Rebecca Jessel

## CHARACTERISTICS

**Rebecca Jessel** is a major character in *The Haunting Of Bly Manor*. She is the former Governess of Bly Manor and the love-interest of Peter Quint, Henry Wingrave's right-hand man.

## History

### Early History

Little is known about Rebecca's early history, other than the fact that she studied at the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies; she remarks that this was just to complete a course in Russia poetry, however. Shortly after, she studied Public Law at the London School of Economics.

She was very close to her father growing up, but this relationship deteriorated as she started standing up for herself and being independant. Her father believed that her ambitions were out of her reach. However, she pursued a high level of education to achieve her goal of becoming a barrister. She later abandonned law studies because of the sexual harassment many women from her year faced.

### Life at Bly and death

Knowing that Henry Wingrave worked in a law firm, she applied for the position of au pair at Bly Manor, hoping to use this job and her acquaintance to Lord Wingrave to earn a pupilage. She was hired and started working at the manor, where she got closer to Peter Quint. Both Wingrave children took a liking to her, especially Flora, who started copying Rebecca's speech and mannierism, notably the phrase "Perfectly Splendid".

As the relationship between Rebecca and Peter started growing more serious, Rebecca discovered that Peter could be violent and manipulative, but maintained the relationship nonetheless. Peter and Rebecca decided to move to the United States, and unbeknownst to Rebecca, Peter emptied Lord Wingrave's bank account and tried to steal some of the Wingrave's heirlooms. Nevertheless, he was killed by The Lady in The Lake and assumed to have run away by most of the characters. Rebecca was crestfallen and heart-broken at the idea that Peter could have abandonned her, until he started appearing to her as a ghost. Refusing the idea of his own death and to be separated from Rebecca forever, he convinced her to let him take control of her body so that they could live together. Unaware of Peter's intention to drown her in the lake so they could stay together in death, Rebecca agreed to the deal, and only understood Peter's malevolent intents once she was drowning in the lake, Peter having left her body. She was found the next morning by Flora and Jamie and it was assumed she died by suicide.

### Life as a ghost

Following this, Peter begins possessing Miles Wingrave, and believes that Rebecca is possessing Flora Wingrave in order for the two to be together.

After Dani becomes aware of all the ghosts and supernatural things going on at Bly Manor, Rebecca tries to help her escape with Flora. This proves unsuccessful, however, and Flora is targeted by the Lady in the Lake. After Dani frees all of the ghosts at Bly, it is unknown what happened to Rebecca — it is likely that she too was freed.

## Quotes

**Rebecca**: *"This is one of my favorites. I don’t find myself in this one often."*
- Episode 5, The Altar of the Dead
**Rebecca**: "*No one should ever need that much help. Not from anyone.*"
- Episode 7, The Two Faces, Pt. 2
**Rebecca** to **Flora**: "*You won't feel it, okay ? I'll feel it for you. I'll just tuck you away one last time... Go ahead, love. You let me handle this part.*"
- Episode 9, The Beast in the Jungle

## Trivia

* Rebecca Jessel is adapted from the character of Miss Jessel, in Henry Jame's novel *The Turn of the Screw*.
* The first name "Rebecca" may be a reference to Daphne Du Maurier's 1938 eponymous gothic novel, in which Rebecca is the lurking figure of a dead woman who mysteriously drowned.