Subject: English
Class: M.A.
Year/Semester : Ist
Name of the paper: English Literature from Chaucer to Shakespeare
Topic: Francis Bacon
Sub-topic: “Of Death”
Key-words : wages of sin, earnest pursuit, worthy ends, stoics
Name- Dr. Kiran Singh
Department of English & other Foreign Languages
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
Varanasi-02
E:mail:
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-Dr. Kiran Singh
“Of Death”: A critical analysis
“Of Death” is one of the best essays by Francis Bacon.
Bacon has written this essay in order to remove the fear of death from
human minds.
He proposes that a person should either stop the fear of death in the
very beginning or at least overpower it.
Sir Bacon fully explains the fear of death in the essay and elucidates its
different perspective.
The fear of Death(Why do people fear from death…?)
Bacon talks about the fear of death and says that the fear of death in the fear of unknown and so it is
natural.
People afraid of death as children afraid of darkness due to the tales narrated to them by elders that
ghost and evil spirits do come at night. Similarly, this fear of death is magnified by the horrors and tales
associated with death.
He further opines that people imagines of death in two ways either religious or natural.
The contemplation of death as "wages of sin "and a journey from one world to the other is holy and
religious which promises the gifts of God after death.
Naturally it is considered as a natural process and law of nature . No promise is included, so its fear is
heightened.
Bacon further criticises monks and religious scholars for their false preaching and exaggerations of
death and its pains due to which it has become more fearful. He quotes from the friar’s books of
mortification, “as man should think with himself what the pain is if he has but his finger’s end pressed
or tortured, and thereby imagines what the pains of death are, when whole body is corrupted and
dissolved.”
Bacon says that the rituals and pomp connected with death make death appear more horrible and
fearful than it actually is.
Death is not superior
After giving his answer to the question related to the fear of death Bacon further
argues that the fear of death is the superior one of all passions .
He points out that the passions of Revenge, Love, Honour , Grief etc. Overcome the fear
of death.
Pity is very tender feeling ,even this proves stronger sometimes than the fear of death.
Similarly weariness or boredom also overcomes this fear of death .
Bacon refers to Roman philosopher Seneca, who said that it is not death but its
concept, which is fearful. Death itself is not as dreadful as circumstances and funeral
ceremonies are.
Bacon is of the view that anyone can defeat the fear of death. However ,he should have
the will and determination to do so. If he has, he can control his fear.
To prove hos point bacon quotes names of fearless people from history, who do not
afraid of death and deliberately pursue death.
Death according to Bacon
Bacon supports the opinion of a Roman writer Juvenal, who said that we should not
afraid of death. It is natural and certain.
Man bears pain when he comes into this world ;the same pain he goes through at
the time of death.
Bacon is not in favour of preparing for death like stoics. He is of the view that it just
increases the fear of death.
Bacon suggests that Man should concentrate on doing good deeds rather than
preparing for death.
A man who remains busy and achieves higher goals in life and dies suddenly ,suffers
less pains and dies happily and satisfied.
He finally suggest that man should have ‘an earnest pursuit’ and ‘worthy ends and
expectations' to obtain. For such people death is not a fear, but it opens the gate of
immortality to them.
The essay ends with a thought that at least for the time being the author diminishes the
fear of death from readers’ mind
Critical Appreciation
Style of the author is simple and lucid yet arguments are solid.
Bacon has quoted various incidents and characters from history, philosophy
and mythology to prove his point, which exhibits his depth of knowledge.
The subject of the essay is of universal interest.
Images re common and convincing as they are based on every day
experience’
“…as children fear to go in the dark…” and “like one that is wounded in hot
blood.”
Bacon illustrates his ideas with appropriate similes , metaphors and
quotations.
Aphoristic style has been applied .
Language is effective because of its compactness and terseness.
There is neatness and pregnancy in sentences.
Books/Webs consulted
Bacon, Francis, ‘Of Death’.
www.askliterature.com
www.aidonnetwork.org
www.bitlanders.com
en.m.Wikipedia.org
Questions
Discuss Bacon as an essayist.
Write a critical appreciation of the essay “Of Death”
