Roles Of Edward Overton

Samuel Butler’s creation of the narrator Edward Overton is based on the narrative convention but with special experiment of expanding in first-person narrative in light of the first-person narrative autobiographical novels in Victorian Literature. Through overall observation, the role of Overton is not confined to the principal narrator of the novel but is embodied within multiple roles. Overton, as the principal narrator, is not narrating his story but his hero Ernest’s life story in first-person narrative. Moreover, he is not standing out of the story but gets involved in the protagonist’s life deeply as an important character; at the same time, he is standing out of the story repeatedly to comment on many issues in the novel. Approaching a comprehensive view of Overton’s function in interpreting Butler’s themes, its multiple roles are analyzed.In his first-person narration, Overton justifies his reliability through his prior knowledge of the story, by demonstrating his objective involvement and reasonable omission of information. Overton distinguishes the significance of the story through his shift in narrative paces. The external focalization in first-person narrative enriches the perspective and guides readers to understand the story through the mature Overton’s point of view. Moreover, the focalization switches from the narrator Overton to other characters. All contribute to exemplify Overton’s function in setting the story in authentic surroundings and philosophical thoughts in accordance with Butler’s themes.Furthermore, Overton is not standing out of the story but an important character in promoting the development of the plot as well as enriching the themes. Overton, as an idealized bachelor, possesses the character features and values Ernest increasingly appropriates from his development. His independence as an idealized bachelor offers him a special position in his relationship with the Pontifex family, which ensures Overton’s necessary and profound involvement in Ernest’s growth. Overton, as an idealized bachelor, is significant in interpretation of Butler’s themes since the novel is a celebration of the protagonist’s overcoming both external and internal threats to realize his chosen way of life.Butler’s experiment on Overton is not confined in the two roles above. Overton is also a comprehensive critic with Butler’s insight. Overton sets himself as a writer majoring in stage drama with deep insight of contemporary literature, emphasizes the importance of scientific and proper education and advocates the way after the flesh.Nevertheless, the three roles of Overton are not separated from each other but integrated together with contradiction. The integration and contradiction among multiple roles of Overton display the roles’speciality and significance through establishing Butler’s successful experiment in creating Overton to interpret various themes of the novel.