of the story i.e. the internal
between woman and man. The woman is
conflict between her and her husband, Maxim
represented by Rebecca, while the man is
de Winter. Maxim cannot escape from the
represented by Maxim de Winter. Rebecca
shadow of Rebecca’s domination. It makes
has dominant power in the domestic arena in
him become temperament.
marriage life. Hence, The plot structure
Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca, Re-
proofs that woman has powerful domination
narrated by Margaret Tarner (1991):
over the man.
The plot structure cannot be separated
“All my memories are unhappy”
from Rebecca’s action. As the centre of the
(p.13).
story, Rebecca actuates and leads the story to
“I found out the truth five days
the tension of the story. The tension is
after we were married. We were in
divided into two that are internal and
the hills near Monte Carlo. It was
interpersonal conflicts of the character of Mr.
the same place I went to woth you.
De Winter. The internal conflict possessed by
Do you remember? She sat there in
 11

Mr. De Winter deals with psychological Table 1. Oppositional structural analysis of

depression, while the interpersonal conflict female protagonist’s vs male antagonist’s
of him is the messy relation with his young positions
wife, Caroline. The marriage life of Mr. De Structural analysis
Winter and Caroline is in the shadow of Female protagonist Male Protagonist
Rebecca which resulted in isolated marriage Privileged position Non-privileged
life. De Winter’s incapability of surrendering
position
the shadow of Rebecca indicates man’s
impotency in controlling power. Man who is Rebecca Mr. De Winter
identically attributed to a superpower is being Woman Man
subdued by the woman. Exist, dominant, toneless, minor
Then, it might be concluded that the powerful (being dominated),
novel entitled Rebecca highlights the issue of powerless
woman domination over a man. However, it
is too early to conclude that woman has
strong domination over a man. The Referring to the third step of deconstruction,
aforementioned structural analysis must be the oppositions above then can be subverted
dug out more in order to find out the real to be as follows:
assumption of Rebecca’s alternative
meaning. Table 2. Subverted position analysis of
female protagonist vs male antagonist
Rebecca: A Means of Promotion of Deconstruction
Patriarchal Politics Female protagonist Male Protagonist
Referring to the above analysis Privileged position Non-privileged
namely in the falling action till resolution position
sessions, there is a possibility of rejecting the Mr. De Winter Rebecca
above premature conclusion. Thus, it is
Man Woman
needed to do further analysis of the text in
order to get the real meaning of Rebecca. To Exist, powerful died, powerless
figure out the implicit alternative meaning of
the novel, the decontruction approach is used. From the above subversion table, it
The established binary oppositions can be seen that man successfully takes
are the opposition between woman and man control over woman power. It is seen by the
represented by Rebecca and Maxim de characters in the novel in which Maxim as the
Winter. The structural analysis places the man character succsessfully subdues
woman in a privileged position, while the Rebecca. By conquering Rebecca, now,
man is in a non-privileged position. A woman Maxim places himself in the privileged
is placed in a privileged position because the position. The privileged position indicates
woman has power in dominating man in the existence of Maxim. Besides, it indicates
marriage life, while the man is being placed the power of Maxim. On another side,
in a non-privileged position because of his Rebecca’s death leads her to be in the non-
incompetency to control life. For detail, the privileged position. Death has symbolized
binary opposition is clearly described by the the loss of the woman. This proposition is
table below. supported by the below variant structure of
falling action and resolution plot which are
telling the final resolution of the story of
Maxim’s safe and impunity.
 12

a person or group of people participate

Mr. De Winter  Conspiration of Rebecca’s actively in the “power struggle” (Putman,
death Safe 2008, p. 7).
In Rebecca, the tendency of
From the structure above, it can be patriarchal politics done by the man character
seen that man who is represented by Maxim i.e. Maxim de Winter. The power struggle is
de Winter is safe and get impunity from the done by taking power over the woman. In the
crime he had committed to. If indeed the power struggle, Maxim actively makes
novel titled Rebecca brings meaning to radical decision including killing his political
women’s ability to dominate the lives of men, opponent, Rebecca.
the meaning seems to be rejected by the
structure presented in the falling action and Bullet VS Heart
resolution above. If indeed the novel focuses The marriage formed by Maxim is such a
on the assumption of the defense of women's conditional marriage with the ultimate aim is
position, the falling action and resolution in power. Maxim’s world view to possess
the story suppose to end in severe punishment Manderley leads him to place his wife,
for the man who has committed crimes. Rebecca, not as the wife but the adversary.
The initial binary opposition structure Maxim de Winter who during his life was
established by structural analysis is now being dominated by Rebecca, the ruler of
being deconstructed. The man is now not in Manderley, starts actively doing “power
the non-privileged position but the privileged struggle” by killing his opponent, Rebecca.
position swapping the woman’s position. The
woman who is previously in the privileged “The bullet went through her heart”
position, now it is changed to be in the non- (du Maurier, 1991, p. 92).
privileged position or marginal. The structure
of the privileged position of woman is now The quotation above shows the power
partially dismantled. The destruction of the struggle made by Mr. de Winter in gaining
structure is not only dismantling the power. Mr. de Winter decides to fire a bullet
privileged position of women but also getting into his adversary’s heart because his goal is
rid of the structure of power domination that “Manderley was mine” (du Maurier, 1991, p.
woman has. Considering the resolution 91). Manderley is a symbol of power
structure for the plot climax that shows the possession. According to Risakotta
triumph of man, it can be concluded that (2002/2003), “power is closely related to
actually, the text is trying to promote political violence, domination, and pressure.” It
patriarchy. means that power is the ability to force the
The existence of the term desire or demand of authority, even by using
“patriarchy” refers to the dichotomy of violence. Violence is, then, considered to be
woman and man. the term woman and man something close to domination. Risakotta
refers to the “sex-based classification” (2002/2003) defines domination as a political
(Warnke, 2007, p. 4). Thus, the term principle for conquering and controlling
patriarchy is the terminology used in a social something by exploiting somebody in order
life where men are placed as the main to gain economic benefits or power.
authority figure. Politics signifies not only In gaining his desire of possessing
“elections” and “campaign” but also signifies Manderley, Maxim uses the violence that is
how a person or a group of people attempt to physical violence namely by shooting
change and form the decision. Politics makes Rebecca. By possessing Manderley, it means
 13

someone has political and economical power. References

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dominate the business that previously Strategic Narrator of Rebecca. Journal
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