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Act 4, Scene 3
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
On a different street, Florinda, believing that her brother is now chasing her, resolves to hide in a house with an open door rather than fall into his hands. As she exits, Valeria and Hellena’s page enters; Valeria reveals that Florinda has just entered Belvile’s lodgings, and wonders if she intended to do so. At this point, however, Willmore enters, and Valeria is too afraid of him to follow her cousin inside, instead hiding. Willmore believes that he has lost his prey, and exits to find her.
Alone and disguised, Florinda is once again vulnerable to Willmore’s advances. Despite having attempted to assault Florinda once before, and his recent difficulties with Angelica and Hellena, he seems to have learned nothing—he is as immoral and lustful as ever.
Themes
The scene changes to the inside of Belvile’s lodgings, where Blunt, in only his shirt and underthings, sits and reads a book about the dangers of traveling. Bitter and angry, he resolves revenge. He straps on a rusty sword, believing that doing so will keep the cavaliers from laughing at him. He then continues to rant against all women, saying that he will threaten any woman whom he comes across.
Blunt has become a full-blown misogynist, wishing to harm women everywhere in return for the hurt and humiliation that Lucetta has caused him. His rusty sword, meanwhile (since Lucetta has stolen his real sword) symbolizes that she has stolen his masculinity as well as his money.
Themes
In a massive stroke of bad luck, Florinda enters and begs Blunt to protect her from Willmore. Blunt is scornful and violent, telling Florinda that he would be more merciful to her if she were an animal or a devil. When she tells him that she is a “harmless Virgin,” he begins to assault her, groping and kissing her as she begs him to stop, and ranting at her about Lucetta’s crimes, believing that he will “be revenged on one Whore for the Sins of another.”
Although Blunt has been a comic figure up until now, he now becomes genuinely menacing and dangerous, and clearly intends to rape Florinda. Having been deceived by one courtesan, he now believes that all women are deceitful prostitutes, worthy only of cruelty and violence.
Themes
Frederick enters, and rather than helping Florinda, he reacts with amusement, mocking Blunt for his nakedness. Florinda’s pleas for help have the opposite effect; Blunt proposes that he and Frederick both rape her, and that he alone beat her. Frederick agrees, saying that he is always willing to help “in matters of Revenge” when there is added pleasure for him.
Although Frederick has been rational and kind up until now, he too sees no problem about raping Florinda since he believes her to be lower class and therefore worthless.
Themes
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As the two men attempt to drag her into the bedroom, Florinda desperately mentions Belvile’s name, saying that she knows they are his companions and asking them to treat her kindly for his sake. Blunt responds disgustingly, saying that they will feast on her and then leave Belvile the leftovers. Frederick, however, urges him to pause, and Florinda gives them a ring in order to prove her wealth and nobility (unbeknownst to them, it is a ring given to her by Belvile). Blunt covets the diamond, while Frederick worries that they have attempted to rape a noblewoman rather than a common harlot. Blunt still maintains that Florinda is a liar, but the two decide to wait for Belvile.
Blunt, enjoying Florinda’s terror, becomes increasingly menacing and terrifying as she struggles. Only the mention of Belvile’s name makes the men think that she may have some value, while her ring helps to confirm it. In the minds of both men, women are only valuable if they are noble and wealthy, or if they are loved by a man. This is worldview is totally disturbing, and yet it was incredibly common within the genre of Restoration comedy.
Themes
A servant enters, announcing Belvile’s arrival along with that of Don Pedro. Blunt refuses to see either of them, while Frederick goes down to meet them—but not before locking Florinda away in his chamber.
Still unconvinced that Florinda is truly noble, the men lock her up, literally taking possession of her.
Themes
