Eccentric Characteristics Of Sir Roger De Coverley 164l3k

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Eccentric characteristics of sir Roger de Coverley Sir Roger de Coverley is a fictional Tory character who was created to serve as a farcical squire stereotype of the bygone era by the Whig authors, Addison and Steele. Throughout the course of The Spectator, Sir Roger’s politics, etiquette, and country manners were often, but not always, shown to be silly and humorous yet ultimately harmless due to Sir Roger’s good gentleman nature. In the essay "Sir Roger at Church", his eccentricity is seen in which he exercised his authority. His dealings with the local church are highly satirized in "Sir Roger at Church". Mr. Spectator could not suppress a hint of bemusement over Sir Roger’s complete authority in the church writing that, ‘As Sir Roger is Landlord to the whole congregation; he keeps them in very good order, and will suffer no body to sleep in it besides himself…’ The squire routinely caused disruptions such as lengthening the verses of psalms, standing while others were kneeling so as to note any absences and interrupting the sermon to tell people not to disturb the congregation with fidgeting or making noise. Mr. Spectator opined that the worthiness of his character made these behavioural oddities seem like foils rather than blemishes of his good qualities. He also noted that none of the other parishioners were polite or educated enough to recognise the ridiculousness of Sir Roger’s behaviour in and authority over the church. These observations of Sir Roger’s love of the high-Anglican church in the countryside are essential to the authors’ original purpose for creating the character, to mock the seemingly backward rural Tory. In “Sir Roger at Home”, Sir Roger’s treatment of his servants is adequately dealt with. He loved each of them and he maintained a friendly relationship with them and inquired after their health and family. His nice behaviour towards them helped them develop such love for him that if they were not employed, they seemed discouraged. Even his pet dog or a retired horse was not left unloved. 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. Addison and Steele undertook this mocking task in order to satirise the Tory party and promote Whiggish politeness. However, while examining Sir Roger’s country mannerisms, political

ideology, and relationship with the church, the two Whig writers eventually developed a fondness for the stereotyped antiquated Sir Roger de Coverley. Nonetheless, even as the authors struggled to keep their character from evolving into a nostalgic commemoration, Addison and Steele, using Sir Roger as a stereotype, subtly demeaned and archaized the Tory Party throughout The Spectator. 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 , 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. His 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 warns 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 organizes not only his house but also the church. He has a 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 regular, he gave every one of them a hassock and a commonprayer 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 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.

References:

1. The main text book – “Coverley Paper” written by Addison and Steele 2. The internet.