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Of Love by Francis Bacon Summary



Bacon stays negative about love throughout the essay. However in the end he describes certain kinds of love as moralistic and beneficial. So let's move toward the summary and easy explanation of the essay.

Love as we see in dramas or fiction is not the real one because real love is of less intensity. just because writers' major earning lies in love themes and scenes, they add love to every form of fiction (whether it is a movie or a drama) to attract the audience and grab money. As far as real life is concerned, love is simply a synonym for destruction.

Learn about history; you will come to know that those who were great, did not give any heed to the love_ if did, it was not of much intensity. There are two exceptions regarding this,
Marcus Antonius and Appius Claudius. The first one, Marcus Antonius who was Octavio Caesar's partner in ruling Rome, fell in love with the queen of Egypt. Bacon says let's accept he was somehow more compassionate but the latter, Appius Claudius was a wise man. He was a law-maker and commissioner of Rome but could not hold control over himself and became a victim of love. And therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance not only into an open heart but also into a heart well fortified if care is not taken. This also reveals that love is a passion that makes you weak and puts obstacles between you and you are your great achievements.

A Greek philosopher Epicurus said that a human should love other humans but, to Bacon, it is a poor or false saying because a human should see higher things_ not a worthless thing like love. For love makes you a slave of your beloved. A lover does not want food but a glimpse of his beloved. He becomes a slave to the one he loves. His appetite begins with eyes so he misuses his eyes for the wrong purpose.

At excess of this love passion, a man neglect reality of things and their real values. He uses artificial language to express his feelings. Love Not only affects language but thoughts of a lover too. One's ego is one's biggest flatterer that manipulates one's mind that whatever he is doing is right but a lover's love even counts at a greater rank than ego. A lover thinks about his beloved more than a proud man thinks of himself. So Bacon says "It is impossible to love and to be wise".
 Means a lover is a fool. His foolishness is also visible to his beloved in addition to other people around him.


Now Bacon turns towards the beloved. If she accepts her lover's love it means she is digesting all the foolish and absurd compliments and deeds. and if she rejects it means she is inwardly laughing over his foolishness and how far he is from reality.
Love only makes destruction. Love is powerful and makes a man its slave specially when a man is mentally weak. And one gets mentally weak during his most destructive or most favorable times.

The solution to this love is that if a man can't resist love, he should keep control over his passion i.e he doesn't allow it to enter his serious affairs like business and progress.

Although warriors (soldiers) are strong but they are somewhat more exposed to love. Somehow it is because after getting pain they want relaxation and pleasure which they find in wines and beloved.

Love is of three kinds: Nupital love (love after marriage) is beneficial as it ensures the human race or generation's continuity through their offspring. A friend's love for his friend makes humans perfect. Third and immoral love is lust. It is a corrupt love which is for beasts.

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