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 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.

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