Of Revenge: Francis Bacon’s Optimistic Tale? Essay -- Of Revenge Essay

Of Revenge Francis Bacons Optimistic Tale?           Revenge and vengeance are basic tools of humanity instinct. Whether society chooses to get hold of or blind itself to this fact, it is an indisputable truth. Francis Bacon examines this truth in Of Revenge, a view of society and literary cases that reflects the strive for vengeance. However, Of Revenge deeply underestimates the corruption of the human spirit and soul. It completely disregards the presence of the basic human instinct which thrives on the manipulation and destruction of others, for the pursuit of satisfaction. Though Bacons inferences to the book of Job or Solomon are perfectly viable to a character that chooses to take revenge after they have been wronged, to believe that no man does savage just for the sake of evil annihilates any complete sense of credibility that Bacons thoughts imply. The authors aspirations of the seeking of revenge solely as a means of avenging for oneself, and not to satisfy the evil within the human soul, is a beautiful and idealistic hope which belongs in some earthen utopia. Unfortunately, it has no bearing on the modern world. Though the beliefs of Bacon expressed in On Revenge fulfill the traits of characters such as Medea, they neglect the human thrive for meaningless vengeance in characters such as Shakespeares Iago.Euripidess Medea uses the theme of the hunt club for revenge in order to instigate the downfalls and deaths of numerous characters. This theme is expressed through the character of Medea, who fits directly into the mold laid out in the guidelines of Of Revenge. Medeas search for revenge commences after her husband, the famous Greek hero Jason, leaves her for... ...nge Francis Bacon considers the good and evil sides of man, and thus draws conclusions given the relationship between the good and evil in a character is equal. Therefore, a character such as Medea, who possessed many virtuous qualities, as wel l as detestable ones, fits the mold of Bacons beliefs of the defense of revenge. However, Bacon disregards the fact that in some men, their is more evil than their is good, and the strength and pertinacity of that man override moral views. It is this imbalance that leads characters like Iago to do evil for the sake of evil and though they are not justified in their search for revenge, they endlessly endeavor to disrupt the natural flow of good to satisfy their evil cravings. Bacon discounts this amoral view of the human race which irrevocably overshadows the conclusions he draws as to the justification of human vengeance.