The Duality of the Libertine Philosophy in Aphra Behn’s The Rover Claudia Conaway College

First performed in 1677, The Rover captures and explores the Libertine philosophy through the words and actions of Cavalier characters. The playwright, Aphra Behn, seems to hold contradicting vindications in this work: a rewarding look at the Libertine lifestyle and a call to arms against the misogyny exhibited by the Libertines in the play. These contradicting messages come together, however, when one reviews the complete philosophy that Behn holds in the work. Throughout The Rover, Aphra Behn expresses both approval and disapproval of the Libertine lifestyle by rewarding the sexual promiscuity exhibited by her male Libertine characters, but punishing, however subtly, the misogynistic violence and hypocrisy towards the female characters that the Libertines also take part in.

Behn identifies Libertine characters in her work by their promiscuous actions and words. Hellena describes the behaviors of Willmore for us when she says, “Well, I see our business as well as humours are alike: yours to cozen as many maids as will trust you, and I as many men as have faith” (Behn 36). This is setting up the promiscuous characteristic of the Libertines, which is validified when Willmore says to Angellica, “By heaven thou’rt brave, and I...