The Rover of Aphra Ben’s 1677 play

I agree with the 1677 drama The Rover of Aphra Ben.

Hellen, a rover, inspired the title of the piece. She deviates far more from her allotted path than any of the other characters in the play. Willmore is viewed to take certain social risks with his attitude and behavior, but Hellena takes far more. Also, the title recalls Hellena’s background as someone who takes independent decisions, similar to the author of the play.

The Rover is set in Naples during the Carnival season.

It is a common holiday among Roman Catholic cultures. The Carnival was liberating as the state and the church had no control of people’s lives. Behn’s placement of the play at the temporal setting of the Carnival allows for not only the exploration but also the subversion of both the realities and the social ideals. Behn understands that there is expectation from every member of the society to act in a particular way within the restrictions of the societal norms. He suspends these norms in The Rover.

Behn’s representation of the two sexes in the play The Rover.

It is a manipulation of sexuality to challenge the idea of expected sexual roles. Also, it subverts what amounts to sexual double standards. Further, it empowers female sexuality through dealing with the conventional passive role women play with active sexual desires. At the same time, it exposes men’s emotional and sexual dysfunctions.

Benh’s use of wit and humor in the development of the play.

It is clever and entertaining. At the time of development of the play, there was what can be referred to as reformation of the stage, meaning the manifestation of change could be charted in many different ways, and the use of wit and humor is just one of the many ways.