Of Death by Sir Francis Bacon (Summary)

 

Of Death

by Sir Francis Bacon

(Summary) 

Sir Francis Bacon has written the essay ‘Of Death’ to end the fear of death from human minds. He says, that a person should overpower the fear of death. He says, that monks and religious scholars have exaggerated death, due to which it has become dreadful. He also mentions proverbs of old philosophers.

Bacon says, that people are afraid of death just like children afraid of the darkness, because children listen stories of ghosts; elders tell them that ghosts appear at night; therefore, they feel afraid of darkness. Similarly, agonies of death are told to human beings due to which they fear from it. When a person thinks about death, he imagines it from one of the two perspectives: religious and natural. If he is thinking that death is a procedure to travel from one world to the other and he would be punished because of his sins, then he is thinking from a religious perspective. Conversely, a person may think from a natural perspective; he may think that death is certain; it is the law of nature. However, Bacon thinks that in case of natural death, fear is an act of cowardliness.

Bacon criticizes religious beliefs. Scholars have mixed religion with superstition. In some books, it is mentioned that death is painful suffering. He then quotes an example of squeezing a finger; “a man should think with himself what the pain is if he has but his finger’s end pressed or tortured, and thereby imagine what the pains of death are, when whole body is corrupted and dissolved”. According to Sir Francis Bacon, death has been exaggerated due to which people are afraid of death.

Bacon refers to Roman Philosopher Seneca, who said that it is not the death but its concept, which is fearful. When people put their feet in shoes of the person, who is near to death, they become frightened; his groans, his face and his convulsions increase the fear of people. Moreover, the dead body of near and dear one also enhances the fear of people. Death itself is not as dreadful as circumstances and funeral ceremonies are. Thus, it is not death but its concept, which is horrible. Bacon believes that anyone can overpower the fear of death. He should have the wish to do so. He can control his fear.

Bacon gives a list of people, who do not afraid of death. They even deliberately pursue death.

A person who wants revenge has no fear of death. Even if he knows that his enemy would kill him. He just wants revenge.

Passionate lover can die for his beloved.

A man of honor can die to protect his honor.

Downtrodden man would prefer death to sufferings.

The Roman Emperor, Otho committed suicide. His followers also killed themselves because they were his true supporters. The author refers Seneca, who says that a person may commit suicide if he is fed up from life. Due to boredom and feelings of monotony, a person may kill himself.

Bacon then mentions the people who do not afraid of death, even when it approaches them and who remained calmed at the time of death.

Augustus Caesar, the Roman Emperor was so calm that he gave a compliment to his wife.

Tiberius, a Roman Emperor, died during maintaining up appearances. His death was fearless.

Vespasian, a Roman Emperor said, he was going to be a god and died.

Galba, a Roman Emperor died gladly for the welfare of his people.

Septimius Severus, a Roman Emperor was curious to die after realizing that death is approaching him.

There are many examples in the world, when people died gladly.

Sir Francis Bacon supports the opinion of Juvenal, a Roman writer, who has said that we should not afraid of death. It is natural; it is certain. When a person came into the world, he bore pain; the same pain which the elders go through at the time of death. Bacon does not support the concept of preparing for death, because it increases the fear. A person, who remains busy in his works and suddenly dies, suffers less pain as compared to a person, who prepares for it. A person should concentrate on doing good deeds; if he does so, he would suffer less pain at the time of death.

Bacon quotes an example of Simeon, who wished to see Christ and when he achieved his goal of seeing Christ, he happily died. Thus, everyone has goals in this world. If a person achieves them, he can gladly die.

Bacon also mentions the benefits of death:

The first benefit of death is that people glorify good deeds of the dead. However, in his life, fewer people talk about his good deeds. The second benefit of death is that when a person dies, his enemies do not feel jealous for him.

Sir Francis Bacon encourages his readers to accept death as a law of nature. Instead of being cowards and running away from death, we should become brave and feel its beauty. The essay is highly optimistic, as death has been presented as a natural thing.