The Rover

This blog is a response to a task assigned by Megha ma'am Department of English (MKBU). This blog is about the play 'The Rover' written by Aphra Behn and played in 1677.

Aphra Behn

'The Rover' is a play written by Aphra Behn in the Restoration period. The play became so famous during the Restoration period. Aphra Behn is a woman writer who gave inspiration to the other women writers to give contribution to the literature. Virginia Woolf also admires her for her brave act of writing during that period of time when so little importance was given to women writers.

1) Angellica considers the financial negotiations that one makes before marrying a prospective bride the same as prostitution. Do you agree?

Ans.

In Angelica's character we find that she negotiates the price before doing the business. In the same way in society we also find that the people negotiate in the same way in the marriage institute. I agree with that.

Prostitution is business and through that business person gets bread and butter by doing the business so we accept that person negotiates. But in marriage is this really necessary? In newspapers there are so many advertisements of marriage that this type of person is needed for marriage. While two families meet to discuss the marriage there are also so many types of negotiations. That dowry is needed if you want to marry.

Even in well educated families they also ask for dowry in India. It has become a tradition that dowry should be given to the other family. Is there any difference between prostitution or marriage? In some families a woman has to hear so much taunting if she does not bring dowry in the marriage. 

The question arises that can people be aware about this topic and give up this evil act? 

2) "All women together ought to let flowers fall upon the tomb of Aphra Behn, for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds." Virginia Woolf said so in 'A Room of One's Own'. Do you agree with his statement? Justify your answer with reference to our reading of the play 'The Rover'.

Ans. 

I agree with the sentence. Virginia Woolf who played a vital role in reforming women's rights. And this voice also gets inspiration from Aphra Behn and says that All women should respect her she says it rightly.

In the Restoration period people were not even reading women's writings, then she wrote such work that gives inspiration to today's women so it is really ahead of time. As we know Aphra didn't get much reputation during her own period of time and she died poor but she has given something to look up to for women which is considerably a brave thing to do.

In 'The Rover' there are so many characters like Hellena and Florinda who go against the traditional norms and they marry their partners, even going against their family. Florinda marries Bellville whom she loves and Hellena who has decided to be nun but she changes her mind and engages with Willmore. Even in the role of Angelica, even she is prostitute still she fights with her lover to get love, in play reader would develop sympathy for Angelica's character because even she gives up so many things for her love.

So even in the Restoration period we find a woman writer who challenges the traditional role of women and gives their character freedom to act in such a way.

3) Which female character best represents the playwright, Aphra Behn? Consider the characteristics and beliefs of each female character, and make an argument that relates these distinctive attributes to what you know about Behn.

Ans. 

In the play 'The Rover' there is a character named Hellena who suits the originality of Aphra Behn. As we know Aphra Behn has done spying for Charles II, she knows how to disguise herself, same thing we find in Hellena. Hellena has a witty language she uses when she disguises herself in different roles. Once even she disguised herself as a boy. She likes Willmore and marries him although she first wanted to become a nun. We find individuality and independence in her character.

We also find the character of Florinda who challenges the social norms and marries with her lover not with a partner chosen by the family. She is an honest, wealthy girl who struggles with her brother and lover. Florinda behaves wisely when she finds that Bellville, his lover, is with his friends at prostitution's place; she checks Bellville's loyalty by giving him jewellery.

Angelica is a prostitution, she falls in love with Willmore but Willmore wants to be with Hellena so she fights to get her love back but she can't. Although she is a prostitute, she has a love relationship with Willmore. It suggests that she puts her lover over money. It gives a good quality to her character.

Valeria's character is also considerable in the play. Aphra Behn portrays her as a modern woman who chooses her path by herself and pursues independent life. She likes Frederick and marries her. She helps her cousins in disguising as gypsy girls.

Aphra Behn's women characters are modern and rebellious towards traditional norms and bounds and live a free life. But Hellena is the character that we can relate more with Aphra Behn herself.