The Murderer Next Door: Why are the Male Heroes Possible Murderers in Jane Eyre and Rebecca?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjfh.Vol22.Iss2.1706Keywords:
David Buss, domestic violence, evolutionary psychology, Gothic protagonist, homicide, madnessAbstract
This evolutionary psychology study analyzes Edward Rochester in Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and Maxim de Winter in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. This article uses The Murderer Next Door: Why the Mind Is Designed to Kill's evolutionary theory to examine how both works' male characters exhibit masculine issues like infidelity, jealousy, and reputation loss, which may lead male protagonists to commit murder. The imprisonment of Bertha by Rochester and Rebecca's murder by her husband are seen as evolutionary manifestations of deep-rooted desires to manipulate women, maintain male dominance, and impose their social hierarchy. Instead of romantic heroes, patriarchal authority, survival instincts, and aggression are fostered by giving these people lethal attributes, according to the report. The examination shows how Brontë and du Maurier challenge the Gothic hero stereotype by exploring the psychological and evolutionary causes of his protective behavior.
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