Share your thoughts on Francis Bacon as an essayist – Long Answer Type Question

Q. Francis Bacon as an Essayist

“Good advice for Satan’s Kingdom” – William Blake

    Blake’s derogatory comment on Bacon’s ethical voice may eventually tarnish Bacon’s status as a moralist but it can never obliterate his unparalleled niche as a Renaissance essayist, Francis Bacon holds a distinguished position as an essayist in English literature and as a modern Philosopher in the western world. His aphoristic style in writing essays was at that time a new dimension in literature. His is an eloquent voice of the Renaissance. The range of his interests is vast. No single English intellectual symbolizes more the idea of the Renaissance man than Bacon. Bacon imported this genre from Montaigne of France and planted it into English language and literature.

    Bacon’s essays come home to men’s business and bosoms. Bacon’s essays group themselves round three great principles: (a) Man in relation to the world and society (b) Man in relation to himself and (c) Man in relation to his Maker. In all of these categories of his essays he has given variety. Man is the subject of Bacon’s essays, For Bacon’s purpose, only this form was the most suitable. He developed this genre with his essayistic qualities. The subject of his essays is varied and bears a wide range. He writes on a variety of themes such as family life, politics, marriage, friendship, studies, ambition and many others, Bacon thus proved the capacity of the essay form to be all-inclusive. Later essayists too proved it so we have political, historical and biographical essays. Bacon’s intent in writing essays was a serious one, He intended them to be “Counsels Civil and Moral”. They were not written tor amusements or leisure time. They do not have the personal element that make Lamb’s essays too charming.

    ‘Of Studies’ is one of Bacon’s representative essays to expose the use of aphoristic style. Under the influence of Renaissance the people of Elizabethan Age took great interest in studies. In this essay, Bacon brings to light the great importance of studies in human life and uses aphoristic style to express it. The following lines open Bacon’s famous essay ‘Of Studies ‘: “Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.” According to Bacon, studies serve three purposes of great importance. They provide delight by making us able to read books of entertainment. They make our speech effective by filling our mind with noble ideas and improving our way of expressing things. Besides, studies improve our skill and ability to work well. When we are alone or taking rest and have no friend to talk with or partners to play with, it becomes difficult to pass time. At this time, we may read an interesting book and utilize our time. The experienced man can do well in special parts, but tails in details and management of a large business. If a thing is to be done at large scale, only trained persons should be employed. Being a comprehensive essayist, Bacon points out disadvantages of improper studies.

    In ‘Of Discourse’ Bacon freely resorts to the use of simile. For instance, in order to suggest how to avoid ‘poser’ who constantly questions and does not allow seeking others, in the conversation, Bacon writes: “Nay, if there be any, that would reign and take up all the time, let him find means to take them off’,and to bring others on; As musicians use to doe, with those, that dance too long Galliards”. There are some who are talkative and are eager to preside the discourse. Bacon gives them a treat of faster music which will dislodge their dance rhythm. Simply, Bacon here means to say that as Musicians mars the tedious gay dancers by wrong tunes, the talkative ‘posers’ should be sidelined by tricks. Again in the very concluding part “Of Discourse” we find another simile where discretion of speech is termed not only eloquent, but also quick and accurate as it is be twist the greyhound and the hare: “….. As we see in Beasts, that those that are weakest in the course are yet nimblest in the turn; as it is betwixt the Greyhound and the Hare.” In “Of Discourse” Bacon gives another exquisite example of metaphor having aphoristic brevity: “spare the spur, boy and use the reins more strongly”.

    Bacon’s essays are a proof of his strength of mind, intellect and knowledge. They are packed with remarkable sagacity and insight, shrewd and profound observation. He showed for the first time with (along with Hooker) that English was as capable as Greek or Latin of serving the Highest purposes of language. Sercombe and Allen say, “Trite as the subjects are familiar as the treatment of those who know the Essays, the reader is seldom unrewarded by a sensation of novelty, so multitudinous are the face of Bacon’s thoughts.” John Freeman says, “The intellectual spendthrift is the true essayist.”