Daphne in her twenties.
Ferry House in Fowey
Daphne, Tommy and Children
Daphne & Children at Menabilly
This biography can be read with the ease of a good novel. Well researched and presenting a portion of Daphne DU Maurier’s life.
The life DU Maurier chose is honestly revealed as it unfolds and the secret life becomes the story. Her secrets made public. The good, the bad, and the ugly. She would have approved.
She was raised in privilege of the Victorian era. Her personal self doubt and ambitions within her from childhood.
Freedom to wander the forest hills and seaside, write, travel, and socialize on her terms were vital to her peace of mind. The Victorian mores placed resented strictures on her and she complied less later in life.
Motherhood was difficult for her. I believe she loved her children and gave of herself as she was able. She loved her family and provided care with help from other devoted employed individuals.
She seemed never to be on even keel with her marriage. She believed in commitment, and loved, still remaining a separate individual.
Writing, in my mind, set her imagination free and gave her license to create life honestly as she dreamed it would be.
She walked the road less traveled and appears always to have be conflicted and struggled within herself. She worked through her life odyssey by storytelling.
I can imagine living at Mennabilly and wandering the lush woodlands. Traveling down the cliffs to seaside and gathering magical sea glass and other treasures would thrill me. Would I feel the same freedom rowing to the Ferry House?
There are many wonderful black and white photographs providing faces to names and visibility of important locations in her life.
The creative life in reality is insight into our humanity. Our gifts are personal, sometimes we are confident to share, other times we are unsure of our creative ability. We all, I believe, are seeking to know ourselves and others and desirous of a stabalizing balance of life.
Daphne on the seacliffs...
Birth Date: May 13, 1907: Death Date: April 19, 1989: Place of Birth: London, England: Place of Death: Par, Cornwall, England
Birth Date: May 13, 1907: Death Date: April 19, 1989: Place of Birth: London, England: Place of Death: Par, Cornwall, England
3 comments:
I read a few of her novels years ago, my favorite being Frenchman's Creek (I think that is the title). It was a very romantic story involving a "pirate" and a lady. This biography sounds like one I would enjoy reading.
I love Daphne du Maurier. My all-time favorite novel of hers is "Rebecca," but I also enjoyed "The House on the Strand." Great post, it was very fun and interesting to learn more about her!
I have spent the last hour reading many of your past posts and feel like I found a treasure of beautiful images, eloquent words and subjects to make me think about how I want to live my life. I believe that sometimes I stumble onto something I needed but did not yet know I needed. Thank you for being that something today.
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