My Cousin Rachel - Daphne du Maurier
Philip Ashley has been orphaned and raised by his cousin, Ambrose.
Set in Cornwall.
Ambrose goes to Florence, falls in love, marries, and dies in suspicious circumstances.
Rachel is his widow who is beautiful and mysterious.
The novel opens with Philip recalling a childhood memory, ‘I wish [Ambrose] had not
named the man. Up to that moment, the body had been a dead thing, without identity.’
By opening the novel with this dark memory, du Maurier aims to shroud the novel’s story
in mystery. The tone of this line is dark as Philip suggests that a dead body does not
have an identity illustrating he is distancing himself from the criminals who are being
hung. The name of the criminal, Tom Jenkon, is revealed by Ambrose, intrigued by this,
Philip throws a ‘stone’ at the body but feels guilty for the action.
Philip asks himself, ‘was Rachel innocent or guilty?’ This ambiguous question intrigues
the reader who does not know who Rachel is and what she may or may not be guilty of.
Philip goes on to say that her name, ‘lingers on the tongue, insidious and slow, almost
like poison.’ The simile suggests that Rachel could be capable of killing Ambrose who
we learn has died mysteriously. The fact that her name lingers on Philip’s tongue
illustrates his suspicions of her.
In the second chapter, Philip recalls the last night he spent with Ambrose. After hearing
about Ambrose’s marriage to Rachel, Philip reacts accordingly; ‘Jealous, yes. Louise
was right about that, I supposed. The jealousy of a child who must suddenly share the
one person in his life with a stranger.’ Philip compares his jealousy with that of a child’s
as he suddenly feels displaced.
After writing several letters to each other, Philip becomes worried when Ambrose
describes that, ‘[Rachel] watches me all the time.’ This suggests that there is something
sinister about Rachel. Her eyes are a recurring motif in the novel as Philip gauges her
true feelings through them. Here Rachel appears watchful and expectant of Ambrose’s
declining health.
The last letter Ambrose writes to Philip is illegible and he appears worried for his life.
Philip appears convinced of Rachel’s guilt in the line, ‘I believed in the truth of those two
letters that I held in my right hand. The last Ambrose had ever written to me. Someday,
somehow, I would repay my cousin Rachel.’ Even before meeting her, Philip seems
convinced of her guilt and will find out the truth.
Philip Ashley has been orphaned and raised by his cousin, Ambrose.
Set in Cornwall.
Ambrose goes to Florence, falls in love, marries, and dies in suspicious circumstances.
Rachel is his widow who is beautiful and mysterious.
The novel opens with Philip recalling a childhood memory, ‘I wish [Ambrose] had not
named the man. Up to that moment, the body had been a dead thing, without identity.’
By opening the novel with this dark memory, du Maurier aims to shroud the novel’s story
in mystery. The tone of this line is dark as Philip suggests that a dead body does not
have an identity illustrating he is distancing himself from the criminals who are being
hung. The name of the criminal, Tom Jenkon, is revealed by Ambrose, intrigued by this,
Philip throws a ‘stone’ at the body but feels guilty for the action.
Philip asks himself, ‘was Rachel innocent or guilty?’ This ambiguous question intrigues
the reader who does not know who Rachel is and what she may or may not be guilty of.
Philip goes on to say that her name, ‘lingers on the tongue, insidious and slow, almost
like poison.’ The simile suggests that Rachel could be capable of killing Ambrose who
we learn has died mysteriously. The fact that her name lingers on Philip’s tongue
illustrates his suspicions of her.
In the second chapter, Philip recalls the last night he spent with Ambrose. After hearing
about Ambrose’s marriage to Rachel, Philip reacts accordingly; ‘Jealous, yes. Louise
was right about that, I supposed. The jealousy of a child who must suddenly share the
one person in his life with a stranger.’ Philip compares his jealousy with that of a child’s
as he suddenly feels displaced.
After writing several letters to each other, Philip becomes worried when Ambrose
describes that, ‘[Rachel] watches me all the time.’ This suggests that there is something
sinister about Rachel. Her eyes are a recurring motif in the novel as Philip gauges her
true feelings through them. Here Rachel appears watchful and expectant of Ambrose’s
declining health.
The last letter Ambrose writes to Philip is illegible and he appears worried for his life.
Philip appears convinced of Rachel’s guilt in the line, ‘I believed in the truth of those two
letters that I held in my right hand. The last Ambrose had ever written to me. Someday,
somehow, I would repay my cousin Rachel.’ Even before meeting her, Philip seems
convinced of her guilt and will find out the truth.
