Du Maurier wrote Rebecca inspired off of events from her own life. She was jealous of a woman named Jan Ricardo, her husband's first fiancé. She had found letters signed by Jan Ricardo. Ricardo's signiatures always included a large, prominently scrawled R in her letters to Browning. That is where Daphne got the inspiration and strong willed character behind Rebecca for the book. She claimed "Rebecca stood out black and strong" (House 1). Du Maurier owned a house called Menabilly hidden in the woods, which was the primary inspiration for the large Manderley estate in the novel. Manderley's foundation and layout was based on Milton Hall in Cambridgeshire. Milton Hall is where the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, came about for the novel. .
Many of du Maurier's real life experiences translated into her work, Rebecca. "Put coarsely, it is a novel about a dead woman and a house, both of which were drawn from the author's life" (House 1). The novel is about a young, innocent woman who is intimidated by her husband's late wife, Rebecca. "She did get so irritated with people calling it a romantic novel because she always said it was a study in jealousy" (House 1). In the beginning the narrator, whose name is never mentioned, feels like she could never replace Rebecca, but as the story unfolds she begins to see that Rebecca was potentially maleficent. The character's lack of name reflects her lack of identity caused by Rebecca's strong presence in Manderley even after her death.
Rebecca begins with a flashback of the narrator back in Manderley. Menabilly, Daphne du Maurier's house, which inspired Manderley in her most famous novel, Rebecca (Hurley 1). The novel begins with the famous quote "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Manderley is Maxim de Winter's beautiful home that his wealthy family has owned for many generations. The narrator works at the hotel where Maxim is staying.
