I’ve certainly mentioned before that I’m a huge fan of Daphne du Maurier. I like her descriptive and mysterious writing style, her focus on tragic female characters, and her tantalizing plots. Frenchman’s Creek, published in 1941, has most of the markers of a signature du Maurier novel.
While Frenchman’s Creek is one of du Maurier’s lesser regarded works (in comparison to Rebecca or My Cousin Rachel), I found it was still a strong piece of writing that was easy to get lost in.
The story follows Lady Dona St. Columb as she tries to regain some independence by taking herself and her children to their secondary home, away from her caring but dull husband. Having followed the path of a traditional wife in 17th century England, Dona has married and had children with a wealthy and respectable man. However, she does not love him, and after years of rebelling in her married life (only to be continually doted on and assuaged by her husband), she has decided to leave.
I use the term “leave” loosely here, since she’s not divorcing her husband. Rather, she’s removing herself and her children to another location (their vacation home) to have some semblance of freedom and independence. At first, it seems her intentions are simply to embrace this alone time, but that changes when she meets a handsome French pirate with whom she begins a love affair.
If you can’t tell by the description of this book, I’ll put it in plainer terms: it’s essentially 17th century wish fulfillment. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all, but it is very focused on the aspects of self-discovery via a passionate romance. A bored, desperate housewife takes time apart from her loyal but tepid husband, only to end up falling in love with a swoon-worthy young Frenchman.
Of course, that’s only the surface level interpretation.
One thing I noticed in the reviews of this novel is that many people failed to take the historical context into consideration. A lot of (and by a lot, I mean the few I saw on Goodreads) reviews called the main character selfish for having this affair and balked at the amount of romance in the novel. However, I thought it was a really interesting character analysis of a situation many 17th century women may have found themselves in.
The book itself was published in 1941, so while women were treated leagues differently during that time than in the 17th century, they still didn’t have as many rights as we do today. Plus, the idea of a traditional marriage and nuclear family were still very prominent. With that in mind, I think it’s understandable why du Maurier may have been writing about a trapped wife trying to find her own individuality. Setting the book in an even older and more rigid time period helps express this idea.
Dona St. Columb married her doting, dull husband because she had no other choice but to do so. In the 17th century, it was marry well, join a convent, or be poor. Dona, persuaded by the social norms and people in her life, marries very well and even has children with her husband the way a traditional wife is supposed to. However, she finds herself wildly unhappy because this was never the life she wanted. She wanted more freedom and independence, but that simply wasn’t a feasible option.
When reviews of this book call Dona selfish for leaving and having an affair, they’re ignoring the context of the time period. I think many of us are so used to protagonists like Elizabeth Bennet, who scorn marrying for money and not love, that we look down on someone like Dona St. Columb who tried to do the “right” thing and find the best life available to her. Not to mention, Elizabeth does end up with a man she loves who also happens to be extraordinarily wealthy, which is the ultimate and unrealistic best case scenario. Austen presents, in the same novel, how many other women are condemned to a fate like Charlotte’s, marrying for a good life rather than for love.
Dona St. Columb is in a similar position similar to Charlotte, but found that she can no longer tolerate a life she never really wanted. When she leaves, she’s experiencing freedom for the first time, and it may be selfish, but I don’t think that makes it wrong. In fact, I find her extremely easy to empathize with, which made me enjoy the story all the more.
In all actuality, someone in Dona’s position would not have been able to remove herself from her husband entirely in order to have this affair in the first place. This book is the, “but what if you did?” sort of novel that gives the heroine a small glimpse of true happiness. What if the women who were trapped into a marriage for lack of other options could experience a true, whirlwind romance? How would that look? How would they feel? What would the consequences be?
These are the questions Frenchman’s Creek explores, and in that sense, I think there’s much more going on beyond “it’s a wish-fulfillment romance novel.” I mean, it is, but it uses this idea to present some interesting commentary.
Aside from this, the novel also has du Maurier’s signature descriptive writing style and flair for the dramatic. But, unlike Rebecca or My Cousin Rachel, this novel isn’t a mystery, which may be another mark against it. There is a good amount of swashbuckling pirate action involved, though, which I appreciated.
Truly, the bulk of the novel is spent on Dona herself. There is a lot of time spent on her newfound freedom and the feelings that surround it, her thoughts and feelings about her love affair, and her journey of self-discovery. I think that alone is evidence enough that this book isn’t so much about the romance as it is about finding oneself outside of societal expectations.
Of course, that makes for a rather slow, non-plot heavy novel. That is du Maurier’s style, though, so I don’t think this book is out of the ordinary for her. I think people have a harder time with slow-burn novels when the focus is on a character’s internal feelings rather than the slow unraveling of an external mystery.
Still, I really enjoyed Frenchman’s Creek, and books like these always make me feel very appreciative that I grew up in a time where I was able to make my own choices. I would recommend this novel to those who are intrigued by the aspect of Lady Dona’s self-discovery or those who really enjoy du Maurier’s writing in general. Otherwise, it may not be the most widely appreciated book.
The Lit Wiz