Francis Bacon’s prose style

Francis Bacon was the greatest prose writer of the late 16th century and also of the early 17th century. Till today, his essays are considered as of classic status. Most of Bacon’s important work is in Latin. He believed that his works written in English would not receive any lasting impression. He mistrusted the permanence of English as a language. But it’s a pity that we remember Bacon for his essays written in English. Bacon expressed himself both in English and Latin. 

Sir Francis Bacon’s fame in England and even abroad rests very largely on his Essays. According to W.J. Long, Bacon’s famous essays are the one work, which interests all students of English literature. In these Essays, Bacon presents himself as a novelist, a statesmen and a man of the word. They are the fruits of the observation of life. In fact, the Essays are the fullest and finest expression of the practical wisdom he had acquired from study experience and meditation.

Some of the major features of Bacon’s prose are:

Objective

Use of short and sharp sentences

Figurative style

Use of logical sequence

One of the major features of Bacon’s prose style was that they were very objective. He did not use much emotion. Reading his essays, one would feel like they are reading advices of a learned and experienced man. He presented both advantages and disadvantages of a particular issue. For example, in “Of Marriage and Single Life” he says, “Unmarried men are best friends, best masters and best servants; but not always best subjects.”

If one goes through Bacon’s essays, he or she will see that Bacon did not write long sentences. Instead, his sentences were short and concise. The thoughts expressed in his essays are very compact and condensed which is why readers must read his essays slowly to fully understand his thoughts and ideals. For example, in “Of Truth” Bacon writes,

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

With popularity, Bacon gained more confidence, he decorated his style with figure of speech. His metaphor and similes have pictorial qualities. They are graphic. "Virtue is like precious odors …." Bacon is a master in the use of non-poetic imagination.

Bacon presented his thoughts and ideas in his essays in a very systematic and logical order. In his essay, “Of Love” he starts with the comparison of love in real life and stage. Then he presents the adverse effect of love and finally categorizes the good and evil kind of love. He follows the same order in all his essays.

Contraction and Expansion of Ideas:

First he gives the idea in condensed form, “Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability” (Of Studies). Then he expands, “Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornaments is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business….”

As I have mentioned earlier that Bacon wrote both in Latin and in English. He extensively used Latin expressions. He also used Greek expressions.

Here are some examples:

“Abeunt studia in mores…” in “Of Studies”.

“Optimum elige…” in “Of Parents and Children“.

“Satis magnum…” in “ Of Love”.

“Vetulam Suam…” in “Of Marriage and Single Life”.