Account for Bacon as an essayist.

“Bacon is the father of English essay.” Discuss.

Account for Bacon’s prose style.

Account for Bacon’s contribution to English essay.

Ans.

Introduction: Bacon is regarded as the father of English essays. The great title is attributed to him on the ground of his great contribution to English essay. But the term father gives the sense of the originator also. In this sense this title seems unjustified. Because there was essay even before Bacon. But the form was different. It was a sort of lecture given by a great scholar to display his learning under the impression that readers are fools. Bacon gave a new direction to English essay. He made the essay a form to discuss topics of day to day life. It was the period of Renaissance. Therefore, Bacon wrote essays on the problems related to his contemporary society. It is his universality that his thoughts are of great importance even in this computer age.

Bacon’s Contribution to the English Essay: Bacon’s contribution to English essay can never be overvalued. Bacon has dedicated his essays to the Duke of Buckingham There is a long list of Bacon’s essays. The most important of these are: Of Truth, Of Death. Of Unity in Religion, Of Revenge, Of Adversity. Of Simulation and Dissimulation, Of Parents and Children, Of Marriage and Single Life, Of Envy. Of Love, Of Great Place, Of Boldness, Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature, Of Nobility, Of Seditions and Troubles, Of Atheism, Of Superstition. Of Travel, Of Empire, Of Counsel, Of Delays. Of Cunning. Of Wisdom for a Man’s Self, Of Innovations, Of Dispatch. Of Seeming Wise, Of Friendship. Of Expense, Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates, Of Regiment of Health, Of Suspicion, Of Discouse, Of Plantations, Of Riches, Of Prophecies, Of Ambition, Of Mosques and Triumphs. Of Nature in Men. Of Custom and Education, Of Fortune, Of Usury, Of Youth and Age, Of Beauty, Of Deformity. Of Building. Of Gardens, Of Negotiating, Of Followers and Friends, Of Suitors, Of Studies, Of Faction, of Ceremonies and Respects. Of Praise, Of Vain-glory, Of Honour and Reputation, Of Judicature, Of Anger, Of Vicissitude of Things, Of Fame. Bacon’s essays seem to justify what Pope says regarding him.

Great Ideas of Practical Wisdom: Bacon was a utilitarian. His essays are full of great ideas of practical wisdom. For example, throughout the essay Of Studies, Bacon shows his practical wisdom and comprehensiveness. Generally people give importance to either technical knowledge or practical experience but Bacon recognizes importance to both and advises to consult an experienced man if the work is at a small scale, and technically trained or learned man for managing a work at a large scale. Generally people think studies are always useful but Bacon advises to avoid excess of studies. He recognizes importance of natural talent, training and practical experience. Generally people think all books are equally important but Bacon advises to study books according to their importance. He recognizes importance of original texts and notes. Generally people think that reading is the only way of learning but Bacon advises to give importance to conference and writing also. Bacon shows how different subjects affect our mind also.

Clarity of Thought and Expression: Bacon’s belief in clarity of thought and expression is well exposed in this essay when he adopts the device of classification. He classifies purposes of studies in three parts:

“Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.”

He brings to light not only advantages of studiers but also its disadvantages that appear when studies are used in excess. Too much study for delight develops idleness; for ornamentation develops artificiality; to take decision wholly by their rules is a bookish approach that becomes the whim of a learned man. Studies mature natural talent that is perfected by practical knowledge, Natural talent too requires pruning or trimming. Books express confusing or contradictory ideas that should be limited by experience. Wicked people oppose studies, common or foolish people admire them while wise people use them.

“Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them.”

In the same way he classifies followers into two parts:

1. Followers fit to be disliked

2. Followers to to be liked

Aphoristic Style: Bacon is known for the use of aphoristic style. Of Revenge is an illustration of the compact style of Bacon. Most of the sentences are terse and have that aphoristic quality about them that he is famous for. This essay is a fine illustration of Bacon’s style which was unmatchable for pith and pregnancy in the conveyance of his special kind of thought. He in this essay, as elsewhere, has structured out at once a short. crisp, and firmly knit sentence of a type unfamiliar in English pregnant with rich meaning.

Proverbial Style: Bacon’s proverbial style enables him to make proverbial statements. Here are a few examples of the proverbial style of Bacon taken from ‘Of Revenge’:

1. “For, as for the wrong, it does but offend the law; but the revenge of that kind putteth the law out of office.”

2. “Therefore, they do but trifle with themselves, that labour in past masters.”

3. “But base and crafty towards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.”

Bacon’s great wisdom enables him to express thoughts of universal importance. When he expresses these thoughts in aphoristic style so many sentences of the novel seem proverbial. It encourages him to make proverbial statements. The essay, ‘Of Studies’ for example opens with a proverbial statement:

“Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.”

If any body talks about studies, he refers to this statement necessarily. The essay is full of such statements that express a general thought which is true to all.

“To spend too much time in studies is sloth.

For natural abilities are like natural plants. that need pruning by study;

They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience.

Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them.

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

Poetic Style: Bacon’s prose style so often becomes poetic. It is full of poetic imagery. So often he makes use of myth making and sensuous word pictures. The essay “Of Followers and Friends’ opens with the image of a bird.

“Costly followers are not to be liked; lest while a man maketh his train longer, he maketh his wings shorter.”

Bacon borrows his images from common life. Bacon uses game-imagery and nature imagery.

“For lookers-on many times see more than gamesters; and the vale best discovereth the hill.”

Bacon cites the imagery of a hill to confirm the former imagery of players. It suggests a paradox that sometimes, players fail in knowing their faults but the spectators who watch their movements closely, mark the error. Image of a hill does not require any proof for it is a general truth that:

“The vale best discoverth the hill.”

Bacon uses water imagery for notes and guides:

“Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.”

Use of References, Quotations and Latinism: As regards its style, this essay shows the usual qualities that are associated with Bacon. Bacon is fond of allusions, quotations, Latin phrases and expressions, and figures of speech. We have here a reference to Ulysses, a well known hero of Greek mythology. There is a reference to the cruelty and hard-heartedness of Inquisitors who used to be employed to inflict punishment on heretics. There is a quotation from an ancient Greek philosopher. Thales who said, in reply to the question when a man should marry: “A young man not yet, an elder man not at all.”

Conclusion: Thus. Bacon is rightly called the ‘father of English essay’. His contribution to the development of English essay is great. He gave a new style to English essay.