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.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Critique one
- Rape and the Female Subject in Aphra Behn's The Rover
- Critique Two
- Ethics, Politics, and Heterosexual Desire in Aphra Behn's The Rover
- Critique Three
- Representing women in Restoration England: A reassessment of Aphra Behn's The Rover
- Critique Four
- Two Female Playwrights of the Restoration: Aphra Behn and Susanna Centlivre
- Critique Five
- Subverting Hierarchy and Vying For Agency: Mistresses and Maidservants in Pix's The Beau Defeated and Behn's The Rover
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This collection of critiques explores the themes of gender, power, and societal norms in Aphra Behn's The Rover through various critical lenses. The authors examine how the play reflects the social and political context of Restoration England and, in some cases, how it might challenge or subvert those very same norms. The main objectives of these critiques are:- To analyze the portrayal of women and their agency in The Rover.
- To explore the themes of rape and sexual violence in the play and their relationship to patriarchal power structures.
- To examine the ethical dimensions of sexuality and relationships depicted in The Rover.
- To contextualize the play within the broader social and political landscape of Restoration England.
- To assess the extent to which Behn's play reflects or challenges dominant societal norms.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Critique one focuses on Anita Pacheco's analysis of rape as a central theme in The Rover, arguing that the ever-present threat of rape served to reinforce patriarchal power dynamics. Pacheco's interpretation is challenged by the lack of an actual rape scene in the play, leading to a discussion about the potential for male characters to be both protectors and predators.
- Critique Two examines Elizabeth Kraft's interpretation of the relationship between Hellena and Willmore, highlighting the ethical dimension of their interactions. Kraft argues that their relationship represents a model of ethical sexuality based on respect for the other. However, this interpretation is challenged by the play's depiction of Willmore's actions toward other women and the attempted gang rape of Florinda.
- Critique Three explores Pilar Zozaya's analysis of the historical context and cultural environment surrounding Behn's play. Zozaya argues that the Restoration era was characterized by a deep ambivalence towards women, with female actors and playwrights facing societal restrictions and biases. Zozaya examines the play's exploration of carnivalesque elements, political satire, and the economic realities of the period.
- Critique Four compares and contrasts Behn's work with that of Susanna Centlivre, examining the evolution of female playwrights and the portrayal of women in Restoration and post-Restoration drama. Cynthia Lowenthal argues that both Behn and Centlivre reflect the dominant cultural norms of their respective eras, while also highlighting the double standard that existed towards men and women who employed disguises.
- Critique Five investigates Rita Kondrath's analysis of the relationships between mistresses and maidservants in The Rover and Pix's The Beau Defeated. Kondrath argues that these plays subvert the class hierarchy by portraying maids as active participants in their mistresses' lives, offering advice and even supervision. This interpretation is presented as a challenge to previous interpretations of Behn's work.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The keywords that best summarize the primary themes and topics covered in these critiques include: gender, power, agency, rape, sexual violence, patriarchy, Restoration England, ethical sexuality, cultural norms, female playwrights, societal restrictions, class hierarchy, and maidservants. These terms highlight the core concerns of the analysis and provide a framework for understanding the complex and multifaceted nature of Behn's play.- Quote paper
- Mark Schauer (Author), 2012, Precis Critique of Aphra Behn's "The Rover", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/230267
