Class with Mason: School of Literary Studies & Intellectual Arts. Free courses, notes on poems, novels, plays, literary movements, Critical Literary Theories, line-by-line modern translations of Shakespeare's plays, Study Guides, and more. Chart of All Major Literary Terms, All Literary Biographies, Language lab, poetry albums, audiobooks, and complementary Smart Tools like Image Converters for JPG, PNG, webp, BMP, pdf, AVIF, and more. Explore now
In "Of Boldness," Francis Bacon explores the nature and role of boldness in both public and private life.
He compares boldness to the role of action in oratory, where it overshadows more intellectual elements such as invention and elocution.
Bacon criticizes boldness as being more a product of ignorance and baseness than wisdom, though it can have great influence, especially among those with weak judgment.
Boldness, though it can achieve short-term success, tends to fail in the long run, being unreliable and unsustainable.
Bold individuals are compared to mountebanks (fraudulent healers) who promise much but have no real foundation in skill or knowledge.
Despite its shortcomings, boldness can be useful in execution, though it should not be trusted in counsel, where the ability to foresee dangers is important.
Analysis of "Of Boldness" by Francis Bacon
Bacon delves into the paradox of boldness, where it holds superficial power but lacks real substance. He highlights how boldness can attract attention and inspire confidence, but it is ultimately a shallow virtue.
The comparison of boldness to action in oratory emphasizes how performance often overtakes content in human affairs, showing how people are easily swayed by appearances.
He suggests that boldness, being rooted in ignorance, can trap those who are less discerning or confident, but even wise individuals can be misled during moments of weakness.
Bacon criticizes boldness for being blind to dangers and obstacles, making it poor in leadership but useful in situations that require immediate action.
The essay also touches on the comedic aspect of boldness, showing how it can lead to absurdity and even public ridicule when bold individuals fail to deliver on their promises.
Key Concepts and Points in "Of Boldness" by Francis Bacon
Boldness and Action: Boldness is compared to action in oratory, valued more than intellectual qualities like invention and elocution, but still superficial.
Ignorance and Baseness: Bacon argues that boldness stems from ignorance and a lack of deeper wisdom, making it inferior to other virtues.
Power of Boldness: Boldness can captivate and control those with weak judgment or courage, but its influence is often temporary.
Failure in Counsel: Bold individuals are blind to dangers and are not suited for positions of counsel or leadership, though they can be effective in executing orders.
Mountebanks Comparison: Bacon likens bold people to fraudulent healers, who succeed in the short term but ultimately lack the necessary skills and knowledge to maintain success.
Themes in "Of Boldness" by Francis Bacon
Superficial vs. Substantive Qualities: Bacon contrasts the external quality of boldness with deeper intellectual virtues, emphasizing how people often favor the superficial over the substantive.
Influence and Leadership: The essay explores how boldness can influence people and even succeed momentarily, but it is not a sustainable or reliable trait for long-term leadership or decision-making.
Absurdity of Boldness: Bacon humorously notes that boldness often leads to ridiculous situations when it fails, highlighting the gap between promise and delivery in bold individuals.
Blindness and Danger: Boldness is portrayed as a blind force that ignores dangers, making it dangerous in positions of command but useful for executing decisions made by others.
