Bacon and Hobbes

On scanning King Lear and the works of John Donne in light of the writing of Sir Francis Bacon, there are several notable connections that arise, showing that such literature was indeed influenced by the non-fiction schools of thought circulating at the time.

One of these connections can be found between Shakespeare’s King Lear and Bacon’s essay "On Truth." In King Lear, the plot is advanced by pitting truth and falsehood against each other, with the implicit understanding that truth is good and falsehood, evil. We see this struggle in the very first scene of the play, when King Lear is deciding how to divide his kingdom. Both Reagan and Goneril lie about their regard for their father, using obsequious and flowery speech to convince him that they hold him in much higher esteem than is actually true. Cordelia, on the other hand, is unable to flatter her father with lies (because of her moral character), and tells him in simple, straightforward speech of her true feelings for him. Later, Edmund lies about his brother Edward, convincing his father that the latter does not have his best wishes at heart, so that he may inherit his title and fortune despite being a bastard. All the evil that follows these first few scenes arises, essentially, from these lies. There is much suffering for everyone involved, but ultimately, good and truth triumph.

This understanding of truth is one that is spiritedly stressed in Bacon's essay "On Truth." Bacon is surprised by the fact that people are attracted to lies, and averse to truth. He says that there is no excuse for lies in everyday life – the only reasonable explanations for lies are when poets lie to make their writing interesting, or when businessmen lie for profit (“what should be in it, that men should love lies; where neither they make for pleasure, as with poets, nor for advantage, as with the merchant; but for the lie's sake”). Bacon calls the inquiry, knowledge, and belief of truth “the sovereign good of human nature.” In fact, he sees lying as one of the most shameful acts a man can commit: “there is no vice, that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious.” Thus, there is an obvious connection between Bacon’s essay and King Lear: Bacon sees lying as extremely wrong and destructive, and this notion is manifested in the tragedy of King Lear, that takes place, at a basic level, because of the lies of the immoral characters. This understanding of truth is also seen in the ultimate fate of the lying characters in King Lear: Bacon says that lying is the height of wickedness, and that it will incur the wrath of God, and indeed, the fates of Goneril, Reagan, and Edmund can be interpreted as such.

Another connection can be found between the Holy Sonnets of John Donne and Bacon’s essays “Of Marriage and Single Life” and “Of Superstition.” In Donne’s Holy Sonnet 17 he says that it is good his wife is dead, because now he has more time and attention to give to God. This sentiment echoes Bacon’s idea that “he that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises,” and that “the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men.” Bacon says “a single life doth well with churchmen,” because they, like Donne after his wife dies, have nothing to distract them from complete devotion to God.

It is interesting to note that in his essay “Of Superstition,” Bacon says that it is better to be an atheist than to have an “unworthy” opinion of, or imperfect relationship with, God. Bacon says that at least “atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation,” but superstition precludes the possibilities of all these moral virtues, and thus atheism is preferable. Donne, although he similarly feels that one should have a “worthy” relationship with God, does not see an imperfect relationship as a reason to renounce God completely. In Holy Sonnets 7 and 14 especially, he beseeches God to help him become a better man, that he may allow God into his heart and be judged favorably on Judgment Day.