Two by Daphne du Maurier

As the next two stories in the NYRB collection, "La Saint-Vierge" and "Indiscretion" were on the very short side I read them both this weekend.  A good pairing, it turned out, as the stories were similar in content though they seemed to be odd inclusions in a collection of stories that very often verge on the macabre.  I suppose in a sense these were chilling in their own way, though not overtly.   They are chilling in the sense that the characters show a complete lack of regard towards their spouses who trust them faithfully.

According to Patrick McGrath who wrote the introduction, many of Daphne du Maurier's stories are charged with "sex and the unbridgeable distance between those who yearn passionately to be united."

"In fact du Maurier wrote well about sex.  She was clearly fascinated with the knots and tangles men and women can get themselves into, and three of the stories collected here (the third is the story I'll be reading next weekend, "Monte Verita") display this facet of her restless narrative intelligence."

Daphne du Maurier herself was not only a transgressor but also a victim of sexual betrayal from what I recall in reading Margaret Forster's biography, so I expect she wrote from experience.  Both stories are very ironic and cleverly told even if not especially happy for at least one character in each of the stories.

"La Saint-Vierge" is set in Brittany and concerns a young, uneducated peasant woman who's desperately worried about her fisherman husband.  He's due to sail in rough waters and will be away from for some time.

"Her love for him was so great that she felt it would choke her if she spoke.  She wanted to kneel at his feet, to bury her head against him, to implore him to stay with her.  If only he would understand to what depths of degradation she would sink for his sake."

She goes to a small chapel, not much used, to pray to the Virgin for his safe return.  In a poignant scene she speaks to the chapel's statue of Mary.  The statue is in a pathetic state, old, with the paint flecking away, hands broke off, yet obviously prayed to often as the walls on each side are littered with talismans left by others asking for intercession.  The young woman begs for a sign from the Virgin and she's rewarded by a vision of her husband she unfortunately misinterprets.

I actually really liked "Indiscretion" for its irony.  Two men who happen to work together meet for lunch and over the course of their meal one shares a story of a chance meeting with a woman that turned out to be more than he bargained for.

"I wonder how many people's lives are ruined by a moment's indiscretion?  The wrong word at the wrong time--and then finish to all their dreams.  They have to go on living with their tongues bitten a second too late.  No use calling back the spoken word.  What's said is said."

"I know of three people who have been made to suffer because of a chance sentence flung into the air.  One of them was myself; I lost my job through it.  The other fellow lost his illusions.  And the woman...well, I guess she did not have much to lose, anyway."  

Sexual exploitation is a two way street, and Daphne du Maurier is an equal opportunity writer not just picking on one gender over the other.  In both stories the reader is left wondering just what came next. 

I've decided I want to read all of Daphne du Maurier's stories, since I've had a taste of them here.  I hope to find a complete list of them somewhere.  I believe she published at least three collections of stories, though there may be more and there may be some uncollected stories floating about as well.  This is something I'd like to do over the long term as I come across them.  One more to go in this collection, though.  Next week: "Monte Verita".

Comments

[Kathleen]

These stories sound really good. I've loved everything I've read of hers so far!

[A Bookshelf Monstrosity]

These stories sound great. I can't wait to delve into more DuMaurier. Thanks for your thoughtful review.

[Amy]

DuMaurier gets better every time you read her...you should revisit those stories in a year or two...it's amazing what you can pick up on. My Cousin Rachel is one I've read through three times, each coming to a different conclusion!

[Danielle]

Kathleen--I really like her as well. There's only one book I didn't get on well with, but it's a novel that was partially written by someone else who died before finishing it. I wonder if I gave it another try if I would like it more now. Otherwise Rebecca is one of my all time favorite novels!
A Bookshelf Monstrosity--This is a great collection of stories. I'm always happy to pick up her work and want to read more of her stories now.
Amy--I think you're right. I've only reread Rebecca and a few of her stories. There are some I think I could read each year and would likely get more out of them each time around. I've wanted to reread My Cousin Rachel for a while now. I read it ages ago and it has pretty much faded from memory. Interesting that each time you think differently about the ending!

[Dorothy W.]

du Maurier's stories do sounds so good. I really think I'd enjoy them a lot! I like that kind of psychological focus.

[litlove]

This does sound like an excellent collection. I am still slow to pick short stories up and read them, but I'm sure I'd like these!

[Danielle]

Dorothy--I'm going to read more of her stories and have dragged out the books I have on hand. You're right she does tend to focus on the psychological, which I like as well.
Litlove--I've never really been much into stories, but once I get started with an author I like, I tend to really enjoy them. Often I'll start reading a collection and then set it aside unfinished, but her work is just really compelling to me.