Aphoristic
style of Bacon
Introduction: Bacon’s fame as a
writer depends most of all on the fact that he is the father of modern English
prose. He evolved a prose style that proved for the first time that English
could also be used to express the subtleties of thought, in clear and uninvolved
sentences.
The critics have noticed that there is a marked difference between Bacon’s earlier and later essays. Macaulay, contrasting extracts from of Studies (1597) and Of Adversity (1625) illustrates what he calls the two styles of Bacon.
The critics have noticed that there is a marked difference between Bacon’s earlier and later essays. Macaulay, contrasting extracts from of Studies (1597) and Of Adversity (1625) illustrates what he calls the two styles of Bacon.
It is true that there is a vast
difference between the styles of Bacon. But it is rather questionable whether
this difference could be attributed to the fact that Bacon had gained a
maturity of mind and intellect. Bacon wrote in more than one style. The
stately movement of The Advancement of Learning and Of Adversity has
been achieved in 1605 itself. Does that mean that Bacon had achieved
maturity of mind and imagination in eight years? This is not convincing. The
explanation lies in the fact that Bacon’s very conception of the essay
underwent a change. Bacon described his essays as “Dispersed Meditations”. The
first collection of essays is fully illustrative of Bacon’s definition of
the essay as dispersed meditations set down significantly rather than
curiously. The original idea was to make the essays into a sort of diary in
which significant observations on various topics of practical importance.
His essays were jotted down in a terse and pithy and concise language. His
first essays were a mere skeleton of thought, grouped around central themes
with suitable titles. There was no attempt polishing the style or clothing the
statements with literary beauty or imaginative grace. When, however, Bacon saw
that his essays had gained an unexpected popularity, he thought that it
was worth while polishing them and making them richer. These essays are very
brief in length. The ideas have not been developed. The sentences are all
crisp, short and sententious. Each sentence stands by itself. There is so much
of condensation that each sentence can easily be expanded into a paragraph.
That is to say that one single sentence does the job of a paragraph.
Essays not quite dispersed
meditations: It would, however, be a mistake to call all the essays of
Bacon “Dispersed Meditations”. There are some which have received at his hand,
a rather detailed treatment and which cannot be termed as “Sketchy”. In these
essays, Bacon finds room for conjunctions and connective clauses. Ideas are not
left underdeveloped and transitions from one thought to another are not so
abrupt. In Of Friendship, there is a logical approach in the enumeration
of the principle fruits of friendship. Each advantage is properly handled and
ideas are developed smoothly. There is not that abrupt transition of thought that
characterized some of Bacon’s other essays. Of Empire can be said to contain
almost exhaustive treatment of the dangers that beset a king in those days. In Of
Seditions and Troubles, there is a quite closely reasoned and connected account
of the causes and remedies of discontentment and agitation that may fester and
burst out into trouble for the country. Aphoristic sentences are found in these
essays too, but attention has been given to other factors as well.
Aphoristic style of Bacon: An
aphoristic style means a compact, condensed and epigrammatic style of writing.
Bacon’s writing has been admired for various reasons. Some have admired them
for dazzling rhetoric, others his grace. In Bacon we find a style which is
distinct and at the same time characteristic of his age. His style
includes various qualities. Firstly, he remains the best aphoristic,
so he stands the most quotable writer. There is terseness of expression and
epigrammatic brevity, in the essays of Bacon. His sentences are brief and
rapid, but they are also forceful. As Dean Church says, “They come down like the
strokes of a hammer.” The force of aphoristic style depends on other
stylistic qualities which supplement it. He weighs the pros
and cons of a statement and immediately counter-balances it. (Give
examples from the above the extracts).
A Rhetorician: Bacon’s
style is definitely rhetorical. In this connection, Saintsbury has remarked
that no one, “knows better than ---- (Bacon) how to leave a single word to
produce all its effects by using it in some slightly uncommon sense. He has
great powers of attracting and persuading his readers even though he may not
convince them. In prose rhetoric, in the use, that is to say, of language to
dazzle and persuade, not to convince. He has few rivals and no superiors in
English.” There is a constant use of imagery and analogy in Bacon’s
essays. The apt and extensive use of metaphors, images, similitudes
and analogies is in keeping with the view of the rhetoricians of the ancient as
well as of the Renaissance. Bacon draws his imagery from the familiar objects o
nature, or from the facts of every day life.
His Allusions and Quotations: The
essay bear witness to Bacon’s learned mind in the extensive use of quotations
and allusions drawn from various sources, classical fables, the Bible, History, the
ancient Greek and the Roman writers. Of Truth includes Pilate,
Lucian and Montaigne, In Of Great Place; we have Tacitus, Galba and
Vespacian, and Of Friendshipincludes reference to Aristotle. Thus Bacon
employs allusions to and quotations in order to explain his point. They serve
to make his style more scholarly and enrich it while lending to his ideas.
Though, his style is heavy with learning, yet it is more flexible than any of
his predecessors and contemporaries. His sentences are short and with this
shortness comes lucidity of expression. Thus he shows mastery of the principles
of prose. There almost nohumor in Bacon’s essays, but his essays are
packed with astounding wit.
Conclusion: The style of
Bacon is not the personal and chatty style of the subjective essayist like
Montaigne and Lamb. It is dignified and aphoristic style. He was indeed a
consummate artist who polished and chiseled his expressions and who could
change his style to suit to his subject.
Introduction: Bacon’s fame as a
writer depends most of all on the fact that he is the father of modern English
prose. He evolved a prose style that proved for the first time that English
could also be used to express the subtleties of thought, in clear and uninvolved
sentences.
The critics have noticed that there is a marked difference between Bacon’s earlier and later essays. Macaulay, contrasting extracts from of Studies (1597) and Of Adversity (1625) illustrates what he calls the two styles of Bacon.
The critics have noticed that there is a marked difference between Bacon’s earlier and later essays. Macaulay, contrasting extracts from of Studies (1597) and Of Adversity (1625) illustrates what he calls the two styles of Bacon.
It is true that there is a vast
difference between the styles of Bacon. But it is rather questionable whether
this difference could be attributed to the fact that Bacon had gained a
maturity of mind and intellect. Bacon wrote in more than one style. The
stately movement of The Advancement of Learning and Of Adversity has
been achieved in 1605 itself. Does that mean that Bacon had achieved
maturity of mind and imagination in eight years? This is not convincing. The
explanation lies in the fact that Bacon’s very conception of the essay
underwent a change. Bacon described his essays as “Dispersed Meditations”. The
first collection of essays is fully illustrative of Bacon’s definition of
the essay as dispersed meditations set down significantly rather than
curiously. The original idea was to make the essays into a sort of diary in
which significant observations on various topics of practical importance.
His essays were jotted down in a terse and pithy and concise language. His
first essays were a mere skeleton of thought, grouped around central themes
with suitable titles. There was no attempt polishing the style or clothing the
statements with literary beauty or imaginative grace. When, however, Bacon saw
that his essays had gained an unexpected popularity, he thought that it
was worth while polishing them and making them richer. These essays are very
brief in length. The ideas have not been developed. The sentences are all
crisp, short and sententious. Each sentence stands by itself. There is so much
of condensation that each sentence can easily be expanded into a paragraph.
That is to say that one single sentence does the job of a paragraph.
Essays not quite dispersed
meditations: It would, however, be a mistake to call all the essays of
Bacon “Dispersed Meditations”. There are some which have received at his hand,
a rather detailed treatment and which cannot be termed as “Sketchy”. In these
essays, Bacon finds room for conjunctions and connective clauses. Ideas are not
left underdeveloped and transitions from one thought to another are not so
abrupt. In Of Friendship, there is a logical approach in the enumeration
of the principle fruits of friendship. Each advantage is properly handled and
ideas are developed smoothly. There is not that abrupt transition of thought that
characterized some of Bacon’s other essays. Of Empire can be said to contain
almost exhaustive treatment of the dangers that beset a king in those days. In Of
Seditions and Troubles, there is a quite closely reasoned and connected account
of the causes and remedies of discontentment and agitation that may fester and
burst out into trouble for the country. Aphoristic sentences are found in these
essays too, but attention has been given to other factors as well.
Aphoristic style of Bacon: An
aphoristic style means a compact, condensed and epigrammatic style of writing.
Bacon’s writing has been admired for various reasons. Some have admired them
for dazzling rhetoric, others his grace. In Bacon we find a style which is
distinct and at the same time characteristic of his age. His style
includes various qualities. Firstly, he remains the best aphoristic,
so he stands the most quotable writer. There is terseness of expression and
epigrammatic brevity, in the essays of Bacon. His sentences are brief and
rapid, but they are also forceful. As Dean Church says, “They come down like the
strokes of a hammer.” The force of aphoristic style depends on other
stylistic qualities which supplement it. He weighs the pros
and cons of a statement and immediately counter-balances it. (Give
examples from the above the extracts).
A Rhetorician: Bacon’s
style is definitely rhetorical. In this connection, Saintsbury has remarked
that no one, “knows better than ---- (Bacon) how to leave a single word to
produce all its effects by using it in some slightly uncommon sense. He has
great powers of attracting and persuading his readers even though he may not
convince them. In prose rhetoric, in the use, that is to say, of language to
dazzle and persuade, not to convince. He has few rivals and no superiors in
English.” There is a constant use of imagery and analogy in Bacon’s
essays. The apt and extensive use of metaphors, images, similitudes
and analogies is in keeping with the view of the rhetoricians of the ancient as
well as of the Renaissance. Bacon draws his imagery from the familiar objects o
nature, or from the facts of every day life.
His Allusions and Quotations: The
essay bear witness to Bacon’s learned mind in the extensive use of quotations
and allusions drawn from various sources, classical fables, the Bible, History, the
ancient Greek and the Roman writers. Of Truth includes Pilate,
Lucian and Montaigne, In Of Great Place; we have Tacitus, Galba and
Vespacian, and Of Friendshipincludes reference to Aristotle. Thus Bacon
employs allusions to and quotations in order to explain his point. They serve
to make his style more scholarly and enrich it while lending to his ideas.
Though, his style is heavy with learning, yet it is more flexible than any of
his predecessors and contemporaries. His sentences are short and with this
shortness comes lucidity of expression. Thus he shows mastery of the principles
of prose. There almost nohumor in Bacon’s essays, but his essays are
packed with astounding wit.
Conclusion: The style of
Bacon is not the personal and chatty style of the subjective essayist like
Montaigne and Lamb. It is dignified and aphoristic style. He was indeed a
consummate artist who polished and chiseled his expressions and who could
change his style to suit to his subject.
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