Of Love
by
Francis Bacon
(Summary)
Francis Bacon's essay Of Love details
questions and answers regarding the very complicated concept of love. The essay
begins by comparing love to the stage. According to Bacon, love mirrors the
stage because it is filled with comedy, tragedy, mischief, and fury. Like the
plays produced on the stage, love is multidimensional.
In
this essay, Bacon speaks of the negative side of love. He dwells mainly on the
disadvantages of love. He says that love does much mischief in life. It
sometimes plays the role of a Siren and sometimes that of a Fury. Love plays a
great role in the theatre than in the actual life of man. Love has always
provided material for comic plays and sometimes, for tragic plays. But, in actual
life of man, love causes much mischief. It may wreck the career of a man as it
did that of Antony, or it may drive a man mad with jealousy as it did Othello.
Speaking like a moralist and a puritan, he observes that no great and worthy
person of ancient or modern time has ever been transported to the mad degree of
love. He says that man is created to contemplate noble and grand objects. It
does not behoove a man to fall on his knees before a woman. He accuses the
lover of employing exaggeration while speaking of his love; and he warns a
lover that even the woman may be scoffing at his exaggerated and extravagant
manner of speaking. He also says that the lover may sacrifice both riches and
wisdom.
It
is difficult to agree with Bacon views and remarks regarding love as the child of
folly. Here, one sided treatment to love is seen. The passion of love is at its
height when a man is either in a state of great prosperity or in a state of
great adversity. If a man cannot resist love, he should, at least, keep it
within limits. He should not allow his love to interfere with the business of
his life because it can play havoc with his fortune. It may be a wise policy to
keep love within limits and not to allow it to interfere with business. A lover
certainly has to made sacrifices for the sake of his love. But the fact remains
that love is something grand and sublime. Love is a many splendoured thing. It
is one of the most inspiring and ennobling passions of mankind. Bacon does not
speak of the raptures of love.
Loving
others is a natural tendency in a man. It is natural desire to love others. If
man does not concentrate his love on one individual, his love will naturally
spread itself over a large number of people. If that happens, a man will become
more kindhearted and charitable, as is the case sometimes with monks. Monks are
kind-hearted and charitable because they spread their love over many people.
Married love is noble and has beneficial results for society in general. Love
of friends is also noble and it serves to raise mankind to a high position.
Love of friends is sublime and has an elevating effect. But immoral love, the
kind of passion that a man feels for prostitutes, has a corrupting and
degrading effect upon human beings.
In
nutshell, the essay discloses the philosophical thoughts of Bacon on love. For him,
love plays rather a great role in the stage than in real life. But love causes
more trouble in real life. It may drive a man away from his career; it can also
drive a man with jealousy. Bacon says that it is foolish to kneel before a lady
for the sake of love. Love distorts men’s judgment of things. In spite of all
the sacrifice, love may defeat its own object. Paris lost everything for Helen.
Love is directly proportional to both prosperity and adversity. Love is the
child of folly. If it cannot be resisted that should be kept within limits. It
may ruin one’s life. The purpose of the essay is to explain love and its
effects on all kinds of people. The essay informs the people that no matter
what type of person you are, love will have an effect on you. There is no escaping.
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