English writer Dumorje Daphne: biography, creativity and interesting facts

Dumorje Daphne (1907-1989) to this day, undoubtedly, is a classic thriller genre. Her works for all their romantic and unusual belong to the full-fledged literature. No discounts on the "genre" of her novels and stories are not needed. Her books (My Cousin Rachel, The Scapegoat, House on the Shore, The Blue Lenses, Birds, Stories, and many others) are full of drama, tension, sharpness ... The final almost always presents a completely unexpected Denouement. There are in her works some kind of understatement, something that gives the reading a unique aftertaste.

A family

The genus Du Maurier has been known since the end of the 18th century. In the family of creative people Gerald du Maurier and Muriel Beaumonde, three daughters were born.

Dumorje Daphne was born on May 13, 1907 under the sign of Venus. Grandfather drew cartoons for the magazine "Punch", and then, when his eyesight deteriorated, wrote a famous novel "Trilby". In addition to Gerald's children, he had five grandchildren whose characters served as the starting point for creating images in the novel "Peter Pen".

Childhood and youth

The children of Gerald du Maurier received a home education. As a child, Daphne read a lot, and at 18 years the first collection of her stories was published, which was called "Thirsty." Then she left to continue her education in France, to Paris. At this time, she pondered questions of financial independence and seriously engaged in literature. At 24, her first novel, The Spirit of Love, was released, which brought success and desired independence.

Marriage

This young novel was drawn to the attention of the young Major Browning. He met a charming author, and young people created a family in 1932. For valor in the war against Nazism, the major will receive the rank of Lieutenant-General and will be knighted. Marriage and the birth of children did not distract the writer from creativity. In 1936, Duire Maurier published a new novel, inspired by the spirit of the work of Stevenson, "Inn Jamaica", only he carries a mystical and terrible character.

A novel that was repeatedly screened

A young 31-year-old woman already has three daughters. In addition, an agreement has been concluded with the publisher, which shows a plan for a new novel. There are certain deadlines, and an advance is received. The plot is ready, but the author's draft does not suit him. He is thrown off by Daphne DuMorier. "Rebecca" (and we are talking about this novel) will be written with a break in terms, but in a record short time. Leaving for a while children, just four months after visiting with her husband Alexandria, in one breath she prepares a new manuscript for printing. The publisher predicts the novel for many years. Daphne herself believed that he was too joyless, shrouded in darkness, making very gloomy thoughts and forebodings, and therefore did not expect success. However, time has shown that Daphne Dumorier made a mistake. "Rebecca" was first in the list of hundreds of the best detectives of the century. In 2000, the novel was generally called the best work of the twentieth century.

Famous novel

The book immediately immerses the reader in an atmosphere of fear, loneliness and mental anguish. Speech in the novel is from the first person, and the name of the heroine is never mentioned. We'll call her Mrs. Winter. A young shy girl was a companion of wealthy Mrs. Van Hopper. This heavy lady, gossip and not very smart woman, was much older. On the Cote d'Azur, Maximilian de Winter was drawn to our heroine, and Mrs. Van Hoper did not hesitate to inform her companion that a year ago his wife Rebecca had died.

When Mrs. Van Hoper fell ill, the two main characters spent a lot of time together. Never for a girl no one courted, and on her soul from the first love was easy and joyful. Mrs. Van Hooper recovered and decided to go to America. In despair, the young creature rushed to say goodbye to Maximilian, and he made a silly girl an offer to become his wife. Mrs. Van Hooper said a companion of poisonous words and was forced to let her go.

In the Manderly Manor

Before the arrival of Mrs. Winter, panic swept over her. Even the flowers seemed monstrous to her. The housekeeper gathered all the servants to look at the new hostess. Mrs. Denver immediately turned cold and contempt young mistress Manderly. She showed herself in every way, talking with ill-concealed spite, that Rebecca, raised by her babysitter Denver, a higher-order creature, the young de Winter is nothing.

Behind her, there was an invisible shadow of Rebecca, covering everything with her unearthly beauty and a higher-order mind. There was something from which to go insane, especially since Denver tried to push Maximilian's young wife to suicide. In the estate immediately came the sister of Maximilian, Beatrice, along with her husband Giles. They somewhat defused the situation, but not for long. The situation for Mrs. de Winter is getting more and more tense. This state is strongly supportive of everyone who hates Denver. De Winter believes that her husband still loves his dead wife, an extraordinary beauty and clever woman.

Costume ball

The novel by Daphne Dumorier is rapidly approaching the denouement. As with Rebecca, the hosts had to give an annual ball. Mrs. de Winter should have ordered an evening gown. She did this, after listening to the advice of the insidious Denver. My husband was dumbfounded and was angry when he saw his wife in an evening gown. I demanded that she quickly change her clothes, while no one saw her. And Denver had the face of an evil demon, triumphant and repulsive. It was a copy of Rebecca's last year's dress. Sister Maxim, Beatrice, as best she could, consoled the fallen spirit, who was in trouble with De Winter. And Denver was triumphant.

Decoupling

Only in the very finale is opened, what true vile and nasty person had Rebecca. The novel by Daphne Dumorier keeps the reader in suspense from the first to the last phrase. Rebecca was so disgusting to her husband that he could not stand it and killed her. Rebecca had a lover, her cousin who did not have a penny in her pocket, and she kept it.

When the investigation ended in favor of Maxim, then, returning to Manderli from the city, they saw how their estate was blazing.

First translations of early stories

Today the Russian reader has access to previously unknown works that Daphne DuMorier created in the early years of his work: "Rendezvous and Other Stories." The new collection will present many surprises to the lovers of the writer's work. These novels were written in the 20's and 30's and 40's and 50's. 14 stories will cause surprise with a rich genre and plot variety. Here the author's love for the Gothic entourage, the theatricality in the spirit of Chekhov, fairy tales and parables, for the satire, as well as a terrible and tense intrigue will manifest itself. 12 stories for the first time translated into Russian. We wish the reader a pleasant time, immersed in the world of Daphne du Maurier.

Interesting facts about the author's life

• My father dreamed of having a son, and another girl was born. Therefore Daphne, in her youth, created herself a "second self," a masculine one. Even a part of her novels she wrote on behalf of men.
• The house in Fowey, where she lived, is described in the novel "Rebecca" as Manderly. Now he belongs to the family of her son Christian.
• The house in Kilmartha is described in the novel "House on the shore" and became a landmark of Cornwall.
• A convinced royalist, in 1969 she was awarded the Order of the British Empire and was promoted to the rank of lady-commander.
• She was not a public person and did not like to give interviews.
• There was much gossip about the lesbian character of the writer, which is completely rejected by both close relatives, and by the author of the biographical book Margaret Foster.
• Canadian company Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited produces cigarettes brand Du Marier. This production began in 1929 with the permission of Daphne's father to cover his additional taxes.

Instead of an afterword

Dumorje Daphne tries not to impose clear and clear assessments. It does not fall into the inherent in bad, tabloid literature "moral", but, on the contrary, causes a desire for active empathy, sympathy for the main characters and the situation described in the work. Daphne DuMorier writes the book so that you can always feel what is called the elusive shades of the human soul. Thin, seemingly insignificant details are extremely important for creating the reader's images of the main and minor heroes of the writer's works. In general, like every good, great writer, Dumorie Daphne does not create insignificant heroes, they all matter in the patterned canvas of her narratives.