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Of Marriage and Single Life by Francis Bacon (Summary)

 

Of Marriage and Single Life

by Francis Bacon

(Summary) 

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The essay deals with the most common experience of human life. Sir Francis Bacon explores the themes of independence, liberty, and marriage throughout his essay. Bacon comments on the liberty that being single provides individuals who wish to live free from the restraints and responsibilities of marriage. He also mentions that single men have the time and money to give back to society in charitable ways. Bacon believes that single men are often "best friends, best masters, best servants." However, Bacon also writes that being single can make a man "cruel and hardhearted" because he does not enjoy the tenderness and love that married men often experience. Bacon proceeds to explain that he believes that only middle-aged men should get married at the right time and discusses why wives choose to marry bad husbands. Bacon recognizes that independence gives single men liberty which provides them the opportunity and capital to help society, but can also make them callous in certain situations. He also explores the positives and negatives of being married throughout the essay. The essay also reflects the reasons for not getting married and qualities of married and unmarried persons. It also throws light on advantages and disadvantages of being married and of remaining single.

The essay also throws light on advantages and disadvantages of being married and of remaining single. Bacon writes that unmarried or childless men tend to provide the greatest benefit for public life, as they bestow their kindness on the public instead of on their families. However, married men who are fathers are far more careful when thinking about the future, as they know their progeny will have to deal with it. Bacon writes, "Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects." Some professions are proper only for unmarried persons. For example, a clergyman should not get married. If he has a family, he will not save any money or affection to offer to others. Unmarried men can devote themselves with greater freedom to others, but they don't make the best subjects because they can run away and don't have to subject themselves to other people's rule for the sake of their families. Having a wife and children develops the softer feelings of a man. An unmarried man may be relatively wealthier and thus, capable of making larger donations to charity. However, they are deprived of the soft touch of feminine companionship. As a result, they tend to be more brutal, vengeful and cruel in their conduct. They do not get to engage in introspection to examine their deeds from a moral standpoint. Women who are faithful to their husbands are often proud of their chastity. If a wife thinks her husband to be wise, he will command her loyalty as well as obedience. A wife does not respect a jealous husband: "For a young man a wife is a mistress. For a middle-aged man she is a companion. For an old man, she serves as a nurse. This means that a man may marry at any age."

In short, Bacon, in this essay, weighs the pros and cons of marriage chiefly from the point of view of society, with only a nod to the personal benefits or detriments.

Read The ESSAY

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Location: India

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