Power, Violence, and the Marginalization in the Rover by Aphra Behn - Research Paper Example

Power, Violence, and the Marginalization in Aphra Behn's-The Rover The struggle by women during the 17th century can easily been seen from Behn's play, The Rover. Despite having their own preferences and the willingness to walk an extra mile to achieve their desires, women are portrayed as virtually powerless, having the decision of others imposed on them, without the due consideration of their feelings (Gill, 77). Florinda is one such character who is displayed as a fighter, trying to realize her dream of marrying the man that she has feelings for; Belvile, but victory does not seem to be coming easily (Andrade, 191). The customs and the traditions of the 17th century are seen to play a major role in determining the fate of the power and authority of women, with the customs providing that the elder daughter ought to be married out, while the younger sister belongs to the convent. Even where their interests are particularly different, the social custom systems are imploring upon women to take the path, no matter how unpopular it is to them (Mackie, 134). Women do not seem to have any choice even regarding their suitors in marriage, and the choice of the society has to be implored on them (Gill, 42). Further, the female gender is less respected, and the violation of their rights is a common phenomenon. Sexual harassment, abuse and rape are not an uncommon occurrence (Howard, 217). Hellena and Angellica are some women in the play who do not seem to have much of a choice regarding their life preferences, and both of them are dependent on Willmore, to make a choice of the woman she wants to have among them. It is only after Angellica realizes that she has lost to Hellena that she results to violence, in a bid to protect her feelings from being hurt, by Willmore jilting her. Violence is also a characteristic of the 17th century women’s world, where their lack of power and choice is worsened by the existence of violence against them (Dharwadker, 468). Florinda is a character in this play that escapes being raped some three times, by whiskers, only through giving a diamond piece to her attackers, to show that she is a woman of worth. Blunt is a man who has decided to attack all womankinds, for the reasons that he was humiliated and robbed by another woman (Diamond, 522). He results on a revenge mission against all women, despite the fact that he was only wronged by one of the women. Therefore, violence is portrayed as a tool that was used by men to advance their control over women, whenever it was apparent that women were out to resist their wishes. Angellica also represent the female gender that results to violence in order to secure what they believe is rightfully theirs, on the event that it appears that they cannot have it. Nevertheless, violence is not only against women, but men also experiences a fare share of it. Pedro is involved in a fight with Belvile, who has disguised as Antonio, because Pedro had planned to marry Florinda to Antonio the next day. Therefore, violence is the sole tool that is being applied to resolve any misunderstanding that arises from the interaction of people, especially in matters pertaining to women. Rape is yet another sort of violence that is mooted against women, and which seems to be acceptable in the interpretation of men, especially whenever it has to do with prostitutes (Andrade, 193). The only thing that saves Florinda from the hands of Frederick and Blunt is the fact that she presents a piece of diamond to show that she is a woman of worth. However, while the two did not dare to rape her after she presents herself as a woman of worth; they uphold the view that harlots are amenable to being raped by men, since men do not consider such women as worth anything (Howard, 212). Freedom is another aspect that Behn's play, The Rover, presents as a preserve for men, while women are completely denied any sort of freedom. It is this curtailed freedom that forces both Florinda and Hellena to dress up like gypsies, so they can go to the carnival, without being recognized by their brother Pedro. Women cannot choose the man they would love and therefore marry (Mackie, 145). Additionally, women cannot choose their path of life, because the traditions and the customs have it, that a certain predetermined path of life is set for women, based on their position in the family. While the first daughter born in a family is strictly designated for marrying off, the second one is designated to join the convent and become a nun and no amount of diversionary view or feelings would change the social pathway (Diamond, 535). While Hellena would like to love and experience life with a man, she is prohibited from doing so, since she is destined for the convent. The marginalization of women freedom is also observable from the fact that in the 17th century, the society did not seem to appreciate that women had feelings, and their feelings needed to count, in regard to the man they would like to get married to. Therefore, women are denied the freedom to choose, and instead are required to conform to the social norms, which provides for the parents to make a selection of the suitor for their first daughters. Therefore, it is wealth, more than love that is the key determinant of the man that a woman is to be married to (Andrade, 209). It is this lack of freedom that is forcing Florinda and Belvile to plan to run away and get married in a different place, considering that the choice of suitors for marriage is not a preserve of the woman who is to be married off, but that of the society, through parents, to determine what they want for their daughter (Mackie, 133). The aspect of respect for women seems to be nonexistent in the 17th century society, since women were hardly given any space in relation to matters of the society, even the matters that concerned them. It is this marginalization that renders women unimportant in this society, as can be indicated by both Angellica and Lucetta, thus they have opted to apply violence to resolve their issues (Diamond, 536). Love is yet another concept that has been vilified in Behn's play, The Rover, to the extent that it does not play an important role in determining the fate of individuals, but most especially women. Women are being married off not for love, but as a means through which their parents can gain wealth, through marrying them off to wealthy men. Further, sexual relationships are not based on love, but by the desire of men to have sex with the women they perceive to be beautiful, despite the fact that they do not have any love feeling for them (Andrade, 202). Florinda is being hindered from getting married to Belvile, despite the fact that she is in love with him. Her potential suitors are the choice of his family, being either Don Vincentia, who is a wealthy but old man or Antonio, who is a friend to her brother, Pedro. Despite trying to express her resistance for the selected suitors, she is denied the opportunity to allow love to prevail, and thus she decides to run away with Belvile, so they can marry away from the influence of her family. Angellica on the other hand is tricked to believe that Wilmore is in love with her, yet the only thing he wanted was to take her to bed, simply because she was beautiful (Diamond, 519). Works Cited Andrade, Susan Z. “White Skin, Black Masks: Colonialism and the Sexual Politics of Oroonoko.” Cultural Critique 27 (Spring 1994): 189-214. Print. Dharwadker, Aparna. “Class, Authorship, and the Social Intertexture of Genre in Restoration Theater.” Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 37.3 (Summer 1997): 461-82. Print. Diamond, Elin. “Gestus and Signature in Aphra Behn’s the Rover.” ELH 56.3 (Autumn 1989): 519-41. Print. Gill, Pat. Interpreting Ladies: Women, Wit, and Morality in the Restoration Comedy of Manners. Athens: University of Georgia, 1994. Print. Howard, Leigh Anne. “Speaking Theatre/Doing Pedagogy: Re-Visiting Theatre of theOppressed.” Communication Education 53.3 (July 2004): 217-33. Print. Mackie, Erin. “Boys Will Be Boys: Masculinity, Criminality, and theRestoration Rake.” Eighteenth Century: Theory & Interpretation 46.2 (Summer 2005): 129-49. Print. Read More