Death of Sir Roger
Essay
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Joseph Addison
Death of Sir Roger Main Text
Death Of Sir Roger
Spectator No. 517, 23/10/1712 Essays By Addison
Heu pietas, heu prisca fides! —Virgil Aen. vi. 878.
Mirror of ancient faith!
Undaunted worth! Inviolable truth!— Dryden
WE last night received a piece of ill news at our club, which very sensibly afflicted every one of us. I question not but my readers themselves will be troubled at the hearing of it. To keep them no longer in susp...
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Death of Sir Roger Literary Device
Figures of Speech
Metaphor: “Lightning before death.” The narrator compares Sir Roger’s temporary improvement to a flash of light before everything becomes dark. It means hope before sorrow.
Hyperbole: “It was the melancholiest day for the poor people that ever happened in Worcestershire.” This exaggerates the grief felt by everyone, meaning the parish had never felt so sad before.
“It was the me...
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Death of Sir Roger Summary
The Sad News of Sir Roger’s Death: The narrator and his club get sad news. Sir Roger de Coverley has died. He died at his country home. He was sick for a short time. The narrator reads a letter to the club. The butler Edward Biscuit wrote the letter. He writes with sorrow about Sir Roger’s last days. Sir Roger became sick after he helped a poor widow. He helped her at the county sessions. After th...
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Death of Sir Roger Themes
Legacy and Remembrance: The story shows how a good person lives on through good deeds, gifts, and memories left with others.
Kindness and Generosity: Sir Roger’s will gives gifts, pensions, and charity to all. It proves his lifelong habit of helping both friends and poor people.
Love and Gratitude: Sir Roger cared about everyone, from servants to villagers. His love was returned, like every servan...
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Death of Sir Roger Character
Sir Roger de Coverley: Sir Roger is an old-fashioned, kind, and much-loved landlord. He always helped the poor and stood up for justice, like when he risked his health to assist a widow at the county sessions. He was generous, giving gifts and pensions to his servants and kindness to everyone in the parish. Sir Roger loved his traditions, cared about others more than himself. He was honest and gen...
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Death of Sir Roger Quotations
“Sir Roger de Coverley is dead.”
“Sir Roger de Coverley
Explanation: The blunt announcement of his death sets a sad tone.
“I am afraid he caught his death at the last county sessions, where he would go to see justice done to a poor widow woman”
Explanation: This shows Sir Roger’s kindness and sense of justice, even in his last days.
“He has bequeathed to this lady, as a token of his love, a grea...
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