Behn, The Rover, 3.1.85-90
(After Willmore gives his love to Angellica and comes out of her house)
Belvile (wondering how it went) asks, "Are we to break her windows, or raise up altars to her, ha?"
“Indifference is its natural environment, for laughter has no greater foe than emotion.” (Bergson, Laughter p4)
I never really thought about laughter as the absence of emotion. In fact, I thought the opposite. But it does make sense. In this quote, Belvile teases Willmore about his radical reactions to women rejecting or accepting him. Willmore, who believes himself wholly in love, is filled with emotion and probably does not find Belvile amusing. Belvile, however, is emotionally detached from the situation and thus can see how ridiculous Willmore is when it comes to women.
Behn, The Rover, 3.6.14-15
Frederick: Why, how the devil came you so drunk?
Willmore: Why, how the devil came you so sober?
“To imitate any one is to bring out the element of automatism he has allowed to creep into his person” (Bergson, Laughter, p33)
“The laughable element… consists of a certain mechanical inelasticity, just where one would expect to find the wide awake adaptability and the living pliableness of a human being.” (Bergson, Laughter, p 10)
This passage perfectly reflects Bergson’s claims. The funny part about this passage is Willmore’s drunken mimic of Frederick. It seems, at first, that we laugh at Willmore’s drunkenness. However, Bergson would say that we laugh at the automatism in Frederick that Willmore lacks. Being drunk, Willmore is loose and free, which emphasizes Frederick’s rigidity.
Behn, The Rover 2.1.79-85
Blunt: ...there are things about this
Essex calf, that shall take with the ladies, beyond all your wit and
parts. This shape and size, gentlemen, are not to be despised; my
waist too, tolerably long, with other inviting signs that shall benameless.
Willmore: Egad, I believe he may have met with some person of
quality that may be kind to him.
“…a comic character is generally comic in proportion to his ignorance of himself.” (Bergson, Laughter, p16)
Blunt is responding to the others calling him an “Essex calf.” He is obviously not finding it funny, as he sees himself very differently than the rest of the group. Later in the play, we learn he is quite gullible but his ignorance of his own naïveté is what makes this passage really hilarious.
Behn, The Rover 5.1.473-474
Willmore: ...And now let the blind ones, love and fortune, do their worst.
This passage isn't funny, I just really really liked it and wanted to write it down. :)
