Of marriage and single life

Email Other Apps "He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.

Of Marriage and Single Life by Francis Bacon HE that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.

Meaning … A married man has a wife and children, to whose upkeep, welfare and security he remains deeply committed. This is true for all societies, in all ages and in all lands. Such entanglement restricts his freedom to endeavor for something that his heart yearns for. It can something very noble and sublime or something wicked and devious.

Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public.

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When a person is yet to be betrothed, he is un-fettered and free of cares and worries. History shows that most mind-boggling achievements in the fields of art, literature, science etc.

Yet it were great reason that those that have children should have greatest care of future times; unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges. Meaning … However, it is also a fact that men with children tend to think of future with great seriousness and commitment.

This drives them to give their best to enterprises or efforts that can bring fruit in the years to come. Some there are, who though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences. Meaning … But, there are some men, who during their bachelorhood, while away their time and energy in wasteful ways or in indolence.

They seldom show any remorse or regret for such frittering away of opportunity. No feeling of shame comes to their mind for such inaction. Nay, there are some other that account wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer.

There are some married men who feel their wives and children are nothing but unwanted burden.

There are some half-witted rich people, who willingly do not want to procreate and have offspring. They fear that by having children, they create claimants to their property. Such thinking is ludicrous and bizarre. For perhaps they have heard some talk, Such an one is a great rich man, and another except to it, Yea, but he hath a great charge of children; as if it were an abatement to his riches.

Such greedy rich people are influenced by loose gossip. They hear people talking about the fabulous wealth of some men, but at the same time qualifying their awe by saying that the man has a large family to look after as burden. Such ill-conceived opinion sways some greedy people not have any progeny at all.

But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty, especially in certain self-pleasing and humorous minds, which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles.

There are people who choose to remain single because they feel, though absurdly, that unmarried life assures them of lifelong freedom from cares and worries and obligations.

Bacon -- Essay 8

They feel marriage leads to bondage, no matter the bliss and fulfillment it brings. Unmarried men are best friends, best masters, best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are light to run away; and almost all fugitives are of that condition.

Meaning … Unmarried men make good employees, good friends, and good people to work under, because they give their full time and attention to their jobs. But, these people are unsteady and volatile. With no roots family to hold them, they can desert you at any time. A single life doth well with churchmen; for charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool.

It is indifferent for judges and magistrates; for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. Wealthy bachelors are much sought after by churches, because they can donate generously with no family liability to worry about.Sir Francis Bacon explores the themes of independence, liberty, and marriage throughout his essay "Of Marriage and Single Life." As was mentioned in the previous post, Bacon examines the positives.

Related Questions

Marriage vs. Single Life Living a single life can be significantly different from being married. A marriage traditionally marks the beginning of a family; on the other hand, usually being single means that having a different solo life. The truth is that simplest things such as companionship, responsibility and lifestyle change when you marry that special person in your life.

Firstly, companionship is the . Of Marriage and Single Life by Francis Bacon. HE that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Meaning A married man has a wife and children, to whose upkeep, welfare and security he remains deeply committed.

Feb 23,  · Sir Francis Bacon’s “Of Marriage and Single Life” proves to be an essay that resonates on the juxtaposition of captivity and freedom. This ongoing state that humans face in life is something that the author calls for readers to note.

He uses the paradigm of being in a lifetime commitment to reflect a captive while. The essay Of Marriage And Single Life clearly demonstrates Bacon’s powers and talents. Bacon was a scholar, a man of sound commonsense and great practical wisdom. H was a scientist by temperament, a judge by profession, a great Parliamentarian with a shrewd and observant eye.

Bacon exploits all his attributes to the maximum to achieve his purpose.