Francis Bacon as an Essayist II Bacon's Prose Style II Bacon as the Father of English Essays

 

INTRODUCTION:

The period of Renaissance in England was the most flowering one in English literature. If in the field of drama, we have the towering literary personalities like Marlowe, Ben Jonson and Shakespeare, in the field of poetry, we have Spenser and Sidney. In the same manner, the name of Francis Bacon (1561-1626) is written with golden letters in the history of English literature for his contribution to English literature. Bacon has been applauded as the Father of English Essays.

THREE EDITIONS OF BACON'S ESSAYS:

Bacon published his scholarly essays full of practical wisdom in three editions. All these essays are the results of his direct observations of men and matters.

·      10 essays in 1597.

·      38 essays in the edition of 1612.

·      58 essays in the final issue of 1625.

BACON AND MONTAIGNE:

Bacon borrowed the form of essay from Montaigne (1533-1592), the French essayist. Bacon and Montaigne share the form of essay but not its spirit. These two great essayists present a very sharp and interesting contrast.

·      Montaigne has written personal essays and has written exhaustively. But Bacon has written impersonal essays and has written only 58 essays.

·      Montaigne appeals to the heart but Bacon to the head.

IMPERSONAL AND OBJECTIVE:

Bacon did not write essays to delight his readers. His essays are pieces of wisdom and shrewd advice for a practically successful life. Bacon's essays are capsules of impersonal wisdom. They are objective and logically constructed. Unlike Montaigne, he is not friendly, confidential, intimate and familiar with the reader. His essays are for the most part detached and impersonal.

In fact, his essays express his own formal personality as a counsel. Just as a serious counsellor advises the King, Bacon advises the readers how to behave and think practically in real life situations. It is because of the element of practical wisdom that his essays are objective and informal.

WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS:

Bacon wrote on a wide range of topics. He surpassed all essayists in the capacity to utter pregnant thoughts on almost any theme. He has written on the subject matters of study, love, health, work, truth, travel, friendship, enemy, revenge, beauty, anger, religion, kingship, success, failure, goodness, gardens, nature and so on.

BACON'S APHORISTIC STYLE:

Bacon employed a unique aphoristic style in his essays. Aphoristic technique means the close-packed and concise style of writing. An aphorism is a brief sentence, conveying the idea in the least possible words.

Certainly, Bacon’s essays are full of such aphorisms. He never adorned his words and sentences with figures of speech. His sentences are lucid, plain, direct and short. Even his short sentences have the power to compress tremendous knowledge. Each sentence can convey a deep and concentrated meaning.

BACON’S ESSAYS – A STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE:

Bacon himself has described his essays as “Counsels, civil and moral”. It is through his essays that he instructs, advises and teaches the readers. His essays are full of practical knowledge He serves the type of knowledge that is compulsory for attaining worldly success.

Hundreds of his sentences have become well known proverbs and sayings in English language. Look at these lines taken from his essays.

·      For knowledge, too, is itself power.

·      It is impossible to love and to be wise.

·      Money is like muck (dirt), not good except it be spread.

·      Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

·      He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils, for time is the greatest innovator.

·      A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.

·      A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.

·      Prosperity doth best discover vice, but Adversity doth best discover virtue.

CONCLUSION:

Francis Bacon was a genuine Renaissance man as he shared his wisdom and knowledge in many different fields like philosophy, science, logic and politics and so on. He has served his minute observation of human nature and the universe. His essays are a treasure house of advices to everyone who wants to live life happily. Legouis has rightly remarked “These essays are the classics of English prose”. Alexander Pope too eulogised Bacon in the following words:

“If parts allure thee, think, how Bacon shined,

The wisest, the brightest and the meanest of mankind.”

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