Sir Roger At Home

Answer: Joseph Addison and Richard Steele were the two distinguished essayists of the 18th century England who flourished and flowered English prose to its highest peak. However, in the essay collection entitled “The Coverley Paper”Sir Roger de Coverley is the best creation by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. His character is a well mixture of hospitality, humanity, love, helpfulness, disappointment, superstition, singularities, kindness, honesty and goodness. However, through the character of Sir Roger the above mentioned satirists tried their utmost to show the oddities and vices of the 18th century English society in a very mild manner. Although sometimes his behaviour seems to be very odd but they proceed from his good sense. He is beloved rather than esteemed by all who know him.

After getting invitation from Sir Roger, the author went to Sir Roger's country house. Here his hospitality takes the attention of the readers. Here we see that he is very hospitable and did everything possible to make his friend happy. Even the people around his house were requested not to get closer to Addison because Addison would be disturbed. In his house Addison was requested to feel free for any kind of job.

In the essay “Sir Roger at Home” Sir Roger’s treatment to his servants was adequately well. He loved each and every servant at his home and they returned his love with both service and love because he maintained a friendly relationship with them and inquired after their health and family. And they were also satisfied with him. Addison says in"Sir Roger at Home"

“I am the more at ease in Sir Roger's family, because it consists of sober and staid persons; for as the knight is the best master in the world, he seldom changes his servants; and as he is beloved by all about him.”

His nice behaviour towards them helped them develop such love for him that if they were not employed, they seemed discouraged. It indicates that they were largely willing to be engaged in his service. Even his pet dog was not left unloved. So when Sir Roger arrived at home upon completion his outside activities, their hearts leapt with a great deal of pleasure. The love between the master and the servants developed in such a degree that if he simply coughed or showed any infirmity of old age, there appeared tension in the looks of his servants.
Sir Roger At Home Author Introduction: Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 June 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was a man of letters, eldest son of Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine.The stated goal of The Spectator was \"to enliven morality with wit, and to temper wit with morality...to bring philosophy out of the closets and libraries, schools and colleges, to dwell in clubs and assemblies, at tea-tables and coffeehouses\" Introduction: The charm of the spectator club lies in the character of Sir Roger de Coverley. Sir Roger is introduced as a gentle man who is very singular in his behavior but his singularities proceed from his good sense and are contradictions to the manners of the world. He is considered as a fine gentle man in his 56th year, cheerful gay and hearty, keeps a god house in town and country, a great lover of man kind. In fact he is the representation of atypical 18th century country gentle man. Sir Roger is endowed with an essential goodness of heart. He is an idealist country characteristic and broad sympathy. The outline of this figure was first traced out by Steele and then filled in by Addison with delicate touches The Spectator visits Sir Roger’s country seat: Invited by Sir Roger, the spectator has arrived at Sir Roger’s country house. As he knows fully the temperament of the spectator, he leaves him alone and forbids other people to disturb him. The family: Sir Roger’s family consists of sober persons. He is highly sympathetic, considerate, and compassionate towards his servants. His servants love him very much and would never think of leaving him. So most of servants are quiet
Sir Roger's Character
In the Coverley Essays, Sir Roger has been characterized vividly by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. Sir Roger is presented in these essays as kind, generous, lovable and sometimes as a peculiar person. But in the hand of Joseph Addison, Sir Roger's character is conveyed ironically. For that reason he sometimes seems odd. Although he is gentle and mild in nature and lovable to people, he has some eccentricities and oddities. And all these things are delineated superbly in these essays. However these things are given below:

Humanity: Sir Roger is a man of humanity and has a large heart. Moreover, he is mild. He loves not only the servants of his house but also the people who live around him. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church" we see that he is asking about the condition of the people who are absent in the church. It suggests that he is very kind hearted and generous for who he is very aware of other's. In "Sir Roger at Home" we see that he is loved by his servants, who are living with him and are growing older with him like family members, because of his love towards them. Addison says in "Sir Roger at Home"

I am the more at ease in Sir Roger's family, because it consists of sober and staid persons; for as the knight is the best master in the world, he seldom changes his servants; and as he is beloved by all about him.

Lover of religion: He is a true lover of religion. He is a regular church goer and encourages other to come to the church. His mind is set for religious purposes and he does a lot of jobs for religion. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church", we see that he has decorated end beautified the church on his own accord and at his own expense so that the country people would be encouraged to come to the church enthusiastically. In this essay he says

My friend sir Roger, being a good churchman, has beautified the inside of his church with several texts of his own choosing. He has likewise given a handsome pulpit-cloth, and railed in the communion-table at his own expense.

His Hospitality: After getting invitation from Sir Roger, the author went to his (Sir Roger's) country house. Here his hospitality takes the attention of the readers. Here we see that he is very hospitable and did everything possible to make his friend happy. Even the people around his house were requested not to get closer to Addison because Addison would be disturbed. In his house Addison was requested to feel free for any kind of job.

Him authority: Sir Roger has authoritative power both in home and church. In the church, we see that he keeps him authoritative power. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church", the author says,

As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, he keeps them in good order, and will suffer no body to sleep in it.

Even if he sees anybody is nodding, whether it is in the middle of the congregation or not, he walls to that person or sends his servants to him to make him alert. Moreover, he appoints the clergymen for the church on his own accord and suggests them to follow the instructions of different professors for sermons.

Skilled Organizer: Sir Roger is a skilled organizer. He organizer not only him house but also the church. He has keen sense to organize things. The church is organized beautifully. He encourages people to come to church, decorates for church and keeps the church in a very good or disciplined order. All these things suggests he is a skilled organizer. Addison says about Sir roger in "Sir Roger at Church"

He has often told me , that, at his coming to his estate he found his parishioners very irregular; and that in order to make them kneel and john in the responses, he gave every one of them a hassock and a common-prayer book.

His Responsibility: Sir Roger being the landlord of all the congregations, felt personally responsible for their behaviour and exerted his authority to keep them disciplined. He allowed no one to sleep. If he felt asleep during the sermon, on waking up he would look around and if he found anyone dozing off, he would immediately wake him up. Even in the middle of the congregation he would stand up and started counting the number of people to understand anybody's absence. Addison says,

Sometimes stands up when every body else is upon their knees, to count the congregation, or see if any of his tenants are missing.

His eccentricity: To some extent Sir Roger can be considered as eccentric. In almost all the essays regarding him, we find its full expression. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church" his eccentricity is seen in which he exercised his authority. He wanted that his tenants should behave well in the church. They must not sleep or make any noise during the church service but he himself did so. Sometimes when everybody was on their knees, he stood up.

Humorist: Sir Roger is a humorist. In most of "de coverly" essays, we find humorous expressions. His eccentricities can not but make us laugh. The ways that he adopts to do his daily work are sometimes humorous. Sometimes his follies and sometimes his eccentricities are expressed humoristically in de coverley essays. In "Sir Roger at Home", Addison says,

I have observed in several of my papers, that my friend Sir Roger, amidst all his good qualities, is something of a humorist.

In summing up, it can be said that in spite of being a man of great honour, Sir Roger is regarded as a humorist and sometimes eccentric because of having some oddities or peculiarities in him. However, the ultimate aim of Addison was not to show his humorous expressions to make up laugh only, rather to make up correct for our follies and absurdities. But the main intention of Mr. Spectator was to correct the society, to reform every corner of life by presenting the character Sir Roger. ir Roger's Character
In the Coverley Essays, Sir Roger has been characterized vividly by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. Sir Roger is presented in these essays as kind, generous, lovable and sometimes as a peculiar person. But in the hand of Joseph Addison, Sir Roger's character is conveyed ironically. For that reason he sometimes seems odd. Although he is gentle and mild in nature and lovable to people, he has some eccentricities and oddities. And all these things are delineated superbly in these essays. However these things are given below:

Humanity: Sir Roger is a man of humanity and has a large heart. Moreover, he is mild. He loves not only the servants of his house but also the people who live around him. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church" we see that he is asking about the condition of the people who are absent in the church. It suggests that he is very kind hearted and generous for who he is very aware of other's. In "Sir Roger at Home" we see that he is loved by his servants, who are living with him and are growing older with him like family members, because of his love towards them. Addison says in "Sir Roger at Home"

I am the more at ease in Sir Roger's family, because it consists of sober and staid persons; for as the knight is the best master in the world, he seldom changes his servants; and as he is beloved by all about him.

Lover of religion: He is a true lover of religion. He is a regular church goer and encourages other to come to the church. His mind is set for religious purposes and he does a lot of jobs for religion. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church", we see that he has decorated end beautified the church on his own accord and at his own expense so that the country people would be encouraged to come to the church enthusiastically. In this essay he says

My friend sir Roger, being a good churchman, has beautified the inside of his church with several texts of his own choosing. He has likewise given a handsome pulpit-cloth, and railed in the communion-table at his own expense.

His Hospitality: After getting invitation from Sir Roger, the author went to his (Sir Roger's) country house. Here his hospitality takes the attention of the readers. Here we see that he is very hospitable and did everything possible to make his friend happy. Even the people around his house were requested not to get closer to Addison because Addison would be disturbed. In his house Addison was requested to feel free for any kind of job.

Him authority: Sir Roger has authoritative power both in home and church. In the church, we see that he keeps him authoritative power. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church", the author says,

As Sir Roger is landlord to the whole congregation, he keeps them in good order, and will suffer no body to sleep in it.

Even if he sees anybody is nodding, whether it is in the middle of the congregation or not, he walls to that person or sends his servants to him to make him alert. Moreover, he appoints the clergymen for the church on his own accord and suggests them to follow the instructions of different professors for sermons.

Skilled Organizer: Sir Roger is a skilled organizer. He organizer not only him house but also the church. He has keen sense to organize things. The church is organized beautifully. He encourages people to come to church, decorates for church and keeps the church in a very good or disciplined order. All these things suggests he is a skilled organizer. Addison says about Sir roger in "Sir Roger at Church"

He has often told me , that, at his coming to his estate he found his parishioners very irregular; and that in order to make them kneel and john in the responses, he gave every one of them a hassock and a common-prayer book.

His Responsibility: Sir Roger being the landlord of all the congregations, felt personally responsible for their behaviour and exerted his authority to keep them disciplined. He allowed no one to sleep. If he felt asleep during the sermon, on waking up he would look around and if he found anyone dozing off, he would immediately wake him up. Even in the middle of the congregation he would stand up and started counting the number of people to understand anybody's absence. Addison says,

Sometimes stands up when every body else is upon their knees, to count the congregation, or see if any of his tenants are missing.

His eccentricity: To some extent Sir Roger can be considered as eccentric. In almost all the essays regarding him, we find its full expression. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church" his eccentricity is seen in which he exercised his authority. He wanted that his tenants should behave well in the church. They must not sleep or make any noise during the church service but he himself did so. Sometimes when everybody was on their knees, he stood up.

Humorist: Sir Roger is a humorist. In most of "de coverly" essays, we find humorous expressions. His eccentricities can not but make us laugh. The ways that he adopts to do his daily work are sometimes humorous. Sometimes his follies and sometimes his eccentricities are expressed humoristically in de coverley essays. In "Sir Roger at Home", Addison says,

I have observed in several of my papers, that my friend Sir Roger, amidst all his good qualities, is something of a humorist.

In summing up, it can be said that in spite of being a man of great honour, Sir Roger is regarded as a humorist and sometimes eccentric because of having some oddities or peculiarities in him. However, the ultimate aim of Addison was not to show his humorous expressions to make up laugh only, rather to make up correct for our follies and absurdities. But the main intention of Mr. Spectator was to correct the society, to reform every corner of life by presenting the character Sir Roger.