In literature, we will look at many different literary heroes. We will continually be going back to your view of a hero. Although the narrator and main character in this novel is a woman, the men have very important roles. Below are the characteristics of a Byronic Hero and Villian as a Hero. Choose which role you think Maxim belongs to. Be sure to use a specific examples and one quote to prove your point. You should have at least 5-7 sentences. As a group you should avoid repitition.
A BYRONIC HERO
•Gifted, possesses talent and ego
•Isolated from society – forced or selfinduced exile
•Rebellious, defies authority
•Lacks respect for rank and privilege
•Dislikes society, government or social institutions
•Highly passionate and moody
•Hides something from the past
•Ultimately self destructive
•power of seduction and sexual attraction
•social and sexual dominance
A BYRONIC HERO IS NOT
• necessarily good/moral
• out to help society or right a wrong
• an effective leader (may get endanger people or get people killed)
• always going to get the girl in the end
A VILLIAN AS THE HERO:
•The protagonist who is NOT good, but we follow as the main character (The Soprano's would be a TV show that the main character is a traditional villian)
•This person usually has all the characteristics of a traditional villain: vain, malicious, cruel, only cares for himself and his own personal gain, hurts or elimates people who get in the way of what he wants
44 comments:
In many ways, Maxim de Winter from Daphne du Maurier's novel Rebecca fits the profile of a Byronic Hero in many ways. The most significant way seems to be that Maxim is hiding something from the past, this being the murder of his late wife, whom he in fact hated. Also, Maxim does not respect high status. This can be seen after he admits that he murdered Rebecca to his new wife. He says, "Even Gran, the most difficult person to please in those days, adored her from the first. 'She's got the three things that matter in a wife,' she told me: 'breeding, brains, and beauty.' And I believed her, or forced myself to believe her. But all the time I had a seed of doubt at the back of my mind... she told me about herself, told me things I shall never repeat to a living soul. I knew then what I had done, what I had married. Beauty, brains, and breeding." It is clear in this quote, no matter where Rebecca stood on the social ladder, Maxim could not bring himself to be content with her. Lastly, Maxim seems to be not only isolated from society, but isolated in general. Part of this is his fidelity to keeping Rebecca's murder secret, however there is more to his isolation. He likes his privacy, and his home in Manderley seperates him from the rest of the county, both physically and socially.
(Mikayla Bucci)
After reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, I believe that Maxim is a Byronic Hero. He is obviously very moody. Maxim’s constant mood changes indicate that he is not just a malicious villain. He shows his moods and feelings whereas a villain is plain cruel and does not have remorse or have feelings of guilt and discomfort as Maxim does.
“Maxim had not moved. He stared up at me, his glass in his hand. There was no colour in his face. It was ashen white.”
This quote it stated as the narrator/new Mrs. de Winter appears before the dance. It gives evidence that Maxim does have deep, passionate feelings. He was instantly angered when he saw the new Mrs. de Winter dressed in the same outfit as his late wife. It brought great emotions of anger, pain, and even slight guilt, proving that he is a Byronic Hero in the emotional aspect.
Maxim was certainly talented in many ways. People seemed to fall in love with his outside ego and his social status and abilities. While it was mostly Rebecca who created the Manderley which the public was in awe of, Maxim was part of Manderley and did have a certain air to him which gave off a sense of his fantastic social presence. I think it could also be said that he had a sexual and social attraction which are characteristics of a Byronic Hero. Maxim’s family name and wealth definitely added to this social attraction but he himself also was socially attractive. The parties thrown at Manderley by him and his wife were always the talk of the town.
Besides his emotions and his talents, Maxim hid the secret of how Rebecca died unlike In hiding this secret, Maxim became self destructive in a way which is also a trait of a Byronic Hero. After Rebecca’s death, he always felt haunted by Rebecca as if “Rebecca has won” as Maxim once told the narrator. This haunting seemed to drive him crazy enough that he convinced himself that Rebecca could still hurt him even though she was dead. His own actions led to this thought which slowly consumes him and destroys him.
“He is wonderfully patient and never complains, not even when he remembers… which happens, I think, rather more often than he would have me know. I can tell by the way he will look lost and puzzled suddenly, all expression dying away from his dear face as though swept clean by an unseen hand, and in its place a mask will form, a sculptured thing, formal and cold, beautiful but still lifeless.”
This quote emphasizes how much Maxim’s hidden secret affected his life even after the physical death of Rebecca. Even though he may have been found not guilty by law, deep down he knew he had lost. Knowing that he was partly responsible for the burning of Manderley at the end destroyed Maxim even more. This quote was written at the beginning of the book (but after the fire). Although in a way Maxim has been able to move on, he is always haunted by what he had done. The memory destroys his happiness even if he does not always show his pain.
~Darcy L.
Maxim de Winter, the dashing protagonist in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, is an excellent example of a Byronic Hero. Maxim is highly passionate and moody and he also hides something very dark about his past, something that he would like to just disappear - the murder of his first wife, Rebecca. Both of these characteristics are fitting of a Byronic Hero. Maxim is very passionate about his home, Manderley, and because of this passion, he is not the most moral human being. He did not want to marry Rebecca, he hated her in fact, yet he still married her and decided not to divorce simply because of what she said to him while sitting on the hill in Monte Carlo: "I'll run your house for you... I'll look after your precious Manderley for you, make it the most famous show-piece in all the country, if you like. And people will visit us, and envy us, and talk about us; they'll say we are the luckiest, happiest, handsomest couple in all England. What a leg-pull, Max." This quote, as well as its outcome, means that Max is more concerned about Manderley than he is about his own happiness, nor his wife's. This former lack of happiness leads to his frequent mood swings with the new Mrs. de Winter - he simply does not know how to be happy or in love. His own "passion" triumphs over the more frequently-used "passion" of love, and this flip-flop of priorities leads Max to do the worse thing he could possibly do - murder Rebecca.
The new Mrs. de Winter can sense from the very start that there is something not quite right about Maxim's relationship with Rebecca, but just takes it to be that he is still in love with her. However, Maxim just wants to forget about Rebecca and everything that she put him through. As a result, he hides everything from Mrs. de Winter. He does not speak of Rebecca, and of course he does not tell her about the dark, rainy night of the murder. Once his secret is revealed to his adoring wife, she surprises him and stands by his side to the very end, even when their home is taken from them in a terrible fire. Maxim is able to hide his secret even further, although he is not able to hide his secret from himself.
The case to identify Maxim de Winter as a Byronic Hero presents itself strongly. His character is clearly defined as a man of great stature with crippling personal flaws and destructive tendencies matching the very textbook definition of the Byronic hero. Frequently pressed into social situations due to his rank as a wealthy aristocrat, Maxim remains courteous and composed, but as we see from Mrs. de Winter's perspective, “Every utterance he made, every movement, was automatic and the work of a machine.” Only in encounters with the second Mrs. de Winter, Frank, and the servants does he allow his temper to flare up, and firsthand do we see how his capricious and irritable ways overpower his charisma and tact. Maxim does all in his power to remove himself from society and deflect attention after his covert involvement in the incident that led to Rebecca's death, taking an extended vacation on the French Riviera. His seductive, attractive side is displayed as the reader, along with the second Mrs. de Winter, meets him at the novel's beginning.
-Julian Wilson
After reading Daphne Du Maurier's novel Rebecca, I have come to the conclusion that Maxim de Winter is a Byronic Hero. Much like other Byronic Heroes, Maxim had been hiding a secret from his past. His inability to discuss the death of his former wife initially gave me the impression that he had been hiding something. Mrs. de Winter took notice of "The way he never talked about Rebecca. The way he never mentioned her name.” Her skepticism caused much confusion, and gave her the impression that he was still in love with Rebecca. Eventually, Maxim confides in Mrs. de Winter, and explains that he had never truly loved Rebecca. He confessed that he had actually loathed her, and that their whole relationship had been a farce. He described her as “vicious, damnable, rotten through and through.. incapable of love, tenderness, or decency.” Rebecca's deceitful tactics had driven Maxim too far. He decided that the best option was to shoot his wife, and sink the lifeless body.
Maxim is also an extremely moody and passionate character. His intense emotions are expressed through his reaction to Mrs. de Winter's gown. The gown was a replica of a costume that had been worn by Rebecca a few years prior. When Maxim laid eyes on her, he became motionless, cold and pale. "His eyes were blazed in anger. His face was still ashen white." His change in temperament showed Mrs. de Winter a side of him that she had never seen before. She explains, "When Maxim spoke again I did not recognize his voice. It was still and quiet, icy cold, not a voice I knew."
In addition, I believe that the decision to murder Rebecca ultimately led to his own self destruction. He felt as if Rebecca had stood between him and Mrs. de Winter from the beginning. "Her shadow between us all the time," he said "Her damned shadow keeping us from one another. How could I hold you like this, my darling, my little love, with the fear in my heart?" Maxim may have loved Mrs. de Winter, but the shadow of Rebecca kept him at a distance. It was inevitable - Rebecca would always win in the end. He may have been free of her physical torment, and free of criminal charges, but he could never escape the haunting memory of Rebecca.
-Jamie H.
The character of Maxim de Winter in the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier possesses more characteristics of a Byronic Hero than a Villain as a Hero. Maxim has a distaste for society like most Byronic Heroes. When asked if he was dressing in costume for a fancy dress ball, Maxim remarks, "Why should I make myself hot and uncomfortable and a damn fool into the bargain?". From the terse words in his comment, one can deduce that Maxim finds the social aspect of dressing up for the ball ridiculous, an example of a dislike for society. Maxim is also highly passionate and moody. His sister Beatrice tells his new wife, the narrator, that "Maxim loses his temper once or twice in a year, and when he does - My God - he does lose it." The narrator also portrays Maxim's many moods to the reader. She describes his ever-changing demeanor in the following: "Maxim's face was hard, with no expression . . . Five minutes must have passed before we were alone again, and when I looked at Maxim I saw the colour had come back into his face, the tired, lost look was gone . . . He smiled at me over his cup of tea." Maxim also has isolated himself, not only physically and socially, as Mikayla has said, but emotionally as well. Until the very end of the book, Maxim's true emotions are kept a secret. His introverted manner makes him quite isolated to those who know him.
Finally and most obviously, Maxim hides something from the past: he murdered Rebecca. The crime committed by Maxim is evil, malicious, cruel, and punishable by death; one would believe that this makes Maxim a villain. Yet Maxim possesses one characteristic that keeps him from being the villain of the story: a capability to love and want to be loved. Maxim killed Rebecca because of her lack of love. As he explains to the narrator, "I hated her, I tell you, our marriage was a farce from the very first. She was vicious, damnable, rotten through and through. We never loved each other, never had one moment of happiness together. Rebecca was incapable of love, of tenderness, of decency. She was not even normal." A villain is someone who only cares for himself and his own personal gain. Maxim killed Rebecca, not only for the harm that she was doing to him, but the harm she was posing to others. She used men for sexual relationships, threatened Ben with the asylum, and deceived the family and servants of Manderley into thinking she was kind and loving. Maxim found true happiness, devotion, and love in his marriage with the narrator, not in his marriage with Rebecca. While what Maxim did was not morally right, for it is never correct to kill someone, he was not purely evil as a villain would be. Maxim is without a doubt the Byronic Hero of Manderley.
~Meghan Olexa
Throughout Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, there are many details and situations that can be used to provide support that Maxim de Winter is a Byronic Hero. Three of these characteristics that are portrayed most often during the novel are Maxim’s indifference towards the upper class, his secret past, and his moodiness. At the beginning of the novel, the narrator uncovers that Mrs. Van Hopper’s names of high status mean nothing to Maxim when she thinks to herself, “She ran on, through a tangled fringe of gossip, never seeing that these names were alien to him, they meant nothing, and that as she prattled unaware he grew colder and more silent.” In addition, one of the most prevalent times the reader explores Maxim’s Byronic Hero trait of secrecy is when he is on the hill in Monte Carlo. When they stop Maxim goes into a trance and gets lost in the past leaving the narrator alone and uncomfortable. She questions him about knowing the place, but he does not answer and she describes how he looks “not normal, not altogether sane.” At this point in the novel the reader and the narrator see that Maxim is hiding his past, although they do not know that his secret is that he killed Rebecca. Lastly, Maxim illustrates the Byronic Hero trait of moodiness when he overreacts to Beatrice commenting about his health and when the new Mrs. de Winter says people judge her. Because of these moods and secrets Mrs. de Winter begins to worry about her marriage asking herself, “Was it always going to be like this? He away ahead of me, with his own moods that I did not share, his secret troubles that I did not know?” Eventually both the narrator and Maxim overcome these barriers after he reveals his secret of murdering Rebecca, almost uncovering the reason behind his Byronic Hero traits of distaste for the upper class, his moods, and most of all his secrecy.
Jillian H.
In Daphne duMaurier's novel, Rebecca, Maxim de Winter is a complex character to say the least. Upon hearing the name of "villian as a hero" and "Byronic hero" he could easily be classified as either, but once breaking down what they actually mean Maxim seems very much to be a Byronic Hero. In the novel Maxim says a quote that reveals many sides of him and shows him on a much more complex level, he starts with, "There was never an accident. Rebecca was not drowned at all. I killed her. I shot Rebecca in the cottage in the cove. I carried her body to the cabin, and took the boat out that night and sunk it there, where they found it today. It's Rebecca who's lying dead there on the cabin floor,” and ends with, Will you look into my eyes and tell me that you love me now?" The quote is longer than others, but shows the different Byronic hero qualities that Maxim possesses. The first and most forward quality that shines through in this quote is hiding something from the past. The only reason Maxim seemed to tell the narrator all of this is because he had too, there was no way around it for him, he had nothing to hide behind. Secondly, Maxim’s passion and high moodiness shows through quite boldly. When reading this quote one may feel Maxim’s blood pumping through his veins and rushing to his head; as the quote progresses the voice inside one’s head may get louder and much more broken and choppy. The passion in his voice may not necessarily be a good thing, but it is there and cannot be ignored. Towards the end of the quote when he asks if she still loves him now, you can feel the passion and love behind his questioning of if she still loves him, after his horrendous crime. By just touching on this passage Maxim’s characteristics and mannerisms have prominent motive for him to be as the character he is.
-Anna Tilisky
Maxim de Winter, from the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, can be identified as more of a byronic hero than a villain as a hero. One of the most identifiable characteristics would be that Maxim has a hidden past for a majority of the novel, the secret being that he murdered his first wife, Rebecca. Another trait would be that he is quite moody, his facial expression and tone changing quickly, his actions most often being abrupt and sudden. Take, for example, this quote, "He broke off abruptly. He went and stood by the window, looking out upon the lawns. He began to laugh. He stood there laughing. I could not bear it, it made me frightened, ill...Then he turned away again, and paced up and down the room once more... 'It would have been so easy. One false step, one slip. You remember the precipice. I frightened you, didn't I? You thought was mad. Perhaps I was. Perhaps I am. It doesn't make for sanity, does it, living with the devil?'"
Maxim also embodies the trait of being isolated from society, although this is by choice on his part; this trait also ties into another, his lack of respect for the social standings and dominance. These traits can be seen by the fact that Maxim lives at Manderly, and is extremely private about that fact. Manderly is kept as a type of island for the de Winter's. Notice how, in the novel, this quote can be found about Manderly: "On we went, over a little bridge that spanned a narrow stream, and still this drive that was no drive twisted and turned like an enchanted ribbon through the dark and silent woods, penetrating even deeper to the very heart surely of the forest itself, and still there was no clearing, no space to hold a house." This can also be seen when the fancy dress ball is brought up, and Maxim has to be convinced to allow the ball be thrown at Manderly, and also refuses to dress up for the occasion. During the ball, he is compared to a machine, his actions automatic and cold.
Maxim even has a dislike for society, which becomes more and more apparent throughout the novel, but most especially when Rebecca's body is found in her sunken boat. This can be seen when the papers report the gossip, and Maxim reads them, "...getting whiter and whiter as he read...one after the other, and then the local one as well. He did not say anything. He just looked across at me, and I stretched out my hand to him. 'Damn them,' he whispered, 'damn them, damn them.'" Maxim, although he does not care at all what the gossip does to his reputation, can be found to care very much what the gossip does to Mrs. de Winter's. Throughout the novel he does his best to make her, if not happy, comfortable, as Rebecca was a barrier between them from the start. He is not vain, or selfish, or cruel to the second Mrs. de Winter; in fact, he the opposite. Therefore, Maxim cannot be the villan, as none of the characteristics fit. He may have killed Rebecca, which was wrong, but he loved the second Mrs. de Winter selflessly, caring not for himself but for her, the exact opposite of a villain as the hero.
Maxim de Winter from the novel Rebecca can be considered a Byronic Hero due to his passionate and moody nature as well as his hidden past. From the moment upon meeting the nameless main character of the novel, a young girl, he is identified as distant, brooding, and of a curious nature. After arriving at Manderly, Beatrice, Maxim de Winter’s sister, informs the new Mrs. De Winter of Maxim’s behavior, saying “Maxim loses his temper once or twice in a year, and when he does- my God- he does lose it.” (98) As the novel further progresses, young Mrs. De Winter also begins to unravel the secrets of Manderly and of her husband’s past. Rebecca, the former wife of the household, intrigues Mrs. De Winter to a point of intense curiosity, in which she feels in-superior to this seemingly elegant, graceful, powerful, and beautiful woman of former times. That Maxim will not reveal any of his past and simply wishes to leave it and the memories of Rebecca in the past. That his new wife must go prying and finding out the mysteries of his mind and past for herself, prove Maxim de Winter to be a Byronic Hero in Daphne du Maurier’s novel.
-Amanda V.
Personally, I find that Maxim de Winter in the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier possesses the qualities of a Byronic Hero. We see Maxim's social dominance and high social status in the early chapters on the novel when we are first introduced to him. Mrs. Van Hopper clearly wishes to impress Maxim and gain his level of clas through conversation. She knows just where Maxim stands on the social hierarchy and wants to use that to her advantage. Readers also see Maxim's mood changes and high temper through scenes such as the inquest with the coroner. The narrator quietly hopes that Maxim will be able to hold his temper during this stressful scene. Maxim later confides that by having his new wife (the narrator) at the inquest with him, he was able to stay calm.
Of course, a rather important characteristic of a Byronic Hero is the harboring of a secret from his or her past. In the later chapters of the book, it is revealed that Maxim is the true murderer of Rebecca, his late wife. Maxim's murderous past has snowballed into his own self destruction. We see this during a painful conversation with his new wife where he states: "Her shadow between us all the time,' he said. 'Her damned shadow keeping us from one another. How could I hold you like this, my darling, my little love, with the fear always in my heart taht this would happen. I remembered her eyes as she looked at me before she died. I remembered her slow treacherous smile. She knew this would happen even then. She knew she would win in the end.'" This quote really gave me chills. These words are a window to Maxim's inner thoughts and are the pathway to his self-caused downfall. He is trapped in his own mind and haunted by Rebecca's awaited vengeance. Though dead for months, Rebecca is very much alive. Her spirit lives in Maxim. In an earlier quote to his new wife, Maxim states: "We're not meant for happiness, you and I." In one sentence Maxim reveals that not only is his mental state corrupted by Rebecca, but also his new marriage is deeply affected by his traumatic past with Rebecca. By letting his life be controlled by his fear of his late wife, Maxim de Winter embarks on a path of self destruction, a key characteristic of a Byronic Hero.
Sheila Smith
After reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, my initial thought was that Maxim was a villain as a hero. But when reading the characteristics of a Byronic Hero, Maxim de Winter falls under that category, no doubt. Maxim is a moody man in the novel. One day, he is happy, in love, and wants to be married, but the next day he is angry and keeps to himself most of the time. Maxim is not easy to read. Also, another characteristic of a Byronic Hero is hiding something from the past. Maxim hides something from the past that sets the whole story of the book. He killed Rebecca, but tries to hide it.
It is almost apparent that Maxim is hiding something. He is able to lose his temper very quickly. The narrator says to herself "No, Maxim, no. You will put his back up. You heard what Frank said. You must not put his back up. Not that voice. Not that angry voice, Maxim. He won't understand. Please, darling, please. Oh, God, don't let Maxim lose his temper. Don't let him lose his temper." The narrator is begging, in her head, for Maxim not to lose his temper. Byronic heroes are easily tempered, especially if they have a secret. Maxim's temper also plays a role in his feelings. Maxim is scared, he does not want to confess to the murder, but it is bothering him and it is on his mind, making him easily tempered. This secret eats at him and Maxim's temper is a way of him trying to release such pressure and guilt.
-Ivana D.
Although Maxim de Winter makes some bad choices throughout his life, he is not vain, cruel, nor malicious at heart. Therefore, he is not a villain, but a Byronic hero. This is because he is talented and possesses ego. He is isolated from society, attractive, ultimately self-destructive, and passionate. Even after all of these characteristics that both fit him and describe a Byronic hero, the main characteristic that does both of those things is that he is hiding something from the past. He is hiding the fact that he had killed his ex-wife, Rebecca. He keeps this a secret until nearly the end of the novel when he says, “When I killed her she was smiling still. I fired at her heart. The bullet went right though.”
We can tell that Maxim is talented and possesses ego just by the way that he wins over the heart of his new wife so easily. He isolates himself from society in the large house of Manderley, especially after the death of Rebecca. We know this when a woman asks why the house of Manderley has not been hosting the costume ball, as they did when Rebecca was alive, and if they will do it this year. We can assume that Maxim is sexually attractive because Mrs. Van Hopper points him out to the heroine, saying he is handsome. Maxim is ultimately self-destructive because in the end, when Manderley is burnt down, it is because someone, we can assume Mrs. Danvers, did not like him, his decision to marry the heroine, or the fact that he killed Rebecca. Killing Rebecca came to hurt him in the end because, not only did he almost get caught, but Manderley was burnt down while he was away trying to prove that it wasn’t him who had killed her. The fact that Maxim killed Rebecca leads us to our last point of why he is a Byronic hero. He was passionate. He was passionate about his love for his new wife and his anger at Rebecca for cheating on him and forcing a scam marriage upon him. He was so passionate that he killed Rebecca just in order to live a happier and freer life.
Nick Frindt
(Essential Question)
An ideal man or woman changes from person to person, based on preference, time era, and part of the world. Today, the ideal man would probably be along the lines of a CEO of a company, or someone of prominent working and social stature who is rather wealthy and intelligent. With a muscular frame, striking facial features, manners, and many different interests, an out-going male embodies an ideal man. For a woman to be considered ideal in society’s opinion, she will most likely be tall, slender, beautiful, and charming. With grace, intelligence, and a bright personality paired with long eyelashes, big eyes, wit, and a model-like frame, an ideal woman would include the features described. Unfortunately for society, not many men or women fit this standard, having amazingly good looks, outstanding personalities, and intelligence. However, for the common individual, our ideas of the perfect ‘someone’ change along with who we meet, know, and come to admire or love. Therefore, a person who finds someone to become their ideal with be well off, yet society will be searching for the very few people who fit its criteria and will often be critical or disappointed.
Something rather interesting is the observance that Rebecca, who appears to be ideal and perfect in every way to the outside world, is in fact, a hateful, cruel, and frightening woman on the inside. This, only made known to Maxim after their honeymoon, shows that until he truly knew her, she remained ideal to him as well. Therefore, while society might have loved her from the start and praised her even after death, their views on this particular woman were skewed, hinting that just maybe our views as a society are not always going to truly be able to see what is realistic and ideal.
-Amanda Varcho
After reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, it is easy to see that Maxim de Winter is the Byronic hero of the story. One trait of a Byronic hero that Maxim exemplifies is being ultimately self destructive. When Favrell suspects Maxim of murdering Rebecca, he promises he will get revenge. After Favrell’s attempt at imprisoning Maxim fails, he seeks a different way to harm Maxim. Favrell says, “’You think you’ve won don’t you? The law can get you yet, and so can I, in a different way…’”He does this through burning Manderley to the ground. If Maxim wouldn’t have killed Rebecca, his home wouldn’t have been destroyed.
Because Maxim hides his crime from the past, he forces himself into exile from society. Before his confession to the narrator of the story, Maxim had to keep secrets from everyone he knew. This overwhelming guilt was bottled up inside of him and he couldn’t share it with anyone else. This seclusion is shown through the narrator asks “Does anyone know? Anyone at all?”’ He shook his head. “’No,”’ he said. “’No one but you and me?”’ I asked. “’No one but you and me.”
Another trait of a Byronic hero is social dominance. This dominance can be seen through Maxim’s lifestyle. He has a beautiful and enormous home, many servants, and highly respected friends. The parties that would take place at Manderley would be the subject of all the townspeople’s conversations
In Daphne Du Maurier’s novel Rebecca, Maxim de Winter acts mainly as the Byronic hero in the story. While Maxim may have a few characteristics of the villain as a hero, he mainly portrays the Byronic hero because he is highly passionate and moody, he dislikes and is isolated from society, and he has the power of sexual attraction.
Maxim at many different points in the novel shows that he is highly passionate and moody. After Maxim and the narrator go down to the shore, the narrator goes and chases after Jasper, Maxim’s dog, going against what Maxim told her to do. On the way up from the beach to the house, Maxim loses his temper and concludes with saying, “’We ought to have never come back to Manderley. Oh, God, what a fool I was to come back.’”(115) Here you can see that even the simplest things in Maxim’s life can get him riled up and moody for the rest of day.
Another example of Maxim being a Byronic hero is the fact that he dislikes society. Maxim says to the narrator, “’ You don’t think I like calling on people, do you? It bores me stiff. But it has to be done in this part of the world.’”(143) By this statement, you can tell that Maxim is not a people person. He does not want much to do with other people and likes to stay by himself. He shows his tendency to want to be alone at other points in the novel by always going into the library by himself. He also lives in isolation from society. In the novel, the narrator says about Manderley, “It seemed remote to me, and far too distant.”(64) The narrator is saying how far Manderley was from London. This shows that Maxim is not someone who would live in the city. He would rather be far away from society and in his own secluded place. He is very isolated from everything.
Lastly, an example of Maxim being a Byronic hero is by him using the power of his sexual attractiveness. In the book, girls were attracted to Maxim. The narrator right away was attracted to Maxim. Also, if Rebecca was as beautiful as all of the characters in the book said she was, then it would make sense that she would choose an attractive man for a husband. Even Mrs. Van Hopper says,”’ Naturally, one wants you to be happy, and I grant you he’s a very attractive creature.’”(59) These few examples show that many girls were attracted to Maxim. Maxim used his power of sexual attraction by keeping the narrator as his wife, even though he confessed to the narrator that he murdered Rebecca.
Therefore, due to his high passion, disliking of society, and sexual attraction, I believe Maxim is a Byronic hero.
Daniel M.
At first glance, Maxim de Winter is an ideal, charming and refined estate owner. He fits the position of “man of the house” at Manderly exquisitely. He himself says that “running a place like Manderly… is a full time job,” as he is up and doing his correspondence before breakfast. Yet what he does not tell his second wife, the narrator of the novel, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, tortures him. Ultimately, Maxim is the perfect representation of a Byronic Hero in literature. First and foremost, he is hiding something from his past from his second wife; at the near end of the novel he divulges to his wife that he killed his first spouse, Rebecca, whom he despised. Secondly, hiding the fact that he himself had killed his wife for so many years was tremendously self-destructive. His sister Beatrice comments on his health before the narrator’s marriage to him, saying Maxim was “a perfect wreck… Gave me the fright of my life when I came and saw you. I thought you were in for a breakdown.” Maxim’s health and moods were affected in trying to cover up Rebecca’s murder because “every word [he] uttered was a lie.” He could not handle it. The deceit pushed him further and further into isolation, which he already living at the confined grounds of Manderly. Not only was he isolated from the county, but his determination to keep the truth about Rebecca a secret forced him into a type of internal isolation in which he was completely introspective, as well as introverted. Hiding the truth from everyone and avoiding the topic with his second wife he encompasses what it is to be a Byronic Hero.
-Diana Muzina
In the novel "Rebecca" the character Maxim de Winter displays the characteristics of a Byronic Hero. Immediately when we are introduced to him Mrs. Van Hopper is attracted to him. She may be attracted only to his money and status, but she seems to be drawn to him sexually as well. This shows that Maxim posses power of seduction and sexual attraction. Also we learn that Maxim is secretive about his past. He avoids talking about Manderly because something happened there and he is obviously trying to hide it. We find out early on that Maxim is somewhat of a loner. Our narrator goes to lunch early to find Maxim eating alone. He chooses to be alone, but is almost forced to as well to avoid Mrs. Van Hopper. In the early conversation at lunch between the narrator and Maxim he shows a disregard for social classes and institutions. Our narrator apologizes for Mrs. Van Hopper's actions at dinner the night before and says, "She does not mean to be offensive, but she does it to everyone. That is everyone of importance." Maxim quickly replies by saying, "I ought to be flattered then." and, "Why should she consider me of any importance?" By saying this it shows that Maxim has no real regard for where he fits on the social ladder. Finally, Maxim displays self destructive qualities. Maxim marries Rebecca, a woman whom he really doesn't like, and must endure living with her until he reaches the point of murdering her. Maxim is aware that he is unhappy but goes along with married life anyway.
Without doubt, I find Maxim de Winter from the novel Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, to be a Byronic Hero. As shown through everyone else’s responses, Maxim is this type of hero and proves to be, mainly in the middle to the end of the novel. However, he definitely proves to be a Byronic Hero from the start of the story in Monte Carlo. The narrator consistently notices how quite he is in the hotel compared to when he is with her (the narrator) and how he chooses to set himself aside from any involvement with other guests and employees, and thus creates a self-induced isolation to society. Additionally, Maxim acknowledges his own isolation by bringing about the point that he is alone when saying to the narrator, “You know, we’ve got a bond in common, you and I. We are both alone in the world,” (Page 25). Despite setting himself apart from society, Maxim has hidden a deep secret in his past from everyone. His wife’s death is no accident to him, as he is the murderer himself, as proven by Anna Tilisky in her post. Furthermore, Maxim shows to be a moody person that swings from being delighted to incredibly dry. He demonstrates this when he rides in the car with the narrator in Monte Carlo, when he is talking to Beatrice when she visited to meet the new Mrs. de Winter, and at the “fancy dress ball” at Manderley. In the novel, Maurier’s characters each have their own individualism, a uniqueness that draws the reader’s attention to like, yet dislike the character. Maxim’s unique quality created by Maurier is that he is a Byronic Hero.
-Drew Leahy
When I think of the word “hero,” the first instinctive person I think of is Superman. However, when I dig a little deeper into the surface of this complex word, I soon find firefighters, policemen, doctors, and people who would risk their live and personal desires to rescue others who are in need. They have as much right as anyone else to be entitled as a hero. Rather, a hero is a person who in any case will put forth supreme effort to help others before themselves or aid others who are in danger by putting themselves in danger. This truth behind the word, the reality that a hero can be anyone, anywhere, at anytime, is an occasionally misunderstood and misused word. The public as a whole sees a hero as an occupation, nothing but a title given to those who make their life dedicated to upholding their already given entitlement as a hero. Yet, only some can appreciate the true value of the word “hero.” The word is not a type of person, not a type of job, but only a person. A simple person who is overseen by the public yet nonetheless performs just the same as Superman. Possibly a neighbor around the corner who will wake up one day as one of us and fall asleep unlike any one of us could be this sort of person. The only difference is what he or she chooses to do throughout the day so that they are seen by somebody else as a true hero. Society will never accept the true meaning of the word “hero” because of the simple actuality that society is a whole, and will not accept a true hero due to the hero not affecting everyone who makes up society. Consequentially, in society the word “hero” is not used or thought of how it must be contemplated.
-Drew Leahy
In the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Maxim de Winter, I believe, is an example of a Byronic hero. In definition, a Byronic hero is someone who is well established; in Maxim’s case, socially and financially. We can see this because in the start of the novel in Monte Carlo, Mrs. Van Hopper immediately recognizes Maxim due to his large ego as well as being the owner of the wonderful Manderley estate.
In addition, Byronic heroes are also characterized by being secretive and concealing information from their past. This attribute applies to Maxim because throughout the story he acts as if his first wife Rebecca was beautiful and well liked. In reality however, Rebecca was a cold and nefarious woman. Later in the novel it is discovered that before her death, Rebecca was having an affair with her cousin, Favell, and she lied to Maxim about conceiving a child. As a reaction, Maxim murdered Rebecca out of anger and pure hatred, and he made it appear as though Rebecca had committed suicide. This was all information that Maxim had hid from his new wife up until the very end.
Finally, Byronic heroes are self- destructive. Although Maxim was able to cover up his crime and avoid guilt, he still harbored effects from Rebecca’s death. In chapter 18, Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper talks about Maxim saying, “He’s still in hell, and he’s looked like that ever since she (Rebecca) died.” This quote shows how Maxim troubled himself by his actions and ultimately caused his own downfall.
Maxim de Winter is a man who possesses a high social status along with an ego and great wealth, he has a hidden past, and in the end created his own self- destruction. For these reasons he is considered a Byronic hero.
-Caitlin Nieset
In the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Maxim de Winter, I believe, is an example of a Byronic hero. In definition, a Byronic hero is someone who is well established; in Maxim’s case, socially and financially. We can see this because in the start of the novel in Monte Carlo, Mrs. Van Hopper immediately recognizes Maxim due to his large ego as well as being the owner of the wonderful Manderley estate.
In addition, Byronic heroes are also characterized by being secretive and concealing information from their past. This attribute applies to Maxim because throughout the story he acts as if his first wife Rebecca was a beautiful and well liked woman. In reality however, Rebecca was a cold and nefarious woman. Later in the novel it is discovered that before her death, Rebecca was having an affair with her cousin, Favell , and she lied to Maxim about conceiving a child. As a reaction, Maxim murdered Rebecca out of anger and pure hatred, and he made it appear as though Rebecca had committed suicide. This was all information that Maxim had hid from his new wife up until the very end.
Finally, Byronic heroes are self- destructive. Although Maxim was able to cover up his crime and avoid guilt, he still harbored effects from Rebecca’s death. In chapter 18, Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper talks about Maxim saying, “He’s still in hell, and he’s looked like that ever since she (Rebecca) died.” This quote shows how Maxim troubled himself by his actions and ultimately caused his own downfall.
Maxim de Winter is a man who possesses a high social status along with an ego and great wealth, he has a hidden past, and in the end created his own self- destruction. For these reasons he is considered a Byronic hero.
-Caitlin Nieset
After reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier it is easy to see that Maxim de Winter is a Byronic Hero. Although he may have made choices that are morally wrong he didn’t do them with the intention to just be evil. His feeling powered his actions.
His marriage to Rebecca meant nothing to him. He hated her for “breeding, brains, and beauty.” He forced himself to believe that there was something worth marrying Rebecca but there obviously wasn’t for him. He and Rebecca acted as though they were the perfect couple and that destroyed Maxim. He knew that she cheated on him. He knew she didn’t love him. He knew that his marriage was just for social gains. He wouldn’t take part in his own parties. He went with the flow of the night to avoid conflict. He didn’t like to be surrounded by people who only want to know the personal affairs of others. He didn’t like the idea that his life could be made into a big show. Maxim much preferred a more private life. He isolated himself from his guest, his family, and mostly his new wife after the death of Rebecca.
His isolation toward his new wife is because he hides the real cause of Rebecca’s death, “they say he can’t get over his wife’s death,” when really Maxim can’t get over Rebecca’s haunting presence even after she is dead. By Maxim not saying anything to the new Mrs. de Winter about Rebecca it causes an odd separation between the two. It is not until the end when Maxim reveals the truth about his life with Rebecca and her death that there is some hope for the two. In his lies to his new wife he brings upon self destruction thinking that Rebecca won, but he also makes his new wife feel as though she is not good enough. Not only does he tear himself apart but he tears apart the woman he loves.
~Anika Prots
Maxim de Winter, from Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, is a character that possesses many attributes of a Byronic hero. His violent, erratic mood changes and desire of seclusion are just a few ways which justify Maxim as a Byronic Hero. The fact that Maxim is hiding the murder of his first wife, Rebecca, from his past is his most significant characteristic as a Byronic hero. Much of Maxim’s time and energy is dedicated to hiding his past; Maxim demands that no one mentions Rebecca’s name, no rooms with a view of the sea are used, and that gossip and talk of Manderley are kept low-key. He is even opposed to hosting the Fancy Dress Ball at Manderley because social gatherings could lead to gossip and misconceptions about Rebecca’s death. Maxim is sporadically thrown into violent rages when reminded of Rebecca. Even the narrator experiences Maxim’s wrath when she disobeys his orders and goes near the sea, “ ‘All right, I did not want to go to the other beach. Will that please you? I never go near the bloody place, or that God-damned cottage. And if you had my memories you would not want to go there either, or talk about it, or even think about it. There. You can digest that if you like, and I hope it satisfies you.’ His face was white, and his eyes strained and wretched with that dark lost look they had when I first met him.” (114) As a result, Maxim’s secret leads to his ultimate self destruction, which exemplifies that he is in fact a Byronic hero.
Hallie Stacho
Maxim de Winter is a prime example of a Byronic Hero. He possesses many of the listed characteristics on this page. Initially, Maxim appears as a seductive and attractive person when he meets the new Mrs. de Winter in Monte Carlo. As the novel progresses, we learn more about Maxim, and the impression of a smooth, attractive suitor begins to fade away into the almost oppressively scenic background of Manderley, the de Winter family estate on the English coast. Manderley serves as the source of forced isolation on Maxim, separating him and anyone else in the house from the rest of the world. This isolation from others seems to develop into a strong contempt for society and social events.
Though these previously stated characteristics provide strong evidence that Maxim is a Byronic Hero, there is one more quality that is the most striking in Maxim's case. Maxim indeed did hide something from the past from his new wife. Mrs. de Winter spent much time thinking about Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, and how much better Rebecca seemed to be than her at everything. There were many hints as to how Rebecca died, such as Beatrice's comment "You don't sail by any chance, do you? (No) Thank God for that." Then, the novel seems to come to a climax, as Maxim reveals to his wife that he indeed did kill Rebecca, she did not die in a sailing accident. Now, the fact that he hid this from so many people, specifically his wife, for so long is impressive, but the manner in which he reveals his actions to his wife is quite unique and passionate, a hallmark of a Byronic Hero. His explanation ebbs and flows like the tide on the beach of Manderley, from his factual statements of "I killed Rebecca," to his passionate whispers of "I love you, so much. So much."
After this confession occurs, the reader learns of a new dimension to Maxim's pre-novel life: the defying of the authority and oppression of Rebecca. When Rebecca's Monte Carlo "deal" with Maxim comes to light, every impression of Maxim's life before his second marriage changes with the revelation of Rebecca's wicked, flighty, deceitful nature. Though their marriage was a bust, they seemed perfectly tranquil to the common guest. She was the perfect hostess, and he was the tolerant husband. Rebecca left a negative impression of marriage on Maxim, and this negative impression was overcome in time both with his new wife and the "solving" of the mystery of Rebecca's death by the police. (apparent suicide) It is fitting that Manderley burned to the ground at the novel's conclusion. Many have said that this was Rebecca's triumph, but I say that this was the triumph of Maxim, a Byronic Hero. She was the "perfect hostess" of the estate, and the mystery of her death will remain with Maxim and his new wife until the grave. She could no longer influence his new wife with terror inside the house, so it is fitting that the de Winter couple gained their freedom from her grasp.
The evidence of Maxim de Winter's status of a Byronic Hero is overwhelming, and I find it safe to say that he is almost more Byronic than Lord George Byron himself.
-Noah Boksansky
In the novel, Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier, the character Maxim De Winter perfectly portrays the Byronic Hero role. Maxim passionately falls for and marries a young innocent girl and brings her back to the Manderley house where people are judgmental and secrets are hidden. Two traits of a Byronic Hero have been mentioned, first off, highly passionate and moody, secondly, hiding something from the past. Maxim has feelings of affection for his new bride but throughout the book, his moods sway as the past keeps being brought up. The narrator, his bride, questions his happiness with her. Maxim responds saying, “‘How can I answer you?’ he said. ‘I don’t know the answer myself. If you say we are happy, let’s leave it at that. It’s something I know nothing about. I take your word for it.’” This quote foreshadows the hidden past with his first wife, Rebecca. Maxim never knew what happiness was since his first marriage was a failure. Maxim’s moods go from complete happiness in Monte Carlo and on his honeymoon to a downward fall of utter anger. Upon the decision to have the Manderley ball, his new wife comes down the stairs to show off her gown, unknowingly, the same gown Rebecca had worn. Maxim becomes enraged with fury and avoids his wife the rest of the night continuing into the next morning. Now that his wife knows something is wrong, she had to confront him. He confesses to murdering his wife Rebecca in her boat house, causing him to be self destructive and rebellious to the law; with these actions, Maxim portrays two more characteristics of a Byronic Hero.
~Julie Z.
Maxim de Winter is a Byronic Hero due to the fact that he hides something from the past, is isolated from society, and ultimately self destructive. In keeping to himself about his murder of Rebecca he self induces his isolation. After Maxim and the narrator’s evening drive to the high hills upon meeting one another at Monte Carlo the narrator begins to wonder about Maxim and why it is that he acts the way he does. The narrator says that while she sat in the car on the high hill she felt like, “someone peering through the keyhole of a locked door…What hound of heaven has driven him to the high hills this afternoon? I thought of his car, with half a length expression between it and that drop of two thousand feet, and the blank expression on his face. What footsteps echoed in his mind, what whispers and what memories?” These thoughts of the narrator show how there is something in Maxim’s past he wishes to not reveal and also how the narrator feels so very far away from Maxim on an emotional level. Everyone living at Manderley sees Maxim as a man mourning the tragic and unexplainable death of Rebecca. Meanwhile, Maxim knows the truth behind her death and conceals the truth within him which causes his isolation and destruction. The memories of Rebecca, whom he despised, and the way she was smiling as he shot her signifying that she would one day win, gradually tear apart Maxim and cause him to be a very miserable man. As Maxim recounts the night he murdered Rebecca to his present wife he says, “Rebecca would win in the end. Finding you has made no difference, has it? Loving you does not alter things at all. Rebecca knew she would win in the end. I saw her smile, when she died.” Maxim’s murder of Rebecca rebounded on him and instead of Maxim coming out as the winner Rebecca did. His own action of killing her was immediately turned upside down and led to his own misery and destruction.
Erin P
Maxim exemplifies the traits of a Byronic hero. He is a strong, moody figure who intrigues latter Mrs. de Winter with his inability to escape from haunting memories of his past. He is isolated in a manner that is mostly self-induced, but could possibly be attributed to his lifestyle as well. The Manderly seems to be a physical manifestation of Maxim’s solitude, a large and empty living space that too often reminds him of the past he tries to hide. He also seems to abide by rules slightly different from society: rejecting some of the behavioral norms, he proposes to the narrator over a meal rather than in a more romantic fashion. In a car ride in the mountains he chides her for thinking that she was not at all society’s ideal or appropriate woman for him. “I ask you,” he said gravely, “because you are not dressed in black satin, with a string of pearls, nor are you thirty six” (37).
--Julia Tuason
I believe that Maxim de Winter personifies that of a Byronic hero, however, I also believe that there are a few contradictions for his receiving of the title.
For example, Maxim lives a rather hermetic existence at Manderly, cut off from society at large (and since it was Rebecca who preferred the big parties), but, there isn't much evidence to say that he was rebellious and lacked respect for authority.
It was also apparent from the beginning of the book during the scene when Maxim stops at a cliff in Monte Carlo and gazes out into the sea in a trance-like fashion. When questioned by the narrator about his familiarity with the spot, Maxim replies with, "Yes, but not for many years. I wanted to see if it had changed". But of this location, he says nothing more, indicating that there exists a past event that Maxim is hiding. There is also much evidence to suggest that Maxim was highly passionate, indicated by his sister Beatrice, who told the narrator that on page 100, "Maxim loses temper once or twice a year. And when he does-my God-he does lose it". The act of Maxim killing Rebecca was also caused by his emotions since he did not premeditate her murder, but acted on anger and frustration. However, there is a evident lack of any sort of tendency to be sexually domineering towards the narrator and Rebecca (a trait which I believe the latter to have possessed most definitely).
Despite the few contradictions, I think that Maxim de Winter can fittingly be called a Byronic hero (especially because I am hard pressed to pair him with Villains as Heroes like Michael Corleone or Tony Soprano)
-Conor F
In Rebecca, by Daphne Maurier, Maxim de Winter is a prime example of a Byronic Hero for many reasons. First he has a dark and concealed past; he was the one responsible for shooting and killing his first wife, Rebecca. "I killed Rebecca. I shot Rebecca in the cottage in the woods (270)." Maxim killed Rebecca because she was cheating on him and manipulating him throughout their entire relationship. He finally broke down when he discovered Rebecca was pregnant with another man's child. Maxim has been keeping this secret all these years because he felt guilty and ashamed about Rebecca's death, even to the point where he bottles himself up and becomes emotionally distant from others when Rebecca's name or anything from his past life comes up.
Even though he does not mean too, Maxim is ultimately self destructive. He causes him and the second Mrs. de Winter to become estranged and through his lies and deceitfulness to the authorities investigating Rebecca's death he, in a way, causes Ms. Danvers to take revenge by burning down their home, Manderley.
Jonah Cook
Throughout the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, it is evident that Maxim de Winter fits the profile of a Byronic Hero more so than that of a Villian. Maxim is highly passionte and moody, as portrayed throughout several sections of the novel. "Not that voice. Not that angry voice, Maxim. He won't understand. Please, darling, please. Oh, God, don't let Maxim lose his temper. Don't let him lose his temper." -This quote from the novel is thought by the new Mrs. de Winter while sitting in the court room. She knows that Maxim will lose his temper if the magistrate were to try and fight him, or anyone else at that matter. She hopes and prays Maxim will remain calm, because she's been previously exposed to his moody nature. Also, Maxim unmistakably hides something from his past, the murdering of his late wife, Mrs. de Winter. He states this fact when he is talking to his new wife in their library, "When I killed her she was smiling still. I fired at her heart. The bullet passed right through. She did not fall at once. She stood there, looking at me, that slow smile on her face, her eyes wide open..." Although the killing of his late wife was not morally correct, these characteristics put Maxim into the Byronic Hero category, because he is not truly a vicious and evil person.
-Mary Schneeberger
After considering both descriptions of a byronic and villainous hero, Maxim de Winter, the leading male character in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, strongly represents the qualities of a byronic hero. He is identified with the prestigous Manderly and is often ignorantly trusted such as on page 330 while Du Maurier describes Favell's finishing accusational speech.
"The colour had flooded into his face, and the last words were shouted. His manner was not helpful to him, and I could see by the thin line of Colonel Julyan's mouth that he had not taken to Favell.
'My dear fellow.' he said, 'it's not the slightest use your losing your temper with me...'".
These few lines are a strong example of how Maxim is the dominant, more respected male. After Favell's failed attempts at blackmail, Max personally invites Colonel Julyan over to clear up the matter. He knew that due to Favell's manner and lesser trust, he would have a weak case against Max. This scene also eventually leads to his defeat after this assertive decision.
Maxim is also highly emotional and moody while he festers behind a calm facade. Around the public eye, Maxim continually creates a sophisticated, healthy young man. However, by the closing of the novel we can see how torrmented Max was as he slowly opens up to his new wife, and finally gives away his secret.
-Kathrine Zmina
It is my opinion that Maxim de Winter in "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier is the perfect Byronic hero. He is a very mysterious character with an even more mysterious past. His first wife, Rebecca, seems to be the perfect woman to all people and it appears as if she was loved by all, especially Maxim. He covers up the true cause of her death to his current wife, until he finally, and suddenly, reveals what had happened. Another integral part in being a Byronic hero is displayed my Maxim de Winter. He clearly holds much power of seduction and sexual attraction, having suceeded in wooing the heroine after only having known each other for a very short time. In chapter 5, du Maurier writes "If he had driven round in circles it would not have mattered to me, for I was in that first flushed stage when to climb into the seat beside him, and lean forward to the windscreen hugging my knees, was almost too much to bear. I was like a little scrubby schoolboy with a passion for a sixth-form prefect, and he kinder, and far more inaccessible." This quote shows how hopelessly in love Maxim had made the heroine after having known her for less than a fortnight.
-Billy Molle
Maxim de Winter is a near perfect literary example of a Byronic Hero. Maxim hides the murder of his wife Rebecca, just as a Byronic Hero normally hides events from the past. He enjoys being isolated from society, like Byronic Hero, and therefore lives in the marvelous fortress of Manderley, shrouded under a cloud of mystery. He also displays powerful moodiness and a strong temper. His own sister points out, "You never know whats going on in that funny mind of his... Maxim loses his temper once or twice in a year, and when he does -my God- he does lose it." And the final trait of a Byronic Hero displayed by Maxim is his power of seduction. He finds a young girl in Monte Carlo and manages to make her fall madly in love with him in a period of a few weeks. He then takes her away and brings her into his new life. It is a combination of these traits that makes Maxim de Winter a true Byronic Hero.
Steven Takacs
I believe that Maxim is very clearly a Byronic hero as many before me have stated and therefore is not a villain as the hero. Maxim could not be a villain because he does not just care for himself and his own personal gain. On page 270 when he is speaking to the second Mrs. de Winter Maxim says, "Her shadow between us all the time, her damn shadow keeping us from one another. How could I hold you like this my darling, my little love, with the fear always in my heart that this would happen?" proving that he would not let her know the full extent of his feeling for her until she knew the whole truth surrounding his first wife's death because he cared about her. He wanted her to know the truth whereas if he had been a villain it is very unlikely he would have risked her turning away from him in disgust, rather he took a chance for love.
Not only did Maxim care for his (second) wife he also cared a great deal about his fore bearers. Although is not mentioned in the book I believe Maxim knew what a great responsibility he had to them and to his family name because on page 277 Maxim says, "She knew I would sacrifice pride, honor, personal feeling, every damned quality on earth,... she knew I would never stand in a divorce court..." He would not allow Manderley to be shamed in that way.
Now having proved that Maxim was very much not a villain it becomes clear that he must be a Byronic Hero because he was all of the things a Byronic Hero should be including talented and in possession of an ego and a temper as well as moods, isolated physically and socially from society, rebellious (as seen by his refusal of costume at the fancy dress party), lacking in respect for "breeding, brains, and beauty" as his grandmother put it, obviously hiding the murder of his wife, and definitely in possession of the power of seduction as proven by the second Mrs. de Winters quick attraction and infatuation with him. I therefore conclude that Maxim was in fact a Byronic hero and not a villain as a hero.
Molly Smith
Many of the characteristics of a Byronic Hero are embodied by Maxim de Winter from Daphne Du Maurier's novel Rebecca. One very important characteristic of a Byronic Hero that Maxim embodies is his dark past of murdering his former wife, Rebecca. Such a past is what, in the end, leads to his destruction when Rebecca's body is found in the bottom of the cove and Jack Favell accuses Maxim of murder. Next, Maxim de Winter's moodiness is shown on page 41 when he impulsively says, "To Hell with this...I suppose you're young enough to be my daughter and I don't know how to deal with you." This quote illustrates Maxim's change from being a well mannered gentleman to moody and impulsive. Along with possessing ideals of being a Byronic Hero, Maxim also possesses the characteristics of what a Byronic Hero is not. An example would be the fact that Maxim is not necessarily good nor evil; shown by the fact that he has a kind and loving personality, but is also ridden with jealousy to the point of murdering his wife. Finally Maxim de Winter is not an effective leader which shown by his need of having Rebecca as a suitable hostess; as well as dragging the heroine into his personal problems and having her run away with him.
-Chuckiy Bement
Without a doubt the character Maxim from Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is a perfect example of a literary Byronic Hero. When we first met Maxim in the hotel restaurant the reader became aware that he was in some sort of exile brought on by himself. We then learn that this has to do with the recent death of his wife. As the book goes on the readers perception of Maxim sees him as liking to be secluded and away from society. “You don’t think I like I like calling on people, do you? It bores me stiff. But it has to be done, in this part of the world.” Through this quote we see how Maxim feels about the society he must take part of.
Maxim has definitely been hiding something in his past. Not just the killing of Rebecca, but the complete shift of his life from the West wing, where he lived with Rebecca to the East wing where he now expects the new Mrs. De Winter to live. Maxim contains social dominance not over a lot of people but mostly over his new wife. Throughout most of the book Mrs. De Winter has difficulty adjusting to Manderly without the help of Maxim. She depends on him to guide her through this new lifestyle she is not accustomed to.
Delaney H.
in the novel, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, Maxim de Winter definitely carries chaacteristics of a Byronic Hero, shown through many examples. Maxim de Winter appears as a man who does not care for rank and privilege. When Mrs. Van Hopper and the narrator first meet Maxim de Winter, Mrs. Van Hopper treats the narrator as unimportant. However, Maxim regards her as an equal to Mrs. Van Hopper, who becomes annoyed by his efforts to include the narrator in the conversation. Also, even though Rebecca is essentially the ideal wife, with the right breeding, brains, and beauty, Maxim absolutely despised her because of her terrible personality. His hatred is shown through his statement, “Our marriage was a farce from the very first. She was vicious, damnable, rotten through and through” (326).
Maxim de Winter can also be very moody, especially when the topic of his dark past is mentioned. He hid the details from his new wife of how Rebecca was murdered by him! He also isolates himself from society, wanting his privacy. He lives in Manderley, and tries to isolate himself with his secret.
I believe Maxim de Winters fits the characteristics of a Byronic Hero. Firstly he is isolated from society both because Manderly is secluded and because he keeps his thoughts to himself. This can be seen when he and the narrator are driving in Monte Carlo and she describes him as “laughing no longer, he was once more silent and detached, the man of yesterday wrapped in his secret self.” Maxim is also emotional at many times in the story, for example when he loses his temper with the judge when questioned about Rebecca. Finally, His biggest Byronic characteristic is that he murders Rebecca, and then hides it from everyone until he tells his wife at the end.
-Phil A.
In many ways Maxim deWinter is a Byronic hero. First of all he is hiding hiss crippling past, including the biggest secret in his life, his late wife Rebecca, whom he murdered. He is in fact isolated from society living at Manderly. He does not respect the higher authority and often talks about them condescendingly."Then maxim moved forward his eyes never leaving my face what the hell do you think you a re doing?" his eyes blazed in anger his face ashen white." Maxim is very moody and passionate and unlike a villain as hero he lets hiss emotions rule him as he did in this scene when his new wife is dressed as rebecca was for the ball. His emotions also get in the way of his decisions. Maxim’s guilt for killing Rebecca and the way just talking abiout her makes him uneasy proves he is a Byronic hero in the sense that he is not necessarily good , but he does not just coldheartedly get rid of people that are in his way. He tries to rebuild his life with his new wife, and even this suggest rebellion being that she is much younger, not well bed , and very naïve.
marina d
I would not necessarily characterize Maxim as neither hero nor villain, yet if I had to choose I would characterize him as a Byronic Hero. When I think of a villain I imagine a character who is evil on all or most accounts and acts accordingly. I see Maxim’s evil act of murdering Rebecca as understandable, deserved (on Rebecca’s part), and almost an expected or predictable action. He definitely hides from the past in that he killed Rebecca. Also, he has the power of sexual attraction exemplified in the beginning of the book and with the quote, "For some reason I felt impelled to speak, because his eyes followed me in sympathy like the Gentleman Unknown. My shyness fell away from me" (du Maurier 24). This shows how he eases her shyness to illustrate his comforting manner. Therefore, Maxim is a Byronic Hero in this novel.
Aleksa Susinskas
In my opinion, Maxim de Winter, from the novel Rebecca by Daphine Du Maurier, has the qualities of both, a “byronic hero” and a “villain as hero”. Seeing as most of our perspectives are of Maxim as a Byronic Hero I would like to justify the perspective of Maxim being “villain as hero”. Maxim knowingly went into his first marriage for his own personal gain, which is typically the motivation for any villain. Marrying Rebecca guaranteed him a superlative reputation, one that would gain popularity and be the cause of jealousy. Maxim acknowledges his vanity as he speaks to the main character, “She knew I would sacrifice pride, honour, personal feeling, every damned quality on earth, rather than stand before our little world after a week of marriage and have them know the things about her that she had told me then.”(Du Maurier 257). This quote goes on to say how Rebecca knew Maxim would never pursue a divorce because of all the talk that would follow and how his precious reputation would be destroyed. Later on he explains that Rebecca became careless while in their marriage about her double life, she brought back her friends from London to Manderley and invited them to parties. Then Rebecca had her cousin over to stay nights and this put Maxim on edge. He did not like all of these people over for fear of what people would say and especially despised Rebecca’s cousin. So, in fear of losing his flawless reputation he decided to eliminate the one person who would get in his way, Rebecca. Maxim killed Rebecca to be his own hero. The description of a villain is one that is vain, cruel, and malicious. Maxim killed Rebecca cruelly and in vain. He can also be described as malicious because many would agree that he displays much bitterness throughout the novel and lashes that hateful passion on innocent victims such as the main character. Therefore, Maxim fits the description of “villain as hero”.
-Caylee Buckman
In the novel, Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, Maxim surely fits the role of a Byronic Hero in more ways than one. A strong reason for this is that throughout the story, he is hiding something from the past. He hides the fact that he killed his first wife, Rebecca. It is thought that Rebecca was loved by all. This is hard for the second Mrs. de Winter. She feels that Maxim would always love Rebecca no matter what. "Whenever you touched me, I knew you were comparing me with Rebecca. Whenever you looked at me or spoke to me, or walked with me in the garden, I knew you were thinking, 'This I did with Rebecca, and this, and this.'"
Also, Maxim lacks respect for social rank. This is made clear when he expresses his true feelings: "She's got the three things that really matter in a wife," everyone said: "breeding, brains, and beauty." And I believed them, completely. But I never had a moment's happiness with her. She was incapable of love or tenderness or decency." This not only shows his lack of respect for social rank, but also that he is a man of emotions.
Lastly, I believe that Maxim is a Byronic Hero because he commits an act of self destruction. Killing his wife causes him to be unable to give himself one hundred percent to his second wife. "Her shadow between us all the time." This shows that Rebecca has ultimately won. She is no longer physically with Maxim, but her memory will forever haunt him.
I think that Maxim de Winter is definitely the Byronic Hero in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. First off, he hides the murder of his wife Rebecca from everybody. But to say this makes him a villain would be wrong. Maxim considered living with Rebecca to be torture. He says, "I hated her, I tell you, our marriage was a farce from the very first. She was vicious, damnable, rotten through and through." (du Maurier 275). Many people in Maxim's situation would do something drastic, such as murder. However, I do not consider Maxim a villain, but a person who is stuck in an almost hopeless situation. Although the murder is not good morally, Maxim could not escape Rebecca any other way. Maxim is also a Byronic Hero because he is self destructive. At the end of the book, we are led to believe that Maxim and Mrs. de Winter drove up to see Manderley on fire. It is apparent that this was most likely done by Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca's cousin, Favell. Manderley has been in Maxim's family for generations; it was his life, his business, and his home. For Manderley to be burned to the ground is like taking everything from Maxim, leaving him with ash and what used to be the gorgeous Manderley. An end to Manderley is symbolically an end to Maxim.
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