Basic Information
1.Writer: Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
2. Published Date: This article was published on Thursday, March 1, 1711.
To facilitate our understanding, this essay has to be divided into several parts.
English Summary
Introduction
The first paragraph of the essay discusses why a writer should give details about his life and purpose. According to him, a reader cannot fully enjoy a piece of writing until he knows about the author. According to the essay, a new writer will provide his life history to gain popularity among the readers.
The early part of life of the author
The author gives a short history of his early life. He was born in a small town. This place provides him with the heritage of his village. The village tradition is that all the father’s wealth will be inherited by his son. This tradition has been going on for six hundred years.
He has an interesting story about his family. This is when his mother became pregnant, she dreamed that she would have a son and that he would become a judge. The dream’s interpretation is that they are involved in a case or his father is a justice. For this reason, she dreams of this. Although the author does not want to believe such predictions about his future life. Then he confirmed that the interpretation of the dream was established by his neighbors.
Then he talks about the seriousness of his behavior. He was loved by his school teachers for this quality. He says he doesn’t talk to others for no reason. He studies a lot. He even studied foreign books. He has read almost all the famous books.
Travel for knowledge
He wants to travel after his father’s death. He left his university for that. He visited all European countries. This is the effect of his thirst for knowledge. He went to places where there were new or strange things. He even went to Egypt to get a satisfactory knowledge of the pyramids. Then he came to his country.
The role of the audience
He acquired some additional qualities after coming to his area. Grecian, the Cocoa-Tree, Will, Child, St. All public places like James’s Coffee House, Drury Lane and the Haymarket are known to him. He becomes a soldier, merchant, politician, artisan, etc. without practical experience. He does all the work by doing his research. According to him, he knows the work better than those engaged in his work. As a spectator of any game one can understand the mistake better than a player of the game. We can refer to the game of chess. It is very easy for the viewer to understand if the player has made a mistake. He affirms that he does not support any form of violence. He is not a worker for Whigs or Tories. He wants to live with a neutral political perspective, being a spectator.
The purpose of his writing
The purpose of his writing is described in the essay. He says that man is silent. He doesn’t talk anywhere except to his club members. They are his chosen friends. He spreads his experience through writing because he doesn’t want to speak publicly. Besides, he wants to contribute to the development of his country.
Strategic Aspects
In the essay we have found some strategic aspects which are:
1. He did not disclose his name, age and lodging.
2. Although they meet every Tuesday and Thursday, they make a committee to sit every night to inspect all the papers.
3. He allows his readers to communicate with him.
4. He forewarns readers of his forthcoming work which will provide an account of the lives of his friends.
5. He has written this essay strategically to become a well-known writer.
