Nature as chaos in Daphne du Maurier's 'Don't Look Now' and its film adaptation by Nicolas Roeg

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to establish Daphne du Maurier's vision of nature as a chaotic entity in 'Don't Look Now', and to analyse how Nicolas Roeg portrayed this theme in his film adaptation with the same title. The Introduction discusses the notion of the double found in Du Maurier's writings, not only in her fictional stories like Rebecca and 'Don't Look Now', but also in her auto-biographical works like Myself When Young and Vanishing Cornwall. The double is not only seen in herself as a split individual, but also in the surrounding natural background. Chapter One focuses on this idea of a divided nature that can be seen in Du Maurier's portrayal of religion and the way in which Roeg illustrates this in his adaptation through the contrasting images of fire and water. This Chapter also includes an analysis on a film's faithfulness to the original text in an adaptation, and the way in which a focus on faithfulness might hinder other important elements. Chapter Two traces the path of the maze both in Du Maurier and in Roeg's film. This is done through the manipulation of time and an introduction of elements from within the Mythical and the Gothic World. The problem of sight is also relevant to a disturbed physical reality. The Conclusion focuses on Nicolas Roeg's vision and the way in which the natural world can be found within the individual.