Bacon’s Prose Style as We Find in His Essays

Francis Bacon, (1561-1626) is the most influential and resourceful English writer of his time. He very expertly uses different types of literary devices like paradox, aphorism, climax in his essays. He usually uses the condensed sentences with deep hidden explanations. We also find a touch of reality and practicality in his writings. Now we are going to discuss his views.

Bacon very skilfully exploits the literary device ‘paradox’ in the essay “Of Truth”. Truth, according to Bacon, lacks the charm of variety which, falsehood has. Truth gives more pleasure only when a lie is added to it.  He believes that, falsehood is a source of temporary enjoyment as it gives the people a strange kind of pleasure. So the essayist paradoxically says:

“…a mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure”

We find another paradoxical maxim in the same essay.  To Bacon, a liar is brave towards god but cowardly towards men. A liar does not have courage to tell the truth to the people but he shows courage to tell a lie disobeying god. As the essayist comments:

“For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man.”

It means that a man does not fear god when he tells a lie.        

Again, Bacon shows us the excellent use of climax in his essay “Of Studies. There are some books which are to be read, a number of books are to be memorized but a few books are to be read deeply with hard work and concentration. The books should be read according to their importance. As the author declares:

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”          

Bacon points out that, study enlightens human character by removing darkness of faults and follies. Study becomes fruitful only when it is combined with experience.   

We notice the brilliant utilization of aphorism in his essays. In the essay “Of Marriage and Single Life”, he very aphoristically states his readers the benefit of wives. In his own speech:

“Wives are young men’s mistress; companions for middle age, and old men’s nurses.”

We get another aphoristic speech the essay “Of Revenge” where he shows a certain high morality by saying:

“Revenge is a kind of wild justice”

 A man takes the revenge on the person by whom he is oppressed. So if he takes revenge, it will be a justice. But at the time when a man takes revenge, he takes it more aggressively than he is oppressed. This is why, Bacon calls the revenge a kind of wild justice. So he suggests us to be aloof from taking revenge.

We find one more aphoristic expression in the essay “Of Parents and Children”, he shows both the utility and the futility of having children. As he says:

“Children sweeten labour, but they make misfortune more bitter.”

             

Bacon’s attitude towards life is not merely fanciful but completely practical. He emphasizes the function of studies. To him, reading improves the natural abilities of man. Through reading a person becomes a full man and by discussion he becomes a ready man. Then he needs writing to which makes a learner’s idea clear and accurate. As Bacon says:

“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”

At first, a man should carefully, then discuss the ideas and finally write them.

Bacon also mentions the practical advantages of reading various subjects in “Of Studies”

“Histories make men wise, poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep.”

Moreover, Bacon very honestly confesses the bitter reality of human life.  In his view, the wives and the children are the hindrance to the way of the success. As he says:

“He that hath wife and children hath given hostage of fortune.”

Bacon is very practical in treating love. He considers it just one of many passions of human mind. He does not pay extra favour to it emotionally; rather he sees love as a “child of folly” in his essay “Of Love”. As he comments:

“Nuptial love maketh man kind; friendly love perfecteth it, but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it.”

Finally, it can be said that, Bacon very charismatically uses different types of figures of speech and extra-ordinary narrative technique which increase the splendour of his writings.  He, in his easy, very exactly exposes his views and thoughts to the readers. His essays are also the hand-book of practical wisdom full and practicality as well as enriched with maxims. 

This paper is prepared for you by Talim Enam, BA (Hons), MA in English, in association with http://techtalim.blogspot.com

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