Hello readers ! This blog is Written as a Part of assignment Writing Of Semester 1. This blog is inspired by Dr. Dilip sir Barad, Department Of English , MKBU. In this blog I am going to discuss on a topic - " Terminology Of Prostitution in Aphra Behn 's Play - ' The Rover. "
Name :- Hetal Samirbhai Pathak
Batch :- M.A Sem - 1 ( 2022 - 2024 )
Enrollment No.- 4069206420220022
Roll No. - 10
Subject Code :- 22392
Paper No.- 101
Paper Name :- Literature of the Elizabethan and Restoration
Periods
E-mail Address :- hetalpathak28@gmail.com
Submitted to :- Smt. S.B.Gardi, Department of English -
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji, Bhavnagar University.
Date of Submission:- 7th November, 2022.
' Terminology Of Prostitution in Aphra Behn 's - ' The Rover'
Content of my Assignment:-
Introduction
What Counts as Prostitutions
Terminology of Prostitutions in Aphra Behn 's Play - ' The Rover'
Society 's attitude towards Prostitutions
Reference of Gangubai Movie
Conclusion
Work Cited
Introduction :-
Aphra Behn was an English Playwright, Poet and Prose Writer from the Restoration era. She received a special Position in the history of invisible and disregarded women
writers. Mrs Behn was a middle Class Woman with all the Plebeian Virtues of humour , Vitality and Courage. She was a woman Forced by the death of her husband and some Unfortunate adventures of her Own to make her living her Wits. Thus Aphra Behn appropriated the literary Profession for Womankind.
Susan Wiseman Writers about her by Saying that;
" Aphra Behn is One Whose Writings both embody the Contradictions of Society and at the same time , Offer a Critique of it. "
We can divide her Study into three Sections.
(1) Poetry (2) Drama (3 ) Fiction
Her drama truly reflects Current affairs, Political Concerns and Social issues. Not only does
Aphra Behn Critically review the merit of marriage for Woman in her drama , but as a woman
dramatist herself She Continuously Comments on her Own role as a Writer and thus
transgressor of Social and Cultural etiquette. She was a Woman who was able to Write
Comedies to be Performed and through these Comedies, She dared to expose her ideas
Publicly in Spite of accusations of Prostitusion.
Aphra Behn Challenged Gender hierarchy not only in her Comedies but also through her
labour as a Female Playwright Whose Plays were Performed Publicly.
" Behn emerged as the First British woman to make a living as a Creative Writer. '
In her Works, She Shows how
difficult it was for her to Write
Plays to be Performed.
Apart from her direct references to
Women 's Unjust Situation in her
Prologues , Behn also
Fought against Women 's
Subordination in Patriarchal Society through the Plots of her
Comedies. She believed that Laughter is the essence of Comedy and humour.
Thus , We Can say that Aphra Behn is an important Contribution to Women's literary history.
The Rover , in full ' The Rover' ; Or ' The Banished Cavaliers' , Restoration Comedy - Written by English Playwright Aphra Behn. This Play Produced and
Published in two Parts in the Years - 1677 and 1681. It is a dark Comedy Which mixes the
themes of Rape and Prostitusion.
This Play depicts the great adventures of a Small group of English Cavaliers. The main
Protagonist of this Play - Charming but Very irresponsible Willmore , Played a very
Important and Vital role throughout the entire Play. Behn Challenges gender hierarchy
through humour in the Play -
' The Rover.' Moreover, through humour Behn's Female Characters become Superior
to male Ones in laughter raising Situations.
What Counts as Prostitusion :-
Today , Prostitusion is Understood to involve the Provision of Sexual Services in
exchange for money or Other benefits. Deciding What Should Count as ' Prostitusion ' is
not likely to be easy. The Concept of Prostitusion is deeply embedded Within
Cultural, moral and legal Constructs.
Many Commentators have been Concerned about the Fact that the terms - ' Prostitusion '
and 'Prostitute' not only describe but also Often denounce. To call Someone - ' a Prostitute '
Can be highly derogatory. Even as a Purely descriptive term , Prostitusion is Problematic Since
it Seems to apply exclusively to the Practice of selling Sex. That is Why we Would not
Ordinarily Say that a Person Who buys Sex was a Prostitute , Or even that She was engaged
in Prostitusion. We can Understand that Prostitusion is better Understand as a transaction
that involves both a Seller and a buyer.
What does this mean: " Prostitusion is the Cornerstone of Sexual exploitation? " It means that if Prostitusion Which is the most extreme Violation of Women's human
rights Whether or not So - Called ' Consent ' is Present, is not recognized as such then there is
not a hope that any Other Sexual exploitation will ever been effectively
addressed as being harmful to Women. Women Survivors of Prostitute sex are saying that
Prostitute Sex is a Form of rape. One Of the Survivors Says that ;
' Prostitusion is like Rape.'
She Says that She don't Know how else to explain Prostitusion except that it felt like rape to her.
Prostitusion is a male Consumer market. The intense Public Focus on
Women's Will , her Choice or her right to Prostitute deflects attention from the Primary Fac
t that Prostitusion exists First because of male Customer demands. What matters is that there
are Female bodies Provided For Sex exchange. But the question arises here that is -
How or Why they get there is irrelevant to the market?
Terminology of Prostitusion in Aphra Behn 's Play - ' The Rover ' :-
The Important theme in the Play - ' The Rover ' is Prostitusion. It is Undoubtedly One of the
most important topics of the Play, Since One of the Character - Angelica Bianca is a Prostitute.
There are Other Several Perspectives from Which Prostitusion can be Seen in the Play. Here
we will be Paying attention to is the Following ;
" Why Yes, Sir , they are Whores , though they will be neither entertain With drinking, Swearing or bawdry ; are Whores in all those gay Clothes and right Jewels; are Whores with those great houses richly Furnished with Velvet beds , Store of Plate , handsome attendance and fine Coaches; are Whores and arrant Ones."
-Belville
Here Belville's Statement implies Very Clearly that every Woman , despite her Status in
Society is a Whore. If She behaves like a Prostitute then that is exactly what She will be remain
Forever in her life.
' Once a Whore , always a Whore. '
Not Only Belville thinks that but also most of the Other male Characters in the Play thinks in a
Similar Way. Throughout the Play, there is a Certain generalisation about
Women and about their Status. One example of this is the Scene Where Blunt tries to rape
Florinda Simply because he has been Previously Cheated by ' a fine Ladylike Whore -
Lucceta. ' So, We can Clearly Understand that the actions Of One Particular
Woman have repercussions on another, and thus amusing that all Women are the Same and
they also behave in the Same Way.
Also , it is relevant to mention the ambivalence in the Use of the Word - ' Wench.'
Every Single Woman in the Play , lady or not , are referred to as Wenches. The term may
refer to a Young Woman or to a Prostitute. The Choice of the Words might not be as random
it seems, and in that Case it Would Support the idea that every woman is a Whore until Proved
Otherwise. The Second Vision Of Prostitution Focuses on the Perspective Of One of the
Character - Angelica Bianca and on the reason that Why she is in that Particular Position in
her life.
" But inconstancy 's the Sin Of all mankind , therefore I am resolved that nothing but gold Shell Charms my heart. "
- Angelica Bianca
If we Focus Only on this Quotation that was made by her , it is very much Clear that
Angelica's Situation has been a Choice She made by herself. In Fact, it is by being a Whore that
She gets to be the Only Financially Stable and independent Woman in the Play. The Figure Of
the Prostitute in this Play - ' The Rover ' Presents a different type
of Woman. Although She is regarded as a Whore , Angelica Stands in a Certain Position Of
Power and Money , For all men want to have a Physical relation With her , but not all of them
can due to the high Cost Of her Services.
When Angelica Falls in Love With Willmore and gives herself to him For free , at that time
delusional Powerful Position Vanishes. The Objectification of Women is inherent to
Prostitusion, and as Such it is Present in the Play - ' The Rover.' However, In the Play it Seems
to be Certain Switch Of roles between Women and men,
and there are these things Which we can notice. On the One hand , there was One Scene in the
Play Where Hellena expresses Very Openly that She Just wants to go to the Carnival to find a
man With Whom She can have Sex. On the other hand , there is the Character of Willmore. At
One Point in the Play he Sleeps with Angelica Bianca and gets money from her afterwards.
Although She gives it to him Out Of love, Willmore does not have any Feeling for her
Whatsoever. Thus , he is given money in exchange Of Sex.
We Can say that Women are deprived of identity being " the Wife of " Or just ' a Whore.
' Aphra Behn herself Was Sometimes Seen as a Prostitute for being a Public Figure. By
Criticising and Presenting Angelica Bianca as a Strong and independent
character at the beginning in the Play, it Could be Stated that She was also questioning the
Functioning Of Society, and the role of Women in it during the Restoration times.
Society 's attitude towards Prostitusion :-
If We look at Society's ViewPoints and think about the term - Prostitusion we come to know
many things about it. Many People and especially those With Conservative ,
religious Views believe that Prostitusion is immoral because it involves Sex for money and they
Consider Prostitusion as a Sign of Society 's Moral decay. Many Feminists also believed that
Prostitusion is degrading to Women and Provides a Context in which Prostitutes are robbed ,
beaten and raped. The People hold very Strong and negative Views about Prostitusion. People
think that Prostitusion Should remain illegal, and they generally Prefer Stricter enforcement
of laws against Prostitusion.
People do not like Prostitusion, but they believe that the laws against Prostitusion do more
harm than good. They think that legalising Prostitusion would reduce the Various harms that
Prostitusion Causes and they believe that Views about the immorality Of Prostitusion Should
not Prevent Our Society From dealing more Wisely with it than it does now.
As We all know that Prostitusion is looked Upon as Something very bad in Our Society. But,
We need to Understand that Prostitution is a two way thing. The majority of Prostitutes are
Female and have male Clients. It is a two way thing but Yet we always put all the blame on the
Prostitutes.
' Reference of Gangubai Movie :- '
Gangubai is a Bollywood movie based on real life incidents of a Prostitute named as Gangu.
It is Said that ' Kathiyawad mein kabhi ki raat nahi hoti kyunki Gangubai rehti hain ' . Which
is a way to depict her glory and Popularity. Throughout the Storyline it is Witnessed she along
with her mates and Friends is trying to seek the
respect in the Society. She also tries to get all the Children of Prostitutes into a School to
Study , where she that it's not necessary to have a Father in Order to get admission into a
School. They require money to Pay the Fees and the Willingness to learn Which the
Children already Possess.
In a Public Gathering She with emphasis has stated that ' Prostitution is as normal as any other business and in a Way makes Society a Safe Place to live as many a times
women are Saved from rape just because Prostitution is in existence. Women Who are selling
their body are in a way helpless and don't have enough skills to work elsewhere.
Gangubai even says that they all are selling their bodies just like other businessmen endorse
their Products.
Apart From Gangubai Kathiyawadi movie Begum Janan is one Such movie based on
Prostitutes and their Struggles to Protect their brothel and at the end of the movie they
even lock themselves in the brothel which is burning in great Flames of Fire. These things
depict their great dedication towards their own Profession and how they make a living through
it and without it their Survival would be tough.
Conclusion
To Conclude my topic I would like to say that Prostitusion reveals inconsistent Pre Modern
thinking on male and Female Sexuality. Hence, Prostitution is Surely not a Practise to
encourage , but because of in the Society is at Peace , except for certain Complaints and
Problems. People need to refresh their minds and they Consider the
Prostitutes as a Part of Our Society Which is Completely wrong. As Prostitutin is a two
way thing. Yet , we Put all blame on Female Prostitutes. The Society will never accept the
Word - ' Prostitusion. '
Work Cited :-
Bhansali, Sanjay leela, director. Gangubai Kathiyawadi. 2022. Accessed 7 November 2022.
Green, Stuart P. “What counts as prostitution.” 2016,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307444812_What_Count
_as_Prostitution. Accessed 7 November 2022.
Wiseman, Susan J. Aphra Behn, vol. 8, no. 1, 1997, p. 3,
https://www.jstor.org/stable/20719676. Accessed 7 November 2022.
[ Words Count :- 2170]
[ Images :- 6 ]
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