In the year 1847, Charlotte Brontȅ sat down to pen the novel Jane Eyre. Ninety-one years later, Daphne du Maurier wrote the classic, Rebecca. While these authors lived during two different time periods, they both composed a gothic classic, wrapped in mystery and haunts of the past. Jane Eyre and Rebecca are alike in the ideas of identity and mystery, but they could be considered quite different in their resolutions. In the book Jane Eyre, Brontȅ places her protagonist within a family where she is not wanted. She struggles to find her identity within the walls of Gateshead and Lowood, just as the narrator did within the walls of Manderley in du Maurier’s Rebecca. Both protagonists are fond of drawing, and each fall in love with a man surrounded by mystery. It is these men who seem to both define and take away their identity. Once the mysterious Rochester finally reveals his secrets to Jane, she leaves, only to return to the man who made her feel like more than a plain, unwanted girl. The second Mrs. de Winter never quite gets the satisfaction of being anything more than a companion, although she did her best to fight against the late Rebecca. Even in death, Rebecca’s spirit was too strong to ever be completely…show more content… Both novels contain mysterious husbands, large, eerie houses, and secrets no one really wants to be uncovered. Both Rochester and Maxim de Winter have wives they wish they could put behind them. The only difference is that Rochester is haunted by a living spirit, while Maxim is haunted by the dead. Brontȅ and du Maurier seem to have the same plot in mind. Manderley and Thornfield are similar, but they do have their differences. Thornfield always feels rather dark, being the epitome of the gothic time perious. Manderley seems to be quite light and happy, but only until it’s deepest secrets are revealed. Both houses contain secrets, and both houses seem to want to keep those secrets to