Jealousy and Suspicion
The entire plot of Exiles is colored by jealousy and suspicion. Rowan is placed in a situation where he's sorely tempted by these feelings because of the untrustworthy behavior of his wife and friend. Together they hatch a scheme which both involved Rowan and denies him the opportunity to remain knowledgeable about the affair. By asking for his opinion, Bertha makes Rowan a sort of accomplice in his own cuckolding. If he refuses, then she will most likely call him a tyrant, but if he encourages her, then he somehow accepts responsibility for any potential emotional damage as a result of the affair. Washing his hands of any involvement, Rowan is shut out in the dark. He becomes consumed by jealousy, waking early the next morning and heading to town. He confronts Hand, but he makes little progress because his friend fabricates an elaborate lie about the previous evening. By the time he returns home, Rowan is even more deceived than when he initially was approached by Bertha. He tells his wife that he's willing to forgive and move on, but his trust in her is severely damaged. He will forevermore doubt the sincerity of her love as well as her loyalty. His suspicion is not unfounded, but justified under the circumstances; he's paranoid but for good reason.
Rejection
Rowan's character is defined by the rejection with which he is treated throughout the play. Even from the start, he is leaving his home of several years, Rome. Before that he left Ireland in order to establish himself as a writer, something he was unable to accomplish among his childhood peers. By the time Bertha approaches him with Hand's advances at the dinner party, Rowan has become firmly defined by his relationship to rejection. Rather than offering an opinion, he places the decision squarely on her discernment. When Bertha does visit Hand's home, Rowan is already there. He had anticipated her choice and attempted to persuade his friend to respect the sanctity of their marriage. When Bertha walks in, she dismisses him. Once more and one final time Rowan is rejected, this time directly from his wife's will.
Subterfuge and Mystery
As far as the plot is concerned, the primary device to hold audience interest is subterfuge. The audience is never told whether or not Bertha and Hand have an affair. They are merely shown that Bertha visits his home on the night in question. This element of mystery both captures the audience's attention and allows them to identify and relate to Rowan. Because the audience only encounters information through Rowan's investigation, they are forced to recognize his plight of misinformation. By gradually revealing the complexity of the investigation, Joyce encouraged the audience to pay attention and to form their own conclusions and suspicions about the affair.
