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Act 4, Scene 2
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Rover, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender Roles
Love vs. Lust
Deceit and Disguise
Class and Money
Wit and Language
Summary
Analysis
Having escaped from Don Pedro’s house, Florinda and Valeria walk down the street in a different pair of disguises. Florinda is afraid, but Valeria tells her that lovers never fear. She reveals that she is half in love (with Frederick), and wishes that Hellena were there as well. Florinda recalls that she left the house by pretending to go to the convent, while Valeria reveals that she has locked Callis in a wardrobe in order to keep her from sounding the alarm. Florinda warns that Valeria may never return home, and her cousin replies that her fate will depend upon her mysterious beloved.
In Hellena’s absence, Valeria has taken on the role of Florinda’s bold companion, throwing caution to the wind not only to help Florinda, but also because of her new affection for Frederick. The previously cautious Valeria’s rash actions demonstrates how dramatically love can affect women as well as men.
Themes
Valeria reveals to Florinda that she has delivered a note to Belvile, who is desperate with anguish over the loss of his lover. He now knows that Florinda means to escape that very day, and that she would rather die than marry Don Antonio. Valeria has also told him that Florinda is currently confined to her chamber by Don Pedro, but that her brother is at church. Upon hearing this, Belvile has resolved to search every church in Naples until he can find Antonio and delay his return home (to give Florinda time to escape).
As the play reaches its comic climax, the plot becomes more and more tangled and confused. Although Valeria is trying to help Florinda, her attempts have only served to drive the lovers farther apart, since Belvile does not know that Florinda has left her house and is in search of him. Despite the characters’ best efforts, the world of the play always moves towards chaos.
Themes
Seeing both Belvile and Don Pedro on the street, the women put on their masks. The men enter, along with Willmore, and notice Florinda looking at them. Mistaking her glance as an invitation, Willmore follows her offstage.
Once again, Florinda must conceal herself from her lover, this time because he is accompanied by her brother. Her disguise, however, once again puts her at the mercy of Willmore’s lust.
Themes
Frederick enters with news of Blunt’s misfortune. Don Pedro and Belvile are amused, and the Englishman offers to take Pedro to Blunt, in order to give Florinda more time to escape. He speculates about how enjoyable it will be to see the usually wealthy Blunt impoverished.
Just as Blunt’s subplot has amused the audience, here it serves as a distraction for Don Pedro. The cavaliers, meanwhile, are delighted that their rich, stupid friend has been humbled.
Themes
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Florinda reenters, chased by Willmore but still fearful of meeting her brother. She exits, only to be followed by both Willmore and Valeria. The Englishman, ever lustful, continues to misinterpret her backward glances as flirtation. Both characters exit. Next Hellena enters, accompanied by a page. Seeing that Willmore is pursuing a woman, she asks her page to follow Willmore and report on his activities. She then realizes that she is close to Don Pedro, and hastily exits. As she does so, Belvile, Willmore, and Don Pedro cross the stage together.
The play has now devolved into an actual chase scene, making the chaos and confusion physical. Willmore’s lust, as always, is the cause of most of the problems, as he once again believes Florinda to be low class and thus rapable without any moral issue whatsoever. Hellena’s entrance further adds to the confusion, as does that of the other men; the more characters come onstage, the more chaotic the action becomes.
Themes
Literary Devices
