Aphra Behn’s The Rover

 

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

In The Rover, Angellica Bianca draws a striking parallel between marriage and prostitution, suggesting that both involve the commodification of women through financial transactions. She critiques how societal norms of the 17th century often reduced women’s value to their wealth, chastity, or social connections, with marriage being treated as an economic arrangement rather than a union of love. Angellica’s view exposes the hypocrisy of a society that shames courtesans like her while celebrating marriages that are equally transactional. 

While marriage offers legal legitimacy, emotional bonds, and stability that distinguish it from prostitution, the patriarchal control and lack of agency faced by many women in these arrangements blur the distinction. Her argument remains relevant in modern discussions of gender dynamics, economic inequalities, and relationships influenced by material considerations. Thus, Angellica’s perspective serves as a powerful critique of gendered power structures and challenges us to reconsider the lingering transactional elements in contemporary relationships.

Q-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 this statement? Justify your answer with reference to your reading of the play ‘The Rover’.

Virginia Woolf’s assertion in 'A Room of One’s Own' that “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” is a powerful acknowledgment of Aphra Behn’s groundbreaking role as one of the first professional female playwrights in English literature. Behn’s 'The Rover' exemplifies her boldness in addressing themes of gender, power, and autonomy, challenging the patriarchal structures of her time.

In 'The Rover', Behn portrays women as complex, assertive individuals who navigate a society that often reduces them to objects of male desire. Characters like Hellena and Angellica Bianca subvert traditional gender norms. Hellena, for instance, defies the expectation that she must enter a convent, asserting her right to choose her future and love. Her witty exchanges with Willmore demonstrate her intellectual equality, if not superiority, in a world that seeks to silence women’s voices. Angellica, though a courtesan, articulates sharp critiques of love, commodification, and male hypocrisy, challenging the moral double standards imposed on women.

Behn’s ability to present such themes in a genre dominated by men was revolutionary. Through 'The Rover', she not only entertained but also questioned the gender dynamics of her time, paving the way for women writers to express themselves freely. Woolf’s statement recognizes that Behn’s success as a professional writer demonstrated that women could compete in literary and theatrical spaces, breaking barriers for future generations. 

Thus, I agree with Woolf’s sentiment. Aphra Behn’s courage and creativity in 'The Rover' and her broader career significantly contributed to women’s literary and intellectual emancipation, earning her a place of honor in feminist history. Would you like me to elaborate on any specific point?

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.

In 'The Rover', Hellena best represents Aphra Behn due to her wit, independence, and defiance of societal expectations. Behn, as a groundbreaking female playwright in the male-dominated literary and theatrical world of the 17th century, challenged traditional roles for women, much like Hellena challenges her prescribed future as a nun. Both women embody a spirited resistance to patriarchal norms and a desire for personal agency.

Hellena’s sharp wit and playful banter, particularly in her interactions with Willmore, reflect Behn’s own intellectual prowess and her ability to navigate and succeed in a space dominated by men. Just as Behn used her writing to assert her voice and critique societal norms, Hellena uses her cleverness and charm to assert her right to choose love and adventure over a life of religious confinement. This mirrors Behn’s boldness in pursuing a career as a professional writer, despite the stigma associated with women in such roles.

Furthermore, Hellena’s belief in love as a mutual and joyful partnership aligns with Behn’s progressive views on gender dynamics. Behn’s works often critique the commodification of women and advocate for female agency, themes evident in Hellena’s rejection of traditional constraints and her insistence on marrying for love rather than duty.

While Angellica Bianca also reflects aspects of Behn’s critique of societal double standards, Hellena’s vivacity, intelligence, and determination to carve her own path more closely align with Behn’s life and legacy. Through Hellena, Behn celebrates the possibility of a woman exercising autonomy and intellect in a restrictive society, much as she herself did through her literary achievements.