A Patriarchic Society in Aphra Behns The Rover Essay -- Aphra Behn Ro

A Patriarchic Society in Aphra Behns The RoverIn her play The Rover, Aphra Behn uses the treatment of women to suggest the presence of a steady patriarchic society and what harm can become of it. The main female character Florinda is manipulated, used, and treated horribly by men in instances of near-rape, battering and beating, and pop off language among other subjects. Behn also uses Willmore, one of the main male characters, and his attitude towards women to prove her point. By doing this, Behn is suggesting patriarchy is dangerous for women, and their lack of fighting against it presupposes what can ascertain to women over time if this strong patriarchic society is allowed to flourish. In act three, Florinda is almost raped by a drunken Willmore. He doesnt go to sleep who she is, he thinks shes just, A female By this light, a woman Im a dog if it be not a genuinely wench (III.v.16 17). This shows that he only sees her as a sex object. He then tries to underta ke advantage of her. As she puts up a struggle, he says, Come, come, take it or Ill put it up againWhy, how now, mistress, are you so high ith mouth a pistole wont mow with you? ...Come, no struggling to be goneIm for ye (III.v.67 72), trying to force her into submission. In another instance in act four, the same thing nearly happens again to Florinda when she ventures into Blunts house. Blunt has been tricked by another woman and decides to take his revenge out on that woman by quiescency with Florinda. He gets very physical with her and Florinda protests with, Dare you be so cruel? (IV.v.51). Blunt replies with this heartless speech Cruel? ...as a galley slave, or a Spanish whoreI will kiss and beat thee all over, kiss and see thee all over ... ...the patriarchic society, Florindas father and crony wont allow them to be married. She was treated as a prize awarded to the most eligible candidate. Here, Behn is showing how damaging the patriarchic tradition of consistent marriages can be to those involved. Even though they ended up together, they had to fight a battle to do so. By ending the play this way, Behn is saying people who love each other shouldnt have to fight to be together, thereby proving this patriarchic practice unfair. By placing an emphasis on the man who uses women as sex objects by titling her play after him by having almost all the female characters in the play treated horribly, used, and manipulated and having the female characters barely putting up a fight, Aphra Behn suggests the heavily patriarchic society that exists is too extensive and is dangerous for the women in it.