Who is Sir Roger de Coverley?
History of English Literature is a notable literary work by ___. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of History of English Literature.
Answer
Who is Sir Roger de Coverley?
Sir Roger de Coverley is a famous character in English literature. He is from Addison and Steele’s periodical (newspaper) “The Spectator,” published in 1711-1712. He is an old-fashioned, kind, and humorous country gentleman. He lives in his estate in the countryside. Sir Roger represents the ideal English gentleman of his time—he is polite, generous, and full of wisdom. He is also a little funny because of his old ways/lifestyle/thinking.
Country Gentleman: Sir Roger is a wealthy landowner who lives in the countryside. He takes care of his estate and the people around him. He treats his servants with kindness and respect. Steele says about him,
“His tenants grow rich, his servants look satisfied.”
This shows that Sir Roger is a responsible and caring master. He ensures that the people around him are happy.
Kind and Odd: Sir Roger is very kind to everyone, whether rich or poor. He takes good care of his church community. He develops the church with his own money. However, Sir Roger is a little odd. This makes him loveable. For example, he sometimes falls asleep during prayer and quickly wakes up to check if anyone else is sleeping.
Unlucky in Love: One of the most touching parts of his story is his unlucky love life. He loved a beautiful widow in his youth. But she did not give him attention. Because of this, he never married anyone else.
Old-Fashioned: Sir Roger follows old traditions and does not like change. He dislikes modern fashion, new rules, and city life. He is a Tory. His views are sometimes simple and outdated, but they are always honest and good-hearted.
In fine, Sir Roger is a fascinating character. He represented the traditional English way of life in a changing world. Today, he is still remembered as one of the most famous characters in English literature.