Character Analysis of Sir Roger de

Coverley in Addison’s Essay

May 17, 2021 by Somnath Sarkar

Character Analysis of Sir Roger Character Analysis of Sir

Roger de CoverleyIntroductionSteele‘s Portrayal of Sir RogerAddison reshaped the character of Sir
RogerSir Roger‘s Hospitability to the GuestsSir Roger‘s Old Fashioned NatureSir Roger‘s
Fascination towards ClergymanSir Rogers Kind and Loving Attitudes to ServantsSir Roger: A Mixed
Character of Good and BadSir Roger: Is he a mere Caricature or Respectable Person?Conclusion

Sir Roger de Coverley, the principal character of Addison‘s essays, was in fact, not the
creation of his but of his friend, Richard Steele‘s. In the essay of the club, Steele gave us
the bare sketch of the basic characteristics of Sir Roger de Coverley, an imaginary
eccentric old country knight who frequented the Spectator Club in London. But what
proficiency goes to Addison, is that, he gave the character life, interest, and adventure,
and cast over it the charm of his pleasant humour. Thus Sir Roger occupied the prime
place in most of the essays of Addison.

Steele’s Portrayal of Sir Roger

There is seen a gradual development in the character – portrayal of Sir Roger from Steele
to Addison. When Steele first handled the character, Sir Roger was, then, a vigorous
youth who often had his supper with Lord Rochester, a notorious womanizer and Sir
George Etherege. Sir Roger, when he first came to the town, fought a duel and kicked
Bully Dawson in a public coffee – house for calling him youngster. This roughness of his
character had been erased out by the soft handling of Addison.

Addison reshaped the character of Sir Roger

Sir Roger’s character was developed by Addison in his essay Sir Roger at
Home and Sir Roger at Church. He first becomes an eccentric and lovable Tory squire
whose foibles are held up for the sympathetic amusement of a Whig audience. He
eventually becomes a symbol of an ideal feudal paternalism in his relation with his
servants and tenants. Thus, Sir Roger who was at first drawn as a caricature by Steele was
elevated to a living individual by Addison. Here, in the essay Sir Roger of Home.
Addison has furnished a vivid pen – picture of Sir Roger‘s homely nature.

Sir Roger’s Hospitability to the Guests

Sir Roger was a man full of human kindness, love and affection and a man who
followed the straight forward manner in his actions and deeds. He often invited the author
to visit his country-house and to spend a month there. In one occasion Addison accepted
his friend‘s invitation and settled for some days at Sir Roger‘s village-home. Sir Roger
never interfered on the matter of other. As he knew very well about the likes and dislikes
of Addison, he allowed him to go to bed and to rise according to his own will. He
(Addison ) could have had his dinner either with Sir Roger on the common table or in his
own chamber. Addison disliked to be stared at by the common public. So when the
country-gentlemen used to come to see Sir Roger, he could not allow them to go near his
particular friend. This is how Sir Roger kept his guests at ease by allowing to do the
things according to them.

Sir Roger’s Old Fashioned Nature

Sir Roger, as portrayed by Steele and Addison, was a bachelor, although he had a family
which consisted of sober and grave servants of his. Sir Roger was the best master, all in
all in his family. He seldom changed his servants. So all the members were aged and
grew old with Sir Roger. Sir Roger‘s behaviour to them was all along good. His kindness
and love went equally even in the treatment of his old dog and old grey horse. None of
both the creatures was useful, yet they were kept with great care and tenderness regarding
their past services.
Sir Roger’s Fascination towards Clergyman

There was a chaplain, the clergyman who was living with Sir Roger above thirty years
under great esteem of the master. That clergyman loved Sir Roger heartily. He was a
person of good sense and of a very regular life. He was a good scholar, but never wanted
to show off his learning. Sir Roger knew his actual value, the value of his personality,
and so, he loved him much and granted for him a good annuity for his whole life. The
gentleman was of high mind and open heart. He never asked anything of Sir Roger for
himself, but he solicited his master for something in behalf of the common tenants. He
brought settlement when any dispute arose among the tenants. It was his good quality that
he could best deliver the printed sermons on the pulpit with the clarity and gracefulness
of his voice. Sir Roger liked this type of clergyman, but disliked them who spoke in Latin
and Greek at his own table.

Sir Rogers Kind and Loving Attitudes to Servants

It was when Sir Roger arrived at his country-home after a long absence, the whole house
became submerged with great joy and a type of pleasant expression was to be felt from
the facial appearance of all the servants. Each of them engaged in the services. He then
inquired about the affairs related to his servants and thus he played the role of the father
and the master of the family at a time. This quality of kindness and authority, good nature
and pleasing manner attracted all his servants towards him and made him so much loving
to all.

Sir Roger: A Mixed Character of Good and Bad

Addison adopted the dramatic method too to reveal the character of Sir Roger. Sir
Roger had the habit of making sweeping generalisation from his own particular
experiences. We have seen several absurdities of his character, but these were not at all
grotesque. Sir Roger in Church is the revelation of Joseph Addison‘s power to mingle
respect and laughter together. He was a good church man, good landlord, an ardent
believer of faith and religion. Yet he had his own peculiarities. He said extra two or three
‗Amens‘, tried to keep strict discipline in times of prayer. What was very special of him
was that he drew up the characters through the sketches of the abstract qualities of the
character–his likes and dislikes, his qualities and weaknesses his aptitudes and
inclinations. The circumstantial devices and details helped the blooming of his character,
made him a “living one.”

Also Read:

 Addison’s Prose Style or Addison as an Essayist

Sir Roger: Is he a mere Caricature or Respectable Person?

Sir Roger was made a man of very ‗singular behaviour’, he was made a humorist but
not a mere flat character, a mere social type individual. Rather Addison imparted him
with the life like rounded qualities. Critics have alleged, of course, some of them, that
Addison had made Sir Roger’s characterization as a caricature of the typical, simple
minded Tory squire of his days. But the allegation is not based on sound footings. In that
case we could not have the life like ‘rounded‘ effect that it had. Of course Addison had
emphasized some of the oddities of his character, but this is not the only facet. A
caricature is a distorted or absurd representation of a person devoid or respect of
sympathy for him. But that is not the case with Sir Roger. We read about him with
interest, even sometimes, we respect him, though we know many of his mistakes and
weaknesses. Hugh Walker observe—

“He (Sir Roger) never becomes so absurd as to lose our respect.”

His eccentricities that he exhibited, were born out of the innate goodness of a knight and
this, of course, has made him a ―three dimensional figure‖ a living character. He was at
first drawn as a caricature but then developed and drawn as a living individual.

Conclusion

Thus, there is not an iota of doubt that Sir Roger’s portrayal is remarkable as well as
admirable. Legouis has rightly observed –

“The man is not only an excellent figure of comedy with his eccentricities,
his peculiar expressions, his attitudes, his mental leaps, but he is foremost
among those characters who are not only loved but respected even while
they are laughed at.”

Esaay

Having often received an invitation from my friend Sir Roger de Coverley to pass
away a month with him in the country, I last week accompanied him thither, and
am settled with him for some time at his country-house, where I intend to form
several of my ensuing speculations. Sir Roger, who is very well acquainted with
my humour, lets me rise and go to bed when I please; dine at his own table, or in
my chamber, as I think fit; sit still, and say nothing, without bidding me be
merry. When the gentlemen of the country come to see him, he only shows me
at a distance. As I have been walking in his fields, I have observed them stealing
a sight of me over an hedge, and have heard the knight desiring them not to let
me see them, for that I hated to be stared at.
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 servants never care for
leaving him: by this means his domestics are all in years, and grown old with
their master. You would take his valet de chambre for his brother; his butler is
grey-headed; his groom is one of the gravest men that I have ever seen; and his
coachman has the looks of a privy-councillor. You see the goodness of the
master even in the old house-dog; and in a gray pad, that is kept in the stable
with great care and tenderness out of regard to his past services, though he has
been useless for several years.
I could not but observe with a great deal of pleasure, the joy that appeared in
the countenances of these ancient domestics upon my friend's arrival at his
country-seat. Some of them could not refrain from tears at the sight of their old
master; every one of them pressed forward to do something for him, and
seemed discouraged if they were not employed. At the same time the good old
knight, with a mixture of the father and the master of the family, tempered the
inquiries after his own affairs with several kind questions relating to
themselves. This humanity and good nature engages everybody to him, so that
when he is pleasant upon any of them, all his family are in good humour, and
none so much as the person whom he diverts himself with: on the contrary, if he
coughs, or betrays any infirmity of old age, it is easy for a stander-by to observe
a secret concern in the looks of all his servants.
My worthy friend has put me under the particular care of his butler, who is a
very prudent man, and, as well as the rest of his fellow-servants, wonderfully
desirous of pleasing me, because they have often heard their master talk of me
as of his particular friend.
My chief companion, when Sir Roger is diverting himself in the woods or the
fields, is a very venerable man, who is ever with Sir Roger, and has lived at his
house in the nature of a chaplain above thirty years. This gentleman is a person
of good sense, and some learning, of a very regular life, and obliging
conversation: be heartily loves Sir Roger, and knows that he is very much in the
old knight's esteem; so that he lives in the family rather as a relation than a
dependant.
I have observed in several of my papers, that my friend Sir Roger, amidst all his
good qualities, is something of an humourist; and that his virtues, as well as
imperfections, are, as it were, tinged by a certain extravagance, which make
them particularly his, and distinguishes them from those of other men. This cast
of mind, as it is generally very innocent in itself, so it renders his conversation
 highly agreeable, and more delightful than the same degree of sense and virtue
would appear in their common and ordinary colours. As I was walking with him
last night, he asked me how I liked the good man whom I have just now
mentioned: and, without staying for my answer, told me, that he was afraid of
being insulted with Latin and Greek at his own table ; for which reason, he
desired a particular friend of his at the University, to find him out a clergyman
rather of plain sense than much learning, of a good aspect, a clear voice, a
sociable temper, and, if possible, a man that understood a little of backgammon.
"My friend (says Sir Roger) found me out this gentleman, who,
besides the endowments required of him, is, they tell me, a good
scholar, though he does not show it. I have given him the
parsonage of the parish; and because I know his value, have
settled upon him a good annuity for life. If he outlives me, he
shall find that he was higher in my esteem than perhaps he
thinks he is. He has now been with me thirty years; and, though
he does not know I have taken notice of it, has never in all
that time asked anything of me for himself, though he is every
day soliciting me for something in behalf of one or other of my
tenants, his parishioners. There has not been a law-suit in the
parish since he has lived among them: if any dispute arises,
they apply themselves to him for the decision; if they do not
acquiesce in his judgment, which I think never happened above
once, or twice at most, they appeal to me. At his first settling
with me, I made him a present of all the good sermons which have
been printed in English, and only begged of him that every
Sunday be would pronounce one of them in the pulpit.
Accordingly, he has digested them into such a series, that they
follow one another naturally, and make a continued system of
practical divinity."
As Sir Roger was going on in his story, the gentleman we were talking of came
up to us; and upon the knight's asking him who preached tomorrow, (for it was
Saturday night,) told us, the Bishop of St. Asaph in the morning, and Dr. South in
the afternoon. He then showed us his list of preachers for the whole year, where
I saw with a great deal of pleasure, Archbishop Tillotson, Bishop Saunderson,
Doctor Barrow, Doctor Calamy, with several living authors who have published
discourses of practical divinity. I no sooner saw this venerable man in the pulpit,
but I very much approved of my friend's insisting upon the qualifications of a
good aspect and a clear voice; for I was so charmed with the gracefulness of his
figure and delivery, as well as the discourses he pronounced, that I think I never
passed any time more to my satisfaction. A sermon repeated after this manner,
is like the composition of a poet in the mouth of a graceful actor.
I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example;
and, instead of wasting their spirits in laborious compositions of their own,
would endeavour after a handsome elocution, and all those other talents that
 are proper to enforce what has been penned by greater masters. This would not
only be more easy to themselves, but more edifying to the people.

2 critical appreciaTION

oseph Addison is one of the greatest essayists in English Literature. He is memorable for
his contribution. He is known as the consummate painter of life and manners. The
18th century prose has been enriched to a great degree by him. He earned wide acclaim due
to his contribution to the two periodicals named The Tatler and The Spectator.

The essay Sir Roger at Home is taken from The Spectator. This essay is remarkable for
the fine character portrayals of Sir Roger and Chaplain. Here Sir Roger is the central figure.
He has been depicted as a country gentleman. Here the art of characterisation is significant.
It has enhanced the prestige of Joseph Addison. The subtle remarks about the English rural
society bring additional interest to the essay. The ease and grace of Addison’s style is
consistently reflected in the essay.

In this essay we find some glimpses of a country gentleman named Sir Roger. Here his
personality and household affairs have been described. He has been presented as a very
good man at heart. He treats even his servants with cordiality and love. In short, here
Joseph Addison has presented Sir Roger as a living character who has a humanistic
attitude.

In the essay Sir Roger at Home Joseph Addison says that Sir Roger was a very hospitable
man. One day the author went to him. Sir Roger, a practical man, gave him warm welcome.
He gave the author the full liberty. The author found that Sir Roger has great care for his
servants. He always took interest in their welfare. His servants were also very loyal to him.
They loved and respected him much. They never thought of leaving him. As a result these
domestic servants grew old with his master.

Addison has taken special pains to describe the qualities of Chaplain. He was also in the
service of Sir Roger. His personality was very attractive. He always talked in a graceful
manner. During his long stay of thirty years, he never asked for any favours for himself. As
a result he was highly respected by Sir Roger.

Thus the present essay is an artistic essay. Here the essayist has given blood and life to the
character of Sir Roger. He looks like a character of a novel. No doubt, this essay is full of
ease and grace. It includes typical humour of the essayist. It is full of genial conversation.
Words are apt and sentences are free from obscurity. Thus this essay shows the genius of
Addison as an essayist.