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, and climax in his essays. He usually uses
condensed sentences with deeply 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 that,
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
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 the
courage, to tell the truth to the people but shows the 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.
Some books are to be read, several 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 the
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 to his readers
the benefit of wives. In his speech:

“Wives are young men’s mistresses; companions for middle

age, and old men’s nurses.”

We get another aphoristic speech in the essay “Of Revenge” where he

shows a certain high morality by saying:

“Revenge is a kind of wild justice”

A man takes revenge on the person by whom he is oppressed. So if he

takes revenge, it will be justice. But when a man takes revenge, he takes it
more aggressively than he is oppressed. This is why Bacon calls revenge a
kind of wild justice. So he suggests we 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 labor, 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
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 hindrances to the way of
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 the human mind. He does not pay extra favor to it
emotionally; rather he sees love as a “child of folly” in his essay “Of Love”.
As he comments:

“Nuptial love maketh mankind; 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 extraordinary narrative techniques, increasing
the splendor of his writings. He, in his essay, very exactly exposes his
views and thoughts to the readers. His essays are also the handbook of
practical wisdom full and practicality and enriched with maxims.

What are the characteristic features of Francis

bacon's essays?

Francis Bacon was known as the Father of English essays who occupied a
distinctive position in English Literature. He wrote widely on politics,
philosophy, and science.

Some of the characteristic features of his essays are:

• They are loaded with wisdom of experience and observations conveyed

through short, compact, and terse sentences.

• They present all aspects of human life and cover topics like truth, religion,
beauty, friendship, marriage, and architecture.

• In Bacon's essays, he made use of Latin and Greek quotations as he had

comprehensive knowledge of the classics.

• They include the aptness of the similes, the witty turn of phrases, and the
compact expression of weighty thoughts.

•Metaphors can be found in his essays. For example- In “Of Studies”, he

compares our natural abilities to the growth of a plant. As a plant needs
pruning, our natural qualities are also guided by studies.

• Terseness of expression and epigrammatic gravity are two of the

important characteristics.
• His essays begin with either a catchy phrase or a question. We can also see
the use of figurative language in his essays.

Therefore, Bacon was a pioneer of modern science whose contributions

were majorly philosophical but his essays are largely written scientifically.