More Than Rebecca: The Life and Work of Daphne Du Maurier

Best known for her novel Rebecca, British author Daphne du Maurier’s work included short stories, plays, biography, nonfiction and seventeen novels beyond Rebecca. Often dismissed as a writer of “romantic” literature, present-day readers have begun to more fully appreciate the complexity of du Maurier’s wide-ranging body of work as well as her ability to tell stories that defy categorization. This two-week forum, led by Adjunct Assistant Professor of English Kate Aspengren, will explore du Maurier’s life and literary works. The first session will examine two profound influences on du Maurier’s work: her family and her passion for Cornwall, England, a place that became her home and the setting for many of her novels. We will look at her earliest works, including the novels The Loving Spirit and The Parasites and the plays The Years Between and September Tide. In the second session, we will explore du Maurier’s later novels and short stories, including The Birds and Don’t Look Now. We will discuss her own stage adaptation of her most famous novel, Rebecca, as well as the film versions of it. Throughout the series, we will utilize film clips and readings to explore the cultural significance and continued popularity of Daphne du Maurier’s work.

Thursday Forum is held in Kesler Auditorium on the first floor of Hickok Hall. Each weekly session begins with registration and refreshments from 8:45-9:15 AM, followed by the lecture until 11:30 AM. The presentations blend lecture, media such as film and music, and discussion.

Admission to each four-week forum series is $40. Admission to individual lectures and each session of two- and three-week forums is $12 per week. Admission includes the lecture and morning refreshments of coffee, tea and pastries. Payment can be made in person on Thursday mornings by cash or personal check. Credit card payments can be processed by registering online in advance at www.coe.edu/thursday-forum.