Bacon and Renaissance

BACON AND RENAISSANCE Sir Francis Bacon was the typical product of Renaissance. Prior to discussing Bacon as a child of Renaissance it becomes imperative for us to familiarize ourselves with the term `Renaissance'. Renaissance implies revival of knowledge and rebirth of learning. In the broadest sense, we may regard Renaissance as the gradual enlightenment of human thought after the darkness and ignorance of Middle Ages. In fact the first seed of Renaissance was cultivated in Italy in 14m century then in France in 15'" century and in the end in England in 16th century. It opened new avenues of thought and brought about an intellectual revolution. This age produced a number of great dramatists, prose writers, poets and other literary figures. The age of Renaissance was the most glaring and the most important period of English literature. During this period different genres of literature were taken to climax. The age was marked with salient features and peculiar landmarks and Sir Francis Bacon was deeply inspired and influenced by the intellectual revolt entitled as Renaissance. Almost all the poets and dramatists of this age shared particular qualities of Renaissance period. In this period following we re the main trends of the people; • • • • • • •

Love for worldly profits. Love for natural sceneries. Love for classical arts namely poetry, music and painting. Unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Hankering after worldly powder and pelf. Devotion for secular knowledge. Humanistic attitudes towards life. Love for sexual and sensuous pleasures.

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Climax of Scientific learning

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Evolution of risky nature.

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Indifference to Religion

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Resource to Latin & Greek

Here we are concerned with Bacon as a typical product of Renaissance. The impact of Renaissance and Machiavellian

philosophy of life is quite obvious and tremendous on Bacon. He was one of the scholars and literary figures who welcomed Renaissance cordially and whole-heartedly. Bacon's essays provide worldly wisdom and are aptly regarded as the capsules of wisdom and worldly-mindedness. In fact the people were greatly disillusioned with the so-called religious activities and spiritualism of the Middle Ages. So, they were not ready to listen to moralists or reformers. Bacon got name and fame because his appeal was tremendous. His worldly wisdom and materialistic approach towards life was appreciated and encouraged by the people of Renaissance. He gives pieces of advice to grow materialistic and worldly persons. He proves himself to be a pragmatist and an opportunist and his essays, according to William Blake, "are good pieces of advice for Satan's kingdom". He was greatly impressed by the intellectual revolt and scientific changes. He tells his readers how to use techniques and tactics to get high places and respectable status in the society. He describes merits and demerits of marriage and love in worldly and mundane terms. We may find humanistic attitude in his essays. He focuses our attention on the secret methods of becoming rich and socially prosper. it means that the crux of all of his essays is the betterment and prosperity of human beings. However sometimes he s eems to be immoral, but reality lies on the country-side because he does not totally ignore the moral qualities. He pays heed to these moral qualities and seems to be advising that one should overlook moral qualities when they become hurdle in one's way to material prosperity. This is the attitude of the Renaissance period. As mentioned earlier that they were almost unscrupulous in this matter. Although sometimes Bacon becomes totally worldly man yet he never becomes totally Machiavellian philosopher. In some of his essays we may find Bacon's devotion to studies and getting limitless knowledge. He describes the merits and benefits of studies and books. He also shows the adventurous nature which was a prominent and salient feature of Renaissance period. He talks about tourism and says that travels are helpful for the younger and older people. He proves himself to be the typical product of Renaissance period in almost all of his essays. He was never a reformer in the traditional sense. He sought revival of knowledge and preached mundane

philosophy. In the Renaissance period the writers looked back to Latin and Greek classics in every field of life. Bacon's political views as expressed in his "essays" bear the stamp of Greek and Latin political thinkers. Bacon pushed forward the political views propounded by Plato. In this sense again we may assert unhesitatingly that he was greatly inspired by Renaissance and intellectual revolt. He favored scientific revolution and technical development. Though he was not a scientist yet he conveyed scientific messages through his essays. In the end, we may jump to the right conclusion that Bacon was a true child of Renaissance and in his essays he shows glimpses of his own age. All the peculiar qualities of Renaissance are found in his essays.