The characters constantly reference wit, and the audience is invited to judge the inhabitants of the play based on how clever they are. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. About the project The Rover: An introduction Aphra Behn's The Rover engages with the social, political and sexual conditions of the 17th century, as well as with theatrical traditions of carnival and misrule. Angellica's servants hang up a portrait of her outside of her house. LitCharts Teacher Editions. The Tragedy of Mariam: The Fair Queen of Jewry (Arden Early Modern Drama) by Elizabeth Cary. The play opens in Naples, where two Spanish sisters Helena and Florinda, discuss love. MFk t,:.FW8c1L&9aX: rbl1 what is the role of women in Aphra Behn's the rover? Then she reveals the lover to be Willmore. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Although Angelica was reluctant to love, she now has strong feelings for Willmore. Aphra Behn's raucous comedy The Rover, was first published in 1677 at the height of King Charles II's reign, in the heyday of libertinism. Hellena also exits, and Willmore vows to find her. twill be a fine farewell to the World I take itpray what woud you do there? A large cast of characters become involved in scenes of adultery, seduction, misrepresentation, and intricate swordplay in this Spanish colonial-era drama set in 17th-century Italy. by Aphra Behn (1677) 1677 PART I. PROLOGUE, Written by a Person of Quality. His exit with Sancho begins his road to ruin, condemned by his own idiocy but also his belief in love. Meanwhile, Lucetta, a prostitute, plots with her pimp Sancho to rob the wealthy Blunt. He exits, still enraged. But as beneath a Shade he lay, Weaving of Flow'rs for Clia's Hair, She chanced to lead her Flock that way, And saw the am'rous Shepherd there. Cromwell had banned all theater during his reign, and Restoration Comedy stood in direct defiance to his austere, severe beliefs, embracing extravagance, vulgarity, and immorality. He may perhaps encrease her Bags, but not her Family. Hellena asks what Willmore was doing in Angellica's house; he denies that anything transpired. Restoration Comedy also brought with it the first appearance of actresses on the modern English stage (as opposed to the cross-dressing men of Elizabethan theater); in fact, one of Charles IIs mistresses was the famous Restoration actress Nell Gwynn. Then Don Pedro, Belville, and Willmore enter. Angelica orders one of her servants to follow Hellena and discover her identity. Florinda's letter contains instructions for Belville to come to her garden at ten that night and carry her off. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. The Rover- Aphra Behn; Unit 4 - The Book of Job and St. Matthew . Check out Gender roles and female agency in the GradeSaver link below: The title, The Rover, indicated that the play is a tribute. Having famously worked as a spy for Charles II against the Dutch, Behn lost her meagre income when the king refused to pay her expenses. Although Angelica is in love with Willmore, she is still a powerful woman, able to discover activities that he wishes to keep secret, and to revenge herself. Wilmore greets him by embrace. Featuring multiple plot lines, which deal with the adventures of a group of love-struck Englishmen in Naples, Aphra Behn's play explores issues of love, trickery and deception, forced marriage, male power, fidelity, and the excesses of sexual passion. The women see Belville, Blunt, and Frederick approach, and eavesdrop on the men. Angellica accuses Willmore of having another woman. The group reenters later in the day, intending to seek out Angelica. They are repeatedly tempted and tricked by various prostitutes and their pimps, until their leader, the Rover, is finally forced to give up his wild behaviour when he falls in love with a single-minded, wealthy virgin. Premiering in Read More 1 2 The Rover. Or at least till Im so old, Im fit for nothing else. Angelica vows revenge. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1989. The subtitle "Banish'd Cavaliers" is a reference to the exile that the Cavalier forces experienced during the English Interregnum. The play ends with vows of love between Hellena and Willmore. Meanwhile, the women do not know that their brother is angry because of his quarrel over Angelica with Antonio. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." On a street in Naples, Belvile enters, melancholy with love for Florinda. She makes Willmore promise never to see Angellica again. Willmore and Hellena flirt with one another; Hellena agrees to meet Willmore again later. Fordham Theatre Company, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (2008) Edited and directed by Michael Goldfried. She turned to writing for an income. Angellica decides to let Willmore live, and leaves. Florinda forgives them. BLUNT, a foolish English Country Gentleman who gets duped out of all his possessions by Lucetta. Lucretius, . The three of them encounter Willmore, the Rover for whom the play is named; he is overjoyed to see Frederick and Belvile, and the two introduce him to Blunt. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. BELVILLE, an English Colonel deeply in love with Florinda despite the disapproval of her brother, Pedro. He falls in love with a wealthy noble Spanish woman named Hellena, who is determined to experience love before her brother, Pedro, sends her to a convent. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1989. "The Rover Summary". Meanwhile, Florinda and Valeria are testing Belville's loyalty to Florinda by trying to seduce him while he doesn't know who they are. Pedro proves to have the longest sword, and ends up threatening his own sister. Modern Critical Views. This Aphra's adaptation was a truly creative effort. throws himself into Bed, and expects you in his foul Sheets, and eer you can get your self undrest, calls you with a Snore or two and are not these fine Blessings to a young Lady? Don Pedro enters, sees the pictures, and resolves to pay Angelicas thousand-crown price. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Hellena: If you should prevail with my tender Heart (as I begin to fear you will, for you have horrible loving Eyes) there will be difficulty int that youll hardly undergo for my sake. Willmore sneaks in, masked, drunk and belligerent. {{{;}#tp8_\. The original full title, The Rover, or The Banish 'd Cavaliers, indicates that the play may have been a tribute to the formerly exiled cavalier and newly reinstated king, Charles II. Public Domain. When Sebastian reenters with Willmore, she berates him, accusing him of courting Hellena for money. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the play The Rover by Aphra Behn. Stephano reveals that the duel is for her honor and she becomes upset, believing that Pedro is fighting against Belvile. In the end, Florinda and Belvile are married, and Hellena and Willmore commit to marry one another. The women exit, but Florinda leaves Belville with a locket. HELLENA, a young Woman designd for a Nun, and Sister to Florinda. /Length 2596 Le milieu des annes 1670 . Class and money potrayal in Aphra Behn's Rover? Kindle Edition. As they exit, Belvile draws his sword on Willmore, who runs away just as Angelica enters with her servants. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs While their father is away, they are under the watchful eye of their brother, Don Pedro. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Pedro realizes his mistake and takes his sister back. Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love. She struggles as he attempts to assault her. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Her most well known work, The Rover, came in 1677, its hugely positive reaction leading Behn . A Feminist Patron Saint. The men resolve to draw their swords, deciding that whoever carries the longest sword will determine whether Florinda is noble. A very determined woman, Florinda refuses suitors due to her devoted love to Colonel Belville. Elaine Hobby introduces Behn's play and explores how it was first performed and received. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Hellena takes advantage of her disguise and the freedom it gives her, using it to learn about Willmores antics. In 1670, her first play, The Forc'd Marriage, was performed, and she became the first professional woman playwright. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Pedro soon enters from one side of the stage, and Antonio enters from the other; both men are masked. Willmore, as usual, attempts to charm her back. He has the money and runs to fetch it. The "gender-bending production will make selective use of nudity", This page was last edited on 28 June 2022, at 13:12. Blunt is still sceptical but agrees. When Pedro enters, he remarks that Antonio is late, and Florinda is relieved. Edited and introduced by Simon Trussler. Behn was a Royalist, and her works frequently portray Puritans negatively. Shotgun Players, Berkeley, California (2015). Hearing his sisters name, Pedro is upsethis friend is his rival for Angelicas affections, and does not care for his sister. Teachers and parents! Pedro challenges Antonio to a duel the next day over Angellica. Even though Hellena knows that the cavalier is lying, she values his wit more than she values his honesty, demonstrating the gap between truth and appearance. The cavalier, meanwhile, remains convinced in his love for Angelica. Hellena falls in love with Willmore, but difficulties arise when a famous courtesan, Angellica Bianca, also falls in love with Willmore. Your question is involved, as money and class are both tied to marriage and retaining or gaining status. She decides to interfere and approaches Angellica pretending to be one of Hellena's servants. Like Hellena, she remains faithful to Willmore even as he seeks out and seduces other womena huge difference between the promiscuous Willmore and the women who love him. Hellena enters disguised as a man. This paper - a reflection upon the play The Rover (originally composed by Aphra Behn), which was performed at East Los Angeles College on 2009 - argues that originality, uniqueness, and feeling of independence are the main traits of The Rover. Blunt exits to meet his tailor, and Angelica enters, masked. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The Rover roamed the English stage for a century and has been rediscovered in our own time as a theatrical masterpiece of wit and daring. She exits, and he discovers that it contains her picture, realizing that he has been talking to his beloved. It is a tribute to exiled cavalier (now reinstated to the throne), King Charles II. University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program (2012) Adapted/Directed by Joel Sass, performed by the graduating class of 2013. Teachers and parents! The Rover essays are academic essays for citation. Prithee no more, Hellena; I have told thee more than thou understand'st already. Belville, Florinda, Valeria, and Frederick exit to get married; Blunt goes off to see a tailor. It is a revision of Thomas Killigrew 's play Thomaso, or The Wanderer (1664), and features multiple plot lines, dealing with the amorous adventures of a group of Englishmen and women in Naples at Carnival time. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada (2008). Not affiliated with Harvard College. Willmore: Faith, Child, I have been bred in Dangers, and wear a Sword that has been employd in a worse Cause, than for a handsom kind WomanName the Dangerlet it be any thing but a long Siege, and Ill undertake it. As the ladies leave, Florinda gives Belvile a jewel although he has refused to take it. Chrome 103.0, so you may experience some difficulties using this website. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Sebastian runs after Willmore to bring him back. The story strings together multiple plotlines revolving around the amorous adventures of these Englishmen, who pursue a pair of noble Spanish sisters, as well as a mistress and common prostitute. Department of English, McGill University, Montral, Canada, Directed by Sean Carney (2016), Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Directed by David Bond, Adapted by John Barton (2016), University of Manitoba/Blackhole Theatre Company, Directed by Magret Groome (2017), Ithaca College, Directed by Greg Bostwick (2017), Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Australia, Directed by Eamon Flack (2017), The Workshop Youth Theatre Group, Halifax, West Yorkshire (2018), The Michigan Shakespeare Festival, Jackson & Canton, MI (2018) Adapted and Directed by Janice L Blixt, Torn Out Theater (Aug 2018) outdoors in NYC's Prospect Park. Hellena finally reveals her face to Willmore, who praises her beauty. This essay is the second of four distilled from a lecture series on Aphra Behn given by Dr. Abigail Williams of the University of Oxford and adapted for the Great Writers Inspire project by Kate O'Connor. [1], Derek Hughes and Janet Todd critiqued the play in The Cambridge Companion to Aphra Behn.[4]. Belville, Willmore, Frederick, and Pedro break into Blunt's room and laugh at him. Chinese Culture University, Taipei (2008). It is unclear where exactly Aphra Behn was born, or even what her maiden name was. This copy is of particular interest because it was used as a prompt-book for a mid 18th-century revival of the play at Covent Garden Theatre. Willmore and Belville almost fight, but Frederick intervenes. For a rakish man like Willmore, marriage is the ultimate defeat, because it would force him to be faithful to only one woman. As this plot unravels, Hellena's older sister, Florinda, attempts to avoid an unappealing arranged marriage to her brother's best friend, and devises a plan to marry her true love, Colonel Belvile. Meanwhile, Pedro orders the girls governess, Callis, to keep Hellena from the Carnival. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. ANGELLICA BIANCA, a famous Courtesan in Spain who returns to Naples to put herself up for sale. The Rover Act 1, Scene 1 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts The Rover by Aphra Behn Upgrade to A + Intro Plot Summary Summary & Analysis Themes Quotes Characters Symbols Theme Wheel Teachers and parents! Still, Behn faced sexism, and was often accused of bawdiness and unfemininity both because of her work and the mere fact that she was a women writer. (including. O my Conscience, that will be our Destiny, because we are both of one humour; I am as inconstant as you, for I have considered, Captain, that a handsom Woman has a great deal to do whilst her Face is good, for then is our Harvest-time to gather Friends; and should I in these days of my Youth, catch a fitch of foolish Constancy, I were undone; tis loitering by da-light in our great Journey: therefore declare, Ill allow but one year for Love, one year for Indifference, and one year for Hateand thengo hang yourselffor I profess myself the gay, the kind, and the inconstantthe Devils int if this wont please you. Aphra Behn: poetry and masquerade Paul Salzman; 7. Later that evening, Florinda enters her familys garden in her nightgown and unlocks the door for Belvile. Hellena: Why woud you, Sir, abuse my Ladys Faith? Reservations required. Despite the problems with their union, their meeting of two like minds is presented in an incredibly positive and romantic light. Plays were judged based solely by their facility with language rather than the inventiveness of their plots or the morality of their lessons. The importance of wit within The Rover may be exaggerated compared to the real social world of that time, but it is undoubtedly true to the values of the time period. The girls scheme to escape, accompanied by their cousin Valeria. Pedro now refuses to allow the wedding, since it was Antonio's fight, not Belville's. This is the last straw for Angellica. Aristocrats, too, assessed each other based on wit, each striving to be the quickest and the cleverest. Behn's assertion of her unique . Blunt, for instance, is instantly a figure of fun as soon as the audience hears his dull, plodding speech; he becomes even more so when he foolishly allows himself to be taken in by the clever Lucetta. FLORINDA.What an impertinent thing is a young Girl bred in a Nunnery! Normally Angellica would not agree to this, but she has fallen in love with Willmore, with his wits and his way. A group of soldiers enters, believing that Belvile has hurt the Spanish nobleman. Angelica decides to show contempt for Willmore by letting him live. Just as he forgot about Hellena when he was with Angelica, now Willmore seems to forget about the courtesan, swearing that he will remain faithful to Hellena. (including. This is a FREE private event for UM Students enrolled in Spring 2023 classes. Disastrously, Willmore and Frederick enter, calling out Belviles name. Hellena finally convinces him for marriage. Sisters Hellena and Florinda's fates have been decided for them by the men in their life, mainly their brother and father. /N 3 Don Pedro enters and announces that their father wishes Florinda to marry the elderly, wealthy Don Vincentio; he, however, wants his sister to marry his friend Don Antonio. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Hellena attempts to argue. The girls speculations about Willmore are, of course, correct: he has met another woman and apparently forgotten Hellena entirely. George Etherege's The Man of Mode (1676), and Aphra Behn's The Rover (1677), all within a few seasons. Behn was a staunch supporter of the monarchy, and spied for King Charles II after he came back into power. The two men duel; the Englishmen part them, but the Spaniards resolve to fight the next day at a public square, the Molo. -Graham S. Florinda believes, mistakenly, that Hellenas embrace of love makes her somehow wrong and sinful. Pedro, Belville, Florinda, Frederick, and Valeria enter. Florinda frets that Belville did not come to her window as planned, and fears that the impending duel is between Belville and Pedro. The Rover by Aphra Behn March 8th Three young women seeking liberation abandon their conventional lives. Florinda runs in, still masked and pursued by Pedro. While Willmore has forgotten Hellena, she cannot stop thinking about him. Coming to you live, the University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre presents "The Rover.". 'For when the act is done and finish't cleane, what should the poet doe, but shift the scene?': propaganda, professionalism and Aphra Behn Virginia Crompton; 8. Florinda's father wants her to marry elderly Don Vincentio and her brother, Don Pedro, wants her to marry Don Antonio. His friends, Ned Blunt and Frederick, tease him. The Rover played in the Swan Theatre in 2016, a fusion of sights and sounds, whirling music, cultural tension, dubious romance and dilapidated beauty. The Rover (play) _Aphra Behn Date premiered: 24 March 1677 Place premiered: Duke's Theatre, Dorset Gardens, London Setting: Carnival time in Naples, Italy during the English Interregnum Genre: Restoration Comedy (That kind of drama which prevailed between the restoration of the English monarchy in 1650 and the advent of sentimental comedy early in the 18th c. Frederick fears that she might be a lady of some worth and asks Blunt to wait. Aphra Behn was Englands first female professional playwright and a strong voice in early feminism. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. The ladylike Florinda is in love with the noble but impoverished British cavalier Belvile while witty Hellena is supposed to become a nun, but longs for love. II. The Rover study guide contains a biography of Aphra Behn, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of the play. Angelica: Thou, false as Hell, what canst thou say to this? The Rover The Rover Research and teaching Departments and schools English About Us TeacherHub>English Teaching Resources The Rover The Rover Share Professor Judith Hawley on Aphra Behn's The Rover Key points Quotations Suggested passages Further reading Web links Other works Downloadable resource Department English From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Belville, Blunt, Frederick, and Willmore are also enjoying Carnival when they run into Florinda, Hellena, and Valeria (their cousin). Florinda stops them again just as Belville disarms Pedro. Angelica: Now thou art silent, Guilt has struck thee dumb. When he enters Lucettas chamber, she uses the darkness to slip out and open a trapdoor, through which Blunt falls. While they mock him, servants enter and place pictures of Angelica around the stage, so that all can observe her beauty. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. LUCETTA, a "jilting wench" who steals the clothes and belongings from Blunt. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Hobbes' theory of human nature and commonwealth is applied in Aphra Behn's The Rover, typically through the example of Willmore and Hellena's marriage which marks the ending of the play. Set loose in the topsy-turvy world of Carnival, her characters demonstrate the active, complicated game required of women seeking to secure personal happiness. The Rover by Aphra Behn 1. This device was supposed to pique the interest of male audience members, who enjoyed admiring an actresss legs in the revealing, tight breeches; later scholars, however, have also considered the breeches role subversive, because it allowed for playwrights such as Behn to explore gender roles within their works. Florinda and Valeria enter, disguised in different costumes, having momentarily escaped Pedro. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. She is believed to have married a man with the last name Behn in the mid-1660s, but little is known about him, and she may have made him up completely. An extraordinarily popular example of Restoration comedy, the play earned an extended run, enabling Behn to make a fair income from it, receiving the proceeds from the box office every third night. Willmore follows Florinda when she walks past, again thinking she is a courtesan. Willmore is thrilled that his gypsy girl is actually wealthy, and plots to leave. Hellena is to enter the convent after Carnival has ended. Although she died poor, and suffering terribly from rheumatoid arthritis, her fame was so great that she was buried in Westminster Abbey. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Florinda is dismayed at the prospect of marrying Antonio, but Belvile reveals himself to her. The action redeems him in Pedro's eyes, so he gives his sister to the man he believes to be Antonio, demanding that they get married at once. Although she most likely does not believe him, Hellena is once again drawn to his wit and eloquence. Aphra Behn (1640-1689) : uvres (60 ressources dans data.bnf.fr) uvres textuelles (51) Maximes (2012) avec Aphra Behn (1640-1689) comme Traducteur Oroonoko The Aphra Behn and the Burney Society Conferences conferences/2017 Conference Sche 142 printed pages. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Hellena views love differently than her female relatives, viewing it as a valuable life experience that she has now gained. Hellena's speech on rape and unwanted marriage was left out, and the part of the plot relating to the near rape of Florinda by Willmore is only implied. Fearful for her brothers life, Florinda intercedes, begging Belvile to stop in the name of his love; he does so immediately. Blunt enters in Spanish clothing, looking ridiculous, as do a group of revelers. The two married couples enter, along with Pedro, who is dismayed by but resigned to Hellenas union with Willmore. When Hellena still refuses to go to bed with him, Willmore agrees to marry her; the two at last tell each other their names. Unlike Hellena, Angelica cannot react carelessly and wittily to Willmores promiscuity because she has already given herself to him. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. She hastily gives him a letter and runs off with Hellena and Valeria. [2] Kemble's version featured three acts instead of the normal five. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Angelica is a powerful but unpredictable woman, leading the Englishmen to question Willmores fate. Although Frederick is reasonable and intelligent, he is not as noble and faithful as Belvile, who, meanwhile, yet again does not know that he is speaking to a disguised Florinda. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Paperback. As they talk, they reach Angelicas house, and Willmore makes to enter it. Willmore moves fluidly from one object of desire to the next, genuinely forgetting about women when he is not with them. Instant PDF downloads. Royal Shakespeare Company, The work of the RSC is supported by the Culture Recovery Fund, Unfortunately we cannot guarantee support for browsers with Javascript disabled, you may experience some difficulties using this website. Don Pedro and Don Antonio attempt to pay the fee for Angellica, but she falls in love with Willmore, whom she attempts to kill later on in the play. T he Rover is a play by Aphra Behn, first staged in 1677. He tells Hellena to go back to her mistress. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the play The Rover by Aphra Behn. Willmore: By Heaven Angelica: Hold, do not damn thy self Hellena: Nor hope to be believd. Antonio exits angrily and Pedro questions whether he should give Florinda to Belvile. Pedro and Belville seem to be having a serious conversation. Willmore goes, despite Belville and Frederick's fears that Angellica is angry with him. Meanwhile, Willmore sees a smaller picture of Angellica and tries to steal it. The play is a racy comedy of intrigue, action and amorous adventures set in Naples at carnival time during the exile of Charles 11. The bold Hellena once again displays her nontraditional attitude, saying that she will be as unfaithful a woman as he is a man. Since Antonio is wounded and cannot duel Pedro, Belville could dress up as Antonio and go instead. Willmore sees this and starts a fight with Antonio. Florinda and Valeria, meanwhile, are amused that the witty Hellena is caught in the trap of love. Belville sends a boy to fetch a priest. However, she has feelings for Belville, an English colonel.