Sir Roger at the Assizes by Sir Richard Steele || Grade 12 || Optional English || Summary and Exercise

 

About the Essayist:
-Sir Richard Steele(1672-1729) was an English essayist, journalist, playwright and politician.
-He published the periodicals "The Tatler" and "The Spectator" in collaboration with his friend Joseph Addison.

About this Essay:
-This essay is taken from "Sir Roser De Coverly:  Essays from the Spectator"
- Sir Roger is a famous character invented and used by his friend Richard Steele in his essays.
-Sir Roger is an imaginary old eccentric knight.
-It is a narrative and satirical essay experiencing a day with Sir Roger.

Characters:
1.  Narrator- a friend of Sir Roger
2. Sir Roger- an old Knight and gentleman. He is a respected personality in his neighbourhood. He is beloved and esteemed/respected by all. He has peace within his heart.
3. Will Wimble- a friend of Sir Roger
4. Yeoman(farmer)- an honest man, got the qualification to hunt hares, pheasants
5. Tom Touchy- He is famous for suing (मुद्दा हाल्नु) case against everybody in town
6. A former servant of Sir Roger- owner of an inn (small restaurant)

Summary
"Sir Roger at the Assizes" is a satirical narrative essay written by an English essayist Richard Steele. The essay presents Sir Roger, an old Knight satirically though he is highly respected person in the eyes of the society.
The essay begins with a statement that we get satisfaction when we are free from our personal and public criticism, and we have the peace of our mind when the society appreciates us.
The narrator describes the  journey towards the court which he made with his friend Sir Roger and Will Wimble. He describes Sir Roger as a kind, gentle, mild person with the peace of mind in the eyes of people. He is beloved, esteemed and regarded as a benevolent man in his neighbourhood. Sir Roger needed the narrator and Will Wimble as his companions to the court. One the way, two men: Yeoman (farmer) and Tom Touchy joined them. 

While Will Wimble and two men were riding little ahead, Sir Roger described the two men's character.  Yeoman was an honest man who got the permission for shooting/hunting. He killed hares, peasants and partridges(a kind of bird) for his dinner. So, he couldn't be a good neighbour. On the other hand, Tom Touchy was an immoral and dishonest man who took legal actions against everybody even in petty/minor matters and bothered everyone. Once he bothered  two honest men by taking a legal action against them and accusing them of trespassing and breaking the hedge(fence).

He had to sell his land to bear the expense of lengthy legal process. Will Wimble  and Tom Touchy wanted Sir Roger's opinion regarding their dispute, too. Actually, Wimble was fishing in a river and Tom was against it. Sir Roger heard them both and after a pause he said "Much might be said on both sides." It made no one of them guilty and both were happy with his opinion.
When Sir Roger and his companions reached the court, proceedings had already started. The old Knight stood and delivered a short but insignificant speech in the middle of the court to impress others. He spoke only two, three sentences and looked as if he was too busy.
While returning home, they stopped at an inn to rest. The owner of the inn was Sir Roger's former servant. He had kept a painting of his old master on a sign post to show his respect. Its head was hanging out upon the road. Sir Roger felt it disrespectful though his servant had made it due to his respect for him. Sir Roger told that it was too high compliment for a person like him who is below a duke. So, he ordered to alter/change some features of the painting and make it look like frowning Saracen. The painter was called and he added whiskers and some other features on it. The picture still resembled Sir Roger. When Sir Roger asked the narrator whether the painting still looked like him or a Saracen. The narrator used the same diplomacy of Sir Roser and said "Much might be said on both sides".

Important-Question Answers:
1. What kind of text is it?
Ans: It is a narrative essay which makes a satire on an old Knight who looks gentle, kind and mild in people's eyes. The principal character Sir Roser has been presented satirically in this essay. He is loved and respected by all in his neighbourhood. He has the position to whisper on the judge's ear. He is highly respected. His words are heard by others with curiosity and enthusiasm. He behaves uniquely. He is over conscious of his position. He is afraid to harm anyone by words. As a result he doesn't even tell the truth and can't give fair verdict(फैसला).

2. What is greater satisfaction to an honest mind? How can it be achieved?
Ans: we get satisfaction when we are free from our personal and public criticism. We have the peaceful mind when the society appreciates us. It can be achieved by avoiding others' criticism.

3. What kind of person is Sir Roger? Describe.
Ans: Sir Roger is a kind, gentle, humble and mild man with peace of mind. He is loved and esteemed/respected in his neighbourhood. He is a benevolent person. He avoids being criticized for the sake of mental peace. As a result, he doesn't even tell the truth and give fair opinion or verdict when people require it. He doesn't displease anyone. He wants to impress others and maintain his fame in the society. In fact, he is the person who doesn't hurt anyone.

4. How does Sir Roger describe Tom Touchy?
Ans: According to Sir Roger, Tom Touchy is an immoral and dishonest man who takes legal actions against everybody even in petty/minor matters and bothered everyone. Once he bothered  two honest men by taking a legal action against them and accusing them of trespassing and breaking the hedge(fence). He had to sell his land to bear the expense of lengthy legal process. Again, he is against Will Wimble because Tom found him fishing in the river.

5. How does Sir Roser describe Yeoman?
Ans: Sir Roser describes Yeoman as an honest man who got the permission for shooting/hunting. He killed hares, peasants and partridges(a kind of bird) for his dinner. So, he couldn't be a good neighbour with others.

6. What are the three odd incidents that the narrator faced while going with Sir Roger?
Ans: When the narrator spent a day with Sir Roger, he found three odd incidents. First, Sir Roger didn't tell his clear opinion regarding the dispute lf Will and Tom about fishing in the river. He didn't want to displease either of them. So he said "Much might be said on both sides". Second, he stood in the middle of the court and spoke a few words to impress others and looked as if he was too busy. Third, while returning home, he made the alteration/change in the painting of his own hung by his former servant at his inn. He ordered to add whiskers(जुँगा) on it and made it look like Saracen because he felt disrespected with the painting.

7. Why did Tom Touchy plague/bother two honest men?
Ans: Tom Touchy was notorious for taking legal action against everybody. He plagued them by taking a legal action against them and accusing them of trespassing and breaking the hedge(fence).

MCQs:
1." Sir Roger at the Assizes" is a ................ essay.
a. argumentative
b. narrative
c. descriptive
d. reflective

2. The narrator makes a satire on...........on this essay.
a. Will Wimble
b. Sir Roger
c. Yeoman
d. A servant

3.The narrator goes to the ..........with Sir Roger.
a. exhibition
b. county trial/assizes
c. theatre
d. university .

4. Sir Roger needed ............to accompany him.
a. Narrator and Will Wimble
b. Yeoman and narrator
c. Will Wimble and Yeoman
d. Tom Touchy and Yeoman

5. Who killed hares and pheasants twice or thrice a week?
a. Narrator
b. Sir Roger
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

6. Why couldn't Yeoman be a good neighbour ?
a. because he was dishonest.
b. because he took legal against everybody.
c. because he killed to many flying partridges/birds.
d. because he was a drunkard

7. Who was notorious for taking legal actions against everybody?
a. Narrator
b. Sir Roger
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

8. Who was fishing in the river?
a. Will Wimble
b. Sir Roger
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

9. Who filed a case against two innocent men?
a. Will Wimble
b. Sir Roger
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

10. Why did Sir Roger speak only a few words at the assizes?
a. He was too busy.
b. He was afraid of speaking.
c. He wanted to impress others.
d. He didn't feel it's necessary to speak much.

11. Who had kept the painting of the head of Sir Roger?
a. Will Wimble
b. Inn owner
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

12.Who was the owner of the inn?
a. Will Wimble
b. Sir Roger's former servant
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

13. Why did the inn owner keep Sir Roger's painting?
a. To ashame him
b. To pupularize him
c. To show respect
d. To depopularize him

14. Who ordered to alter the painting?
a. Sir Roger
b. An inn owner
c. Tom Touchy
d. Yeoman

15. Sir Roser wanted to make the painting look like ........
a. Cartoon
b. Sorcerer
c. Saracen
d. Joker