RENAISSANCE ELEMENTS IN BACON'S ESSAYS

Renaissance means the revival of learning and an absolute change in every occupation. In its broadest
sense, it denotes the gradual enlightenment of human mind after darkness of Middle Ages.

The influence of Renaissance spirit is obvious on Bacon in his essays. He lays emphasis on self-
advancement. He has a love for classical learning and natural beauty, which are the qualities of
Renaissance.

Bacon's essays bear the pragmatic spirit. He deals with the practical advantages of the things in the new
intellectual atmosphere created by the Renaissance. His essays are replete with what is known as
worldly wisdom. We see Bacon advising the reader as how to become rich, how to rise his position, how
to exercise one's powers. In his essay "Of Truth", he emphasises the value of truth but also points out
that the mixture of falsehood is like an alloy in the coin of gold and silver that makes the metal work
better. In his essay "Of Riches", he says that the riches are a hindrance to virtue and yet offers
suggestion how a man can become rich.

In Bacon's essays, we find the Machiavellian approach to life, to achieve success in life by using fair and
foul means. This is an important characteristic of Renaissance age. Therefore, he is the preacher of
Machiavellian philosophy.

The Renaissance was the time of exploration and regional conquests. This aspect of Renaissance is
reflected in Bacon's political essays. In the essays “Of Empire” and “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms
and Estates”, he points out the various dangers that kings in the time faced. He gives useful advice to
kings concerning their dealings with their neighbours, their wives, children, their clergy and their nobles,
etc. He tells us that the greatness of a country is not by the territory or population but the military
power.

The revival of classical learning and the study of ancient Greek and Roman literature and history are
obvious in Bacon's essays. There are numerous quotations from ancient writers and through them he
supported his arguments.

Bacon's love of learning is portrayed in his essays. This love of learning is an important quality of
Renaissance age. In his Essay "Of Studies", he emphasizes the advantages of reading. His essay "Of the
True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates" contains thirteen Latin quotations. He says about the love of
learning:

"I have taken all the knowledge to be my province.”

Another feature of the Renaissance that is reflected in some of Bacon's essays is his love of beauty and
the sensuousness. His essay "Of Garden" shows him as a lover of natural beauty and an ardent love of
sensuous beauty. As he says:

"And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air than in the hand."
Another important characteristic of the Renaissance is the striking use of the figure of speech that is
clear in Bacon's essays. The metaphors and similes taken from different spheres of knowledge and
experience reflect the popular taste of the age. We have a glimpse of his metaphor and similes in the
following sentences from his essays:

"A mixture of lie doth ever add pleasure" (Of Truth)

"Men fear death as children fear to go in dark" (Of Death)

As a Renaissance man, Bacon has the sense of curiosity and love for travel. The lists of things that are
worth seeing are typical spirit of the Renaissance. It exhibits the tendency to know more and more
about every thing and every place. It is said that Bacon has Faustian (like Dr. Faustus) urge of curiosity
and love for travel.

Renaissance age was accompanied with the great spirit of humanism. Bacon's essays are proper study of
humanism. He directed his gaze inward and became deeply interested in the problems of human
personality. All of his essays have "man" as their subject matter.

Bacon's morality governed by the knowledge that man is not perfect and that he can be expected to
adhere to ethical standards only to a certain extent.

Bacon has the main feature of Renaissance spirit in his essays but there is one great exception and that
is the use of language. He does not reflect the age's pride in English language. He admired and preferred
Latin to English and thought that the Latin version of his essays would be more popular. Critics have
different opinions about Bacon’s language. A critic says:

"The language of Bacon is as supreme in prose as Shakespeare's in verse."

In the end, we can say that Bacon is a writer who represents the most salient feature of his age, which is
the age of revival of learning and study of ancients, the spirit of inquiry and individualism. He is the real
product of The Renaissance glory and reveals the thoughts, philosophy and true features of the
Renaissance spirit.