Sir Roger at Home: A Critical Appreciation

Sir Roger at Home: A Critical Appreciation : Joseph 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 18^th 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.

Sir Roger at Home: A Critical Appreciation

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.

 Sir Roger at Home Summary

‘Sir Roger at Home’ recounts some memories of the author staying with a friend for a few days in his country house. She was invited by Roger, a friend of the writer. He was aware of the habits and interests of the writer. Therefore, during his stay he never objected to any of his behavior or habits. The author was very comfortable with Roger’s family which included all the plum individuals. The knight was the best teacher in the world.

He had never replaced his servants. The servants and other concerned persons grew old with the knight. The Good Old Night was a mixture of the father and lord of the family. All the members were in a good mood. The author was placed in the special care of Roger’s butler. Other members were also very friendly in his service. Roger himself was always turning himself in the woods or in the fields. The author’s main companion was a very ‘respectable’ man who had lived in Roger’s house for more than thirty years. He was indeed a gentleman who had a good understanding and some lessons. He had very cordial relations with all the family members.

Sir Roger was a humorous man with all his good qualities. as to their qualities; Plus the flaws were added with some extravagance which made them something different. He was a delightful person. The writer’s friend told him that the man was very thoughtful and could manage every situation well. When they first settled with Roger, Roger gifted them all the good sermons printed in English. Roger requested him to recite one of them in the pulpit every Sunday. Accordingly man digested them in a series that they naturally followed one after the other. It was really interesting.

Meanwhile, the gentleman they were talking about came over and started discussing the sermon to be preached the next day, because it was a Saturday night. Then he showed them the list of preachers for the whole year. The author felt and approved the quality of the good aspects and the clear voice of the man. He appeared as a decent actor. The author wished that more people of the country should follow such a person. Instead of washing their souls in their own painstaking creation, they should focus on beautiful eloquence. They should not only be easier for myself but for people to do more editing.

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