Anita Pacheco’s 1998 article “Rape and the Female Subject in Aphra Behn’s The Rover” uses “the central role which rape plays in… struggles to escape patriarchal devaluation” by female characters in The Rover as its thesis. (Pacheco 323)Pacheco holds that rape psychology was endemic in the dramatic conventions of the Restoration, and the objectified status of women made rape acutely likely absent the protection of a male protector. (323) Though during this period in history the legal definition of rape was in transition from a property crime against men to a personal crime against a woman, studies show that prosecutions were infrequent and usually against lower class men who violated young upper class girls. (Pacheco 324)
The biggest weakness in Pacheco’s supporting argument is that there was no actual rape in The Rover. A more precise thesis would have been that the nebulous, but ever-present threat of rape buttressed patriarchal dominance: it was from this threat that fathers and brothers achieved the authority to protect, and gallants achieved the authority to protect upper class women from violations from members of the lower class. Of course, the actual possibility of rape was a necessary component of this power, and, as we see in The Rover when Don Pedro is willing to participate in a gang rape of masked Florinda, patriarchal society meant that a man could be both protector and predator. (This is one reason Hellena is not concerned by Willmore’s attempted rape of her sister on multiple occasions.) Class lines and possession by a suitably high-ranking male is what afforded a woman protection from this threat, though, as Pacheco pointedly observes, “none of the male characters, Belvile included, can invariably tell ladies from whores.” (Pacheco 333) To this writer, most of the characters in the play are cartoonishly infantile, something that Pacheco doesn’t mention in her analysis.
Table of Contents
1. Critique one
2. Critique Two
3. Critique Three
4. Critique Four
5. Critique Five
Objectives and Topics
This work provides a critical review and comparative analysis of several academic interpretations regarding gender, power, and social hierarchy in Aphra Behn’s play "The Rover." The primary goal is to examine how different scholars have conceptualized the play's approach to patriarchy, class dynamics, and the agency of female characters within the Restoration theater context.
- Patriarchal power dynamics and the threat of rape in Restoration drama.
- Ethical sexuality and the "chiasmus of double desire" between characters.
- Historical reconstructions of misogyny and the status of women in the 17th-century theater.
- Cross-era comparisons between Aphra Behn and Susanna Centlivre regarding social mores.
- Class subversion through the evolving relationships between mistresses and maidservants.
Excerpt from the Book
Critique one
Anita Pacheco’s 1998 article “Rape and the Female Subject in Aphra Behn’s The Rover” uses “the central role which rape plays in… struggles to escape patriarchal devaluation” by female characters in The Rover as its thesis. Pacheco holds that rape psychology was endemic in the dramatic conventions of the Restoration, and the objectified status of women made rape acutely likely absent the protection of a male protector. Though during this period in history the legal definition of rape was in transition from a property crime against men to a personal crime against a woman, studies show that prosecutions were infrequent and usually against lower class men who violated young upper class girls.
The biggest weakness in Pacheco’s supporting argument is that there was no actual rape in The Rover. A more precise thesis would have been that the nebulous, but ever-present threat of rape buttressed patriarchal dominance: it was from this threat that fathers and brothers achieved the authority to protect, and gallants achieved the authority to protect upper class women from violations from members of the lower class. Of course, the actual possibility of rape was a necessary component of this power, and, as we see in The Rover when Don Pedro is willing to participate in a gang rape of masked Florinda, patriarchal society meant that a man could be both protector and predator. (This is one reason Hellena is not concerned by Willmore’s attempted rape of her sister on multiple occasions.) Class lines and possession by a suitably high-ranking male is what afforded a woman protection from this threat, though, as Pacheco pointedly observes, “none of the male characters, Belvile included, can invariably tell ladies from whores.” To this writer, most of the characters in the play are cartoonishly infantile, something that Pacheco doesn’t mention in her analysis.
Summary of Chapters
Critique one: This chapter analyzes Anita Pacheco’s thesis on the role of rape and patriarchal devaluation in Behn’s play, critiquing her argument regarding the actual occurrence of violence versus the threat thereof.
Critique Two: This chapter examines Elizabeth Kraft’s ethical interpretation of the relationship between Hellena and Willmore, while challenging her minimization of the play’s violent elements.
Critique Three: This chapter reviews Pilar Zozaya’s historical assessment of Restoration theater and her analysis of how Behn used the play to satirize sexual politics and economic realities.
Critique Four: This chapter explores Cynthia Lowenthal’s comparative study of Aphra Behn and Susanna Centlivre, focusing on shifting social mores and the representation of women across two generations of playwrights.
Critique Five: This chapter evaluates Rita Kondrath’s exploration of the subversion of class hierarchies and agency in the relationships between mistresses and their maids in Behn’s work.
Keywords
Aphra Behn, The Rover, Restoration theater, patriarchy, gender roles, literary criticism, sexual politics, female agency, class hierarchy, Restoration literature, social mores, literary analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this publication?
The work provides a series of critical analyses concerning Aphra Behn's play "The Rover," evaluating how various scholars interpret its depiction of gender, class, and social dynamics during the Restoration period.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the threat of patriarchal violence, the objectification of women, the agency of female characters, the intersection of class and gender, and the socio-historical context of 17th-century theater.
What is the primary objective of these critiques?
The primary objective is to review and challenge existing academic arguments regarding how Behn's play navigates the power structures of its time and to determine if the play serves as a revolutionary or compliant text.
Which scientific or analytical method is applied?
The work utilizes a comparative literary review method, weighing the arguments of five distinct scholars and contrasting their interpretations against the textual evidence provided in "The Rover."
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body systematically presents five separate critiques, each focusing on a specific scholarly perspective—ranging from ethical and historical lenses to socio-political and economic readings of the text.
Which keywords best describe the content?
The core keywords include Aphra Behn, The Rover, Restoration theater, patriarchy, gender roles, agency, and social hierarchy.
How does the first critique challenge Pacheco’s thesis?
The first critique argues that Pacheco’s thesis is weakened by the fact that no actual rape occurs in the play; it suggests that the "threat" of rape is more central to the maintenance of patriarchal power than actual rape itself.
What is the main contention against Kraft's interpretation?
The author argues that Kraft minimizes the violent elements of the play, such as the attempted gang rape of Florinda, by interpreting them as "buffoonery" or "masculine animality" rather than genuine predatory violence.
What distinction does Lowenthal make between Behn and Centlivre?
Lowenthal distinguishes between the two by noting that Centlivre’s work is generally less edgy and more cautious, reflecting a post-Restoration period that demonstrated less male violence than the era depicted by Behn.
How does Kondrath view the maidservants in the play?
Kondrath argues that the maids are portrayed as actively advising and supervising their mistresses, which she interprets as a subversion of the class hierarchy typical of that era.
- Quote paper
- Mark Schauer (Author), 2012, Precis Critique of Aphra Behn's "The Rover", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/230267
