Addison as a practical moralist

 

Consider The Coverley Papers as a social document and a moral commentary.

Or,

What picture of the 18th century English social life do you get in The Coverley Papers?

Or,

Discuss Addison as a practical moralist.

Or,

Addison as a critic of contemporary society.

Or,

What norms of Social conduct are reflected in the characters portrayed by Addison in The Coverley Papers?

 

Ans. Conforming to the spirit of the neoclassical era Addison wrote didactically for 'moral improvement'. He was a silent observer of the funny follies and foibles of the rural and urban life of the 18th century England. The immediacy of his experience about those weaknesses of the morals and manners of his time is obvious in his essays. With a view to correcting the coarseness, crudeness and grotesqueness of the 18th century fashion, fashionable affections, landed gentry, church, sources of entertainment, superstitions, party politics, and so on, Addison started writing. From his fragmentary comments, emerges a fairly authentic 18th century England which really needed amendments. His mission was like the mission of Swift but his way was not as bitter as that of Swift. Addison the mild critic, the most graceful of all the satirists - laughs at the follies and invites his victims to laugh with him.

 

The main focus of The Coverley Papers is on the maladies of the 18th century feudal society. From the references to the country baronets, their estates, tenants, country squires, churches and courts, it is obvious that the infrastructure of the then society was feudal depended upon land ownership. In Sir Roger at the Assizes we get a fair picture of stratified feudal society. In it the aristocracy and the landed gentry was at the top and a vast mass of poor people at the bottom. In between there were fine gentlemen represented by the  Spectator himself, yeoman and others. Here Will Wimble represents the type of the younger sons of gentleman who spoilt their life by not educating them for a profession or to trade. Addison is caustic about their indulgence in pastime.

 

At the centre of all event of the feudal society Addison places a fictitious country baronet, Sir Roger de Coverley pointing out the oddities of that society. Sir Roger represents the knights of Addison's time. They were simple, philanthropic and good at heart but eccentric. Addison traces the absurdities in the knight's character stemming from the event of his disappointment in love with a perverse widow. At the age of fifty-six, he is now often irrelevant and irrational in his behaviour.

 

There is a fairly comprehensive picture of the country church in the essay Sir Roger at Church. The essay reflects that a cold war between the chaplain and his employer was very common as it was in the neighbouring estate of Sir Roger. This essay also reflects that in those days the chaplains were more learned than the knights as was the case with Sir Roger. Sir Roger appointed a chaplain who did not know much Latin and Greek. The knight's peculiar behaviour as well as his benevolent activities has also been pointed out in this essay. Despite his minor follies, Sir Roger's church was an ideal one because it could attract all on Sundays and there was no perpetual war between him and his chaplain. Addison proposes that Sir Roger's religious practice should be followed.

 

The essay The Aims of the Spectator beside pointing out the aim of the paper, depicts a picture of the then society in which Addison satirizes wealthy but lazy class of people coming from different profession like 'titular physician', politicians out of office, Templar and so on. These people also represent the then thriving middle class generation from different professions. The essay also laughs at the foibles and affectation of the Eighteen century fashionable women who spend most of their time in fashion and silly activities. They should come forward and productively contribute to society. Moreover, his essays like On the Scale of Being, Wit: True, False, Mixed familiarize us with the contemporary thoughts.

 

From the above discussion it is obvious that Addison's observations are minute, realistic and pragmatic. He pointed out the loopholes of the society and suggested their practical remedies without hurting anyone.