Volpone or the Fox – Ben Jonson Summary

 

Volpone or the Fox – Ben Jonson Summary

Volpone (Italian for "sly fox") is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605–1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-performed play, and it is ranked among the finest Jacobean era comedies.

Character List

Volpone

The protagonist of the play. Volpone's name means "The Fox" in Italian. He is lustful, lecherous, and greedy for pleasure. He is also energetic and has an unusual gift for rhetoric, mixing the sacred and the profane to enunciate a passionate commitment to self-gratification. He worships his money, all of which he has acquired through cons, such as the one he now plays on Voltore, Corbaccio, and Corvino. Volpone has no children, but he has something of a family: his parasite, Mosca, his dwarf, Nano, his eunuch, Castrone, and his hermaphrodite, Androgyno. Mosca is his only true confidante, and he begins to lust feverishly after Celia upon first setting eyes on her.

Mosca

Mosca is Volpone's parasite, a combination of his slave, his servant, his lackey, and his surrogate child. Though initially (and for most of the play) he behaves in a servile manner towards Volpone, Mosca conceals a growing independence he gains as a result of the incredible resourcefulness he shows in aiding and abetting Volpone's confidence game. Mosca's growing confidence, and awareness that the others in the play are just as much "parasites" as he—in that they too would rather live off the wealth of others than do honest work—eventually bring him into conflict with Volpone, a conflict that destroys them both.

Celia

The voice of goodness and religiosity in the play, Celia is the wife of Corvino, who is extremely beautiful, enough to drive both Volpone and Corvino to distraction. She is absolutely committed to her husband, even though he treats her horribly, and has a faith in God and sense of honor, traits which seem to be lacking in both Corvino and Volpone. These traits guide her toward self- restraint and self-denial. Her self-restraint makes her a foil for Volpone, who suffers a complete absence of that quality.

Voltore

One of the three legacy hunters or carrion-birds—the legacy hunters continually circle around Volpone, giving him gifts in the hope that he will choose them as his heir. Voltore is a lawyer by profession, and, as a result, he is adept in the use of words and, by implication, adept in deceit, something he proves during the course of the play. He is also something of a social climber, conscious of his position in his society and resentful at being overtaken by others on the way up.

Corvino

An extremely vicious and dishonorable character, Corvino is Celia's jealous husband. He frequently threatens to do disgusting acts of physical violence to her and her family in order to gain control over her. Yet he is more concerned with financial gain than with her faithfulness, seeing her, in essence, as a piece of property. Corvino is another one of the "carrion-birds" circling Volpone.

Corbaccio

The third "carrion-bird" circling Volpone, Corbaccio is actually extremely old and ill himself and is much more likely to die before Volpone even has a chance to bequeath him his wealth. He has a hearing problem and betrays no sign of concern for Volpone, delighting openly in (fake) reports of Volpone's worsening symptoms.

Bonario

The son of Corbaccio. Bonario is an upright youth who remains loyal to his father even when his father perjures against him in court. He heroically rescues Celia from Volpone and represents bravery and honor, qualities which the other characters seem to lack.

Sir Politic Would-be

An English knight who resides in Venice. Sir Politic represents the danger of moral corruption that English travelers face when they go abroad to the continent, especially to Italy. He occupies the central role in the subplot, which centers on the relationship between himself and Peregrine, another English traveler much less gullible than the good knight. Sir Politic is also imaginative, coming up with ideas for moneymaking schemes such as using onions to detect the plague, as well as the idea of making a detailed note of every single action he performs in his diary, including his urinations.

Lady Politic Would-be

The Lady Politic Would-be is portrayed as a would-be courtesan. She was the impetus for the Would-bes move to Venice, because of her desire to learn the ways of the sophisticated Venetians. She is very well read and very inclined to let anyone know this, or anything else about her. She is extremely vain.

Peregrine

Peregrine is a young English traveler who meets and befriends Sir Politic Would- be upon arriving in Venice. Peregrine is amused by the gullible Would-be, but is also easily offended, as demonstrated by his adverse reaction to Lady Politic Would-be's suggestive comments.

Nano

Nano, as his named in Italian indicates ("nano" means "dwarf"), is a dwarf. He is also Volpone's fool, or jester, keeping Volpone amused with songs and jokes written by Mosca.

Castrone

The only notable fact about Castrone is that his name means eunuch ("castrone" means "eunuch" in Italian). There is not much else to say about Castrone, as he has no speaking lines whatsoever.

Androgyno

"Androgyno" means "hermaphrodite" in Italian, and as in the case of Nano and Castrone, the name rings true. Androgyno apparently possesses the soul of Pythagoras, according to Nano, which has been in gradual decline ever since it left the ancient mathematician's body.

 

Summary:

Volpone takes place in seventeenth-century Venice, over the course of one day. The play opens at the house of Volpone, a Venetian nobleman. He and his "parasite" Mosca—part slave, part servant, part lackey—enter the shrine where Volpone keeps his gold. Volpone has amassed his fortune, we learn, through dishonest means: he is a con artist. And we also learn that he likes to use his money extravagantly.

Soon, we see Volpone's latest con in action. For the last three years, he has been attracting the interest of three legacy hunters: Voltore, a lawyer; Corbaccio, an old gentleman; and Corvino, a merchant—individuals interested in inheriting his estate after he dies. Volpone is known to be rich, and he is also known to be childless, have no natural heirs. Furthermore, he is believed to very ill, so each of the legacy hunters lavishes gifts on him, in the hope that Volpone, out of gratitude, will make him his heir. The legacy hunters do not know that Volpone is actually in excellent health and merely faking illness for the purpose of collecting all those impressive "get-well" gifts.

In the first act, each legacy hunter arrives to present a gift to Volpone, except for Corbaccio, who offers only a worthless (and probably poisoned) vial of medicine. But Corbaccio agrees to return later in the day to make Volpone his heir, so that Volpone will return the favor. This act is a boon to Volpone, since Corbaccio, in all likelihood, will die long before Volpone does. After each hunter leaves, Volpone and Mosca laugh at each's gullibility. After Corvino's departure Lady Politic Would-be, the wife of an English knight living in Venice, arrives at the house but is told to come back three hours later. And Volpone decides that he will try to get a close look at Corvino's wife, Celia, who Mosca describes as one of the most beautiful women in all of Italy. She is kept under lock and key by her husband, who has ten guards on her at all times, but Volpone vows to use disguise to get around these barriers.

The second act portrays a time just a short while later that day, and we meet Sir Politic Would-be, Lady Politic's husband, who is conversing with Peregrine, an young English traveler who has just landed in Venice. Sir Politic takes a liking to the young boy and vows to teach him a thing or two about Venice and Venetians; Peregrine, too, enjoys the company of Sir Politic, but only because he is hilariously gullible and vain. The two are walking in the public square in front of Corvino's house and are interrupted by the arrival of "Scoto Mantua," actually Volpone in diguise as an Italian mountebank, or medicine-show man. Scoto engages in a long and colorful speech, hawking his new "oil", which is touted as a cure-all for disease and suffering. At the end of the speech, he asks the crows to toss him their handkerchiefs, and Celia complies. Corvino arrives, just as she does this, and flies into a jealous rage, scattering the crows in the square. Volpone goes home and complains to Mosca that he is sick with lust for Celia, and Mosca vows to deliver her to Volpone. Meanwhile, Corvino berates his wife for tossing her handkerchief, since he interprets it as a sign of her unfaithfulness, and he threatens to murder her and her family as a result. He decrees that, as punishment, she will now no longer be allowed to go to Church, she cannot stand near windows (as she did when watching Volpone), and, most bizarrely, she must do everything backwards from now on–she must even walk and speak backwards. Mosca then arrives, implying to Corvino that if he lets Celia sleep with Volpone (as a "restorative" for Volpone's failing health), then Volpone will choose him as his heir. Suddenly, Corvino's jealousy disappears, and he consents to the offer.

The third act begins with a soliloquy from Mosca, indicating that he is growing increasingly conscious of his power and his independence from Volpone. Mosca then runs into Bonario, Corbaccio's son, and informs the young man of his father's plans to disinherit him. He has Bonario come back to Volpone's house with him, in order to watch Corbaccio sign the documents (hoping that Bonario might kill Corbaccio then and there out of rage, thus allowing Volpone to gain his inheritance early). Meanwhile Lady Politic again arrives at Volpone's residence, indicating that it is now mid-morning, approaching noon. This time, Volpone lets her in, but he soon regrets it, for he is exasperated by her talkativeness. Mosca rescues Volpone by telling the Lady that Sir Politic has been seen in a gondola with a courtesan (a high-class prostitute). Volpone then prepares for his seduction of Celia, while Mosca hides Bonario in a corner of the bedroom, in anticipation of Corbaccio's arrival. But Celia and Corvino arrive first—Celia complains bitterly about being forced to be unfaithful, while Corvino tells her to be quiet and do her job. When Celia and Volpone are alone together, Volpone greatly surprises Celia by leaping out of bed. Celia had expected and old, infirm man, but what she gets instead is a lothario who attempts to seduce her with a passionate speech. Always the good Christian, Celia refuses Volpone's advances, at which point Volpone says that he will rape her. But Bonario, who has been witnessing the scene from his hiding place the entire time, rescues Celia. Bonario wounds Mosca on his way out. Corbaccio finally arrives, too late, as does Voltore. Mosca plots, with Voltore's assistance, how to get Volpone out of this mess.

A short while later, in the early afternoon, Peregrine and Sir Politic are still talking. Sir Politic gives the young traveler some advice on living in Venice and describes several schemes he has under consideration for making a great deal of money. They are soon interrupted by Lady Politic, who is convinced that Peregrine is the prostitute Mosca told her about—admittedly, in disguise. But Mosca arrives and tells Lady Politic that she is mistaken; the courtesan he referred to is now in front of the Senate (in other words, Celia). Lady Politic believes him and ends by giving Peregrine a seductive goodbye with a coy suggestion that they see each other again. Peregrine is incensed at her behavior and vows revenge on Sir Politic because of it. The scene switches to the Scrutineo, the Venetian Senate building, where Celia and Bonario have informed the judges of Venice about Volpone's deceit, Volpone's attempt to rape Celia, Corbaccio's disinheritance of his son, and Corvino's decision to prostitute his wife. But the defendants make a very good case for themselves, led by their lawyer, Voltore. Voltore portrays Bonario and Celia as lovers, Corvino as an innocent jilted husband, and Corbaccio as a wounded father nearly killed by his evil son. The judge are swayed when Lady Politic comes in and (set up perfectly by Mosca) identifies Celia as the seducer of her husband Sir Politic. Further, they are convinced when Volpone enters the courtroom, again acting ill. The judges order that Celia and Bonario be arrested and separated.

In the final act, Volpone returns home tired and worried that he is actually growing ill, for he is now feeling some of the symptoms he has been faking. To dispel his fears, he decides to engage in one final prank on the legacy hunters. He spreads a rumor that he has died and then tells Mosca to pretend that he has been made his master's heir. The plan goes off perfectly, and all three legacy hunters are fooled. Volpone then disguises himself as a Venetian guard, so that he can gloat in each legacy hunter's face over their humiliation, without being recognized. But Mosca lets the audience know that Volpone is dead in the eyes of the world and that Mosca will not let him "return to the world of the living" unless Volpone pays up, giving Mosca a share of his wealth.

Meanwhile, Peregrine is in disguise himself, playing his own prank on Sir Politic. Peregrine presents himself as a merchant to the knight and informs Politic that word has gotten out of his plan to sell Venice to the Turks. Politic, who once mentioned the idea in jest, is terrified. When three merchants who are in collusion with Peregrine knock on the door, Politic jumps into a tortoise-shell wine case to save himself. Peregrine informs the merchants when they enter that he is looking at a valuable tortoise. The merchants decide to jump on the tortoise and demand that it crawls along the floor. They remark loudly upon its leg-garters and fine hand-gloves, before turning it over to reveal Sir Politic. Peregrine and the merchants go off, laughing at their prank, and Sir Politic moans about how much he agrees with his wife's desire to leave Venice and go back to England.

Meanwhile, Volpone gloats in front of each legacy hunter, deriding them for having lost Volpone's inheritance to a parasite such as Mosca, and he successfully avoids recognition. But his plan backfires nonetheless. Voltore, driven to such a state of distraction by Volpone's teasing, decides to recant his testimony in front of the Senate, implicating both himself but more importantly Mosca as a criminal. Corvino accuses him of being a sore loser, upset that Mosca has inherited Volpone's estate upon his death, and the news of this death surprises the Senators greatly. Volpone nearly recovers from his blunder by telling Voltore, in the middle of the Senate proceeding, that "Volpone" is still alive. Mosca pretends to faint and claims to the Senate that he does not know where he is, how he got there, and that he must have been possessed by a demon during the last few minutes when he was speaking to them. He also informs the Senators that Volpone is not dead, contradicting Corvino. All seems good for Volpone until Mosca returns, and, instead of confirming Voltore's claim that Volpone is alive, Mosca denies it. Mosca, after all, has a will, written by Volpone and in his signaure, stating that he is Volpone's heir. now that Volpone is believed to be dead, Mosca legally owns Volpone's property, and Mosca tells Volpone that he is not going to give it back by telling the truth. Realizing that he has been betrayed, Volpone decides that rather than let Mosca inherit his wealth, he will turn them both in. Volpone takes off his disguise and finally reveals the truth about the events of the past day. Volpone ends up being sent to prison, while Mosca is consigned to a slave galley. Voltore is disbarred, Corbaccio is stripped of his property (which is given to his son Bonario), and Corvino is publicly humiliated, forced to wear donkey's ears while being rowed around the canals of Venice. At the end, there is a small note from the playwright to the audience, simply asking them to applaud if they enjoyed the play they just saw.

Reference: sparknotes.com

 

Of Love - Francis Bacon Summary

 

Of Love – Francis Bacon

 Summary

Romance is generally portrayed somewhat unrealistically in plays, theaters, and in stages. Love is shown to be mostly as a human very noble trait that leads to joy, ecstasy, and a sense of fulfilment. In very small number of instances, love leads to tragedy and sorrow. It brings with it ends that are dark and foreboding. The consequence leads to disaster. Many great men of today who have been besotted leading to a tumultuous and eventful phase in their lives. History, also, has in its record many great men who have been swayed by turbulent winds of romance that has tended to throw them off their feet. However, there are umpteen instances where wise and sagacious men have refused to be gripped by such a distracting passion. They have not allowed their wisdom and intellectual pursuits to be held hostage to any form of infatuation. Marcus Antonius, the able, ambitious and powerful member of the royalty was given the right to rule over almost a third of the Roman empire. Appius Cladius, the second member of the triumvirate, was also given a third of the empire to rule over. Antonius was amorous, un-restrained, and impulsive. He had little control of his heart that wandered wildly in pursuit of love and lust. Apius Cladius, his friend and compatriot, was a sober, contented and sage-like person of great wisdom and restraint. He never let his desires to overwhelm him and influence his decisions. So, he never erred, never strayed, and never brought himself to disrepute while chasing romantic passions.  Bacon cites the case of the Greek philosopher Epiurus who advocated discipline, restraint and self-control in leading on’s lives. In his writings, he has cautioned against the perils of chasing worldly pleasures that invariably ravage our lives. He said, “Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus” which literally means, ‘we are big enough theater for one another’. Through this sermon, he says that we all can live our lives in full, without getting into conflicts, revenge, and other such misdeeds. He deprecates the way valiant men of great worth kneel before the women of their love looking so miserable and small. Such capitulation is unwarranted, and degrading for worthy and gifted men.  Unfettered love is a passion that invariably overwhelms, and thus, undermines a man.

 In a way it devalues him and trivializes his standing before others. In romantic discourses, exaggeration of the beauty and persona of the beloved is routinely resorted to. Such effusive praise or embellishment looks apt only in romance, and not in practical life. A lover who sacrifices his discerning power to pour honeyed words on his woman obviously compromises with his intelligence, and power of judgment. In the process, he devalues his inner self. No man with some amount of pride in him will ever lavish so much of undeserved praise on his beloved. So, Bacon feels, indulging in superfluous praise of his woman is both demeaning and unbecoming. Such men can not be said to be wise at all. Such penchant to flatter the woman becomes easily evident as a weakness of character to others in the society. When the lady does not feel like reciprocating the love, she treats the romantic overtures as a pathetic weakness of the man’s character. Love of a man towards a woman can lead to two consequences. Either the lady would enthusiastically reciprocate it, or it would create a secret contempt towards the man making the unsolicited proposition. So, men must be aware of such passion that could prove to be wasteful and ruinous. It could lead to self-doubt and loss of self-esteem in the man’s mind. Bacon reminds his readers about the lover, unduly infatuated by Helena, lost the two loveliest women, Juno and Pallas. The men who see nothing in this world except sensual pleasures amidst women bring ruin onto themselves. In their senseless pursuit of carnal pleasures, they lose both wealth and wisdom. During unguarded times, such passions come rushing as floods swamping the lover miserably. Such overpowering of the lover by passion happens more during times of great prosperity. Rarely, during times of adversity, urge for carnal pleasures inundate the lover’s mind. Both during times of great happiness and affluence, and during periods of sorrow, want and distress, yearning for carnal pleasures get accentuated. So, such a slide to a state when the man is gripped by passion can be termed as ‘a child of folly’. Unbridled pursuit of sensual pleasures, if allowed to continue, might ruin business, profession, health and wealth. Men can seldom follow their noble goals of their lives. Warriors, army generals, and professional fighting men have a special attraction for both wine and women. They seem to compensate the dangers they face in the battlefields with the pleasures derived from the company of sensuous women. However, there is another angle to the trait of ‘love’ so ingrained in human nature. Instead of loving a single person or a group, if he expands his love much farther, he makes it universal. Such love in indeed very benign, very noble. People belonging to certain religious orders have such love inherent in them. Love arising out of marriage is at the root of creation of mankind, love of friends ennobles it, but philandering love debases the man.

Reference: englishcharity.com

Of Friendship - Francis Bacon Summary

 

Of Friendship – Francis Bacon

 Summary

This essay was written at the special request of his friend Toby Matthew in commemoration of an intimacy which had been tried by adversity and prosperity on both sides, and endured to the end without cloud or interpretation either. Bacon opens his essay with a grand statement modelled after the views of Aristotle. Finding pleasure in solicitude is contrary to human character and mind. He expresses his belief in rather strong words. Anyone, who shuns fellow human beings and retreats to isolation, is degraded to the level of a wild beast. The other possibility is that he is god. Bacon, however, is not totally dismissive of people who assiduously shy away from the crowd, and head for the wilderness. Bacon realizes that remaining silent and cut off from others helps the mind to engage in deep contemplative thinking. Through such deep insightful dissection of mind, a person rediscovers himself. The truth and wisdom that dawn on the meditator’s mind through such prolonged isolation, can be profoundly rewarding for the hermit. The consequence can be both questionable or desirable. In case of Epimenides the Candian, Numa the Roman, Epimenides the Candian, Numa the Roman, Empedocles the Sicilian, and Apollonius of Tyana, the theories they propounded were somewhat non-confirmist for the commoners, but were of great philosophical value. Spiritual men who retreat from public eye in and around places of worship have been instrumental in delivering sermons of immense spiritual benefit to mankind. So, voluntary abstention from society is not always a bad idea, after all. One must learn to differentiate between a crowd and kinship; between society and friendship. One can be lonely inside a multitude too. Faces of people may turn out to be fleeting pictures, if the persons are not engaged with. A conversation devoid of passion or feelings may be akin to the sounds of a tinkling cymbal – a barren monologue which hardly causes a ripple. The Latin adage says, ‘Magna civitas, magna solitudo’. It means there is great solitude in a large city. This is so because people live in areas separated from one another by long distances. It makes it impractical to traverse such long distances to meet friends and relations. The large size of the city is, therefore, an impediment on the way of people cultivating friendship with one another. In a small city or town, people tend to live at a shorter distance from each other. So they befriend each other and live like a well-knit community. A friendship must have feelings and passions as its main strands. It should be a bond between the hearts where one shares the emotions of his friend in full measure. We all know how debilitating and fatal heart ailments can be. Pleasant and intimate conversation with a friend brings back vigour to the heart. It elevates the mood, banishes depression and helps the heart patient to recover. There is no panacea for heart diseases which can match the curative value of the presence of good friends by the sick person’s bedside. Through lively chat and friendly banters, they unburden the heart of the sick person and make him feel good again. However, there are medicines or devices to correct a malfunction of internal organs like sarza for the liver, steel for the spleen, flowers of sulphur for the lungs, castoreum for the brain etc. Bacon then gives the examples of the monarchs and kings, and the elite who go to unusual lengths to befriend good and worthy people. The rich and the powerful with the reins of government in their hands seek out the crème of the society to give the pleasures of friendship. To bring in the good people, the kings and monarchs give them generous rewards through wealth and bestowal of honour. Such efforts to cultivate friendship can be fraught at times as the hand-picked friends may turn hostile causing harm to their benefactors. A gulf difference always exists between the ruling elite and the subjects. The distance is so large that it cannot be bridged through normal means. At times, the princes develop liking for some individuals. To bring them nearer, the rulers raise their status and give them administrative powers. The intention is to win their friendship. However, such generosity and eagerness to elevate individuals to keep them in good humour may sometimes bring unanticipated harm. This becomes the possibility when the person chosen is intrinsically wicked in his intent. The individuals entering the coterie of the sovereign are termed as ‘favourites’ or ‘privadoes’ in modern languages. These individuals merely add grace and give company like a friend. But the true sense of the name is apparent in what the Romans called these individuals – ‘participes curarum’ meaning ‘sharer of cares’. They are the ones who share the anxiety and worries of the monarch and not just give company. These hand-picked favoured few are called ‘participes curarum’. It means ‘sharer of cares’, or those who share the anxiety and worries of the monarch. They are the close confidantes who offer their counsel to the rulers. It is this sharing of responsibilities/worries that builds the bond of friendship.

Such practice of co-opting some favoured individuals from among the subjects was followed not only by weak or emotional rulers, but also by very capable and hard-nosed ones having formidable strength and political acumen. The kings address these members of the coterie very graciously as ‘friends’, and they ask other members of the royalty and bureaucracy to address them so. Pompey was designated as ‘Pompey, the Great’ by Sylla, the ruler of Rome. Sylla raised his friend Pompey to such great heights by naming him “Pompey the Great”, that Pompey praised and boasted about being superior to Sylla. So much so that on one occasion when Sylla resented Pompey’s decision, Pompey publicly reminded Sylla that more men adored the sun rising, than the sun setting hinting that he had more clout and power than Sylla. Brutus had, slowly made his way to Ceaser’s heart. He was Ceaser’s closest confidant and advisor. As a reward of the enduring companionship provided by Brutus, Ceaser in his will had made Brutus his heir after his nephew. Brutus had cast a spell over Ceaser, an influence the latter never suspected as wicked. This was to become Ceaser’s nemesis later. Ceaser had all but dismissed the senate because some ill omen portended a calamity. His wife’s deadly dream about an impending danger strengthened Ceaser’s desire to do away with the senate. Brutus stepped in at the last moment to prevail upon Ceaser to hold back his decision of discharging the senate until Culpurina (Ceaser’s wife) dreamt something better. So great was Brutus’s sway on Ceaser that in one of Antonius’ letter, mentioned by Cicero in his speech, Antonius has disparagingly called Brutus ‘venefica’– a witch, who had ‘enchanted’ Ceaser for evil designs. Augustus elevated Agrippa high up in the royal hierarchy despite the latter’s mean birth (not from a noble family). Agrippa’s clout in the royal court had soared ominously. He was enjoying enviable privilege and power. When Agustus consulted the royal counselor Maecenas about the marriage of his daughter Julia, the counselor proffered an awkward advice. He suggested to Augustus to give his daughter in marriage to Agrippa. There was no way anyone else could win her hand with Agrappa around. If this was not agreeable to the emperor, he would have to eliminate Agrippa. There was no third option. The friendship between Tiberius and Sejanus is another example of the perils of water-tight friendship. Sejanus charmed Tiberius and became his most intimate companion. As a result, Sejanus began to enjoy unprecedented privileges and stature. People perceived them as an inseparable pair. In a letter to Sejanus Tiberus had declared boldly that he had not hidden from anyone the details of their enduring friendship. The senate sensed the mood and dedicated an altar to their friendship as if their companionship was as sublime as a goddess. A similar or even closer friendship had developed between Septimus Severus and Plautianus. Septimus had forced his son into marriage with the daughter of Plautianus. The bonding between the two was so strong that he found no difficulty to countenance Platianus’ hurtful barbs aimed at his son. The latitude given to Platinus defied reason. Septimus’s eulogizing of his friend had reached ridiculous levels. In one of his letters to the senate, he had raved over his love for Plautianus saying he wished his friend to outlive him in this world. All the characters described above were not novices. They were not soft-hearted and noble-minded like Trajan, or Marcus Aurelius. In fact, these eminent members of Rome’s royalty were hard-nosed pragmatists. They took no major decision relating to governance without enough care, caution and confabulation. Yet, why did all of them fawn over their friends in such bizarre manner? This is explained by the fact that these powerful persons craved for friendship in their quest for worldly happiness.

Bacon reiterates his contention by saying that all these eminent men had access to all pleasures of life, had families, wealth and power. They failed to draw a line in their relation with their chums. Later, the same adored friends brought them defeat, disaster and even death.

 Historical Reference

Here it needs to mention the historical background of some famous historical characters which Bacon has borrowed from historical sources.

Francis Bacon proceeds to give other examples where friendships have turned sour due to ambition, greed, mutual suspicion and love for power. Julius Caesar and Decimus Brutus were great friends. Caesar’s meteoric rise to power, influence and popularity made Brutus uneasy. He feared that Caesar, if not checked, could neutralize the power of the Senate and become a dictator endangering Rome. To curb the over-ambitious Cesar, Brutus plotted against him. In this act, he had the support of a few Senators and Gaius Cassius Longius. Finally, Brutus had Caesar stabbed to death from the back in 44 BC. That great danger was on the way for Cesar was seen in a dream by his wife Calpurnia. She had warned her husband about the danger from the Senate. Brutus had profound influence over Caesar. He had successfully prevailed upon Caesar not to undermine the Senate until his wife saw a happier dream. Antonious, a confidante of Calpurnia, loathed Brutus. He had described him as a vile person who had swayed Cesar to his side. Despite all these warnings, Cesar had trusted Brutus. He walked to the death trap laid inside the Senate chamber by Brutus and other conspirators. Bacon cites the example of the friendship between Augustus and Agrippa. The latter, apparently, was not of noble birth. Augustus befriended him and went to great lengths to elevate his status. When Augustus consulted the royal counselor Maecenas, the latter gave him two choices. Either he gave his daughter Julia in marriage to Agrippa or get him killed. So powerful Agrippa had become. He posed a real danger to Augustus. Thus, we see how people belonging to the real strata of society do not remain loyal to their benefactors despite all the favours bestowed on them. Bacon gives another example of intimate friendship degrading to hostility and revenge. He mentions the bond between Tiberius Caesar and Sejanus. Tiberius Caesar was very indulgent with Sejanus. Sejanus gradually accumulated power by taking advantage of his proximity to Tiberius. Sejanus also killed or neutralized potential political opponents, including the emperor’s son Drusus Julius Caesar When Tiberius withdrew to Capri in 26 BC, Sejanus assumed full control of the entire government as de facto ruler of the empire. Sejanus suddenly fell from power in 31BC, the year he became Consul. Rumours flew thick and fast that he was conspiring against Tiberius. Sejanus was arrested and executed, along with his followers. Thus a very enduring friendship ended in disaster due to mistrust. It has to be contrasted with the fact that Tiberius had, at one stage, asked the Senate to dedicate an altar to his friendship with Sejanus. Lastly, Bacon cites the case of the friendship between Septimius Severus and Plautianus. To cement their friendship, Severus conferred many honours on Plautianus which included a consular insigina, a seat in the Senate. He also made him a Consul. During his consulship, Plautianus’ image was minted on coins. He assisted Severus in doing the royal duties. In the process, he became very rich. His clout rose exponentially. Severus declared him to be his second in command. In 202BC, Plautianus gave his daughter Publia Fulvia Plautilla in marriage to Caracalla, the son of Severus. The influence of Plautianus soared soon after. As a result, the Roman Empress Julia Domna and Caracalla both began to feel insecure. The marriage between Caracalla and Publia Fulvia Plautilla was beset with problems between the two. In fact, Caracalla hated both his wife and his father-in-law. He threatened to kill both of them after becoming the emperor. When Plautianus discovered this, he began to think of ways to hatch a conspiracy to dethrone Severus’ family. To Plautianus’ ill luck, his treacherous plot was discovered. The imperial family of Servus summoned him to the palace and had him executed. Further acts of retribution followed his son after his death. Thus curtains came down on a friendship which had flowered so much only to wither away and turn to ashes.

*****End of historical references******

Comineus, a writer and diplomat who served under Duke Charles Hardy and later Louis XI of France has said in his writings that his former master, Duke Charles Hardy, would never share any secrets with anyone. He was particularly careful about not divulging any secret he considered critical to him and to his rule. But, age caught up with him. Gradually, his mental faculty deteriorated. A similar judgement can be made about the latter master, Louis XI, who was also a man of reclusive and suspicious nature. He too spent his last years in complete isolation. Bacon sights these examples to emphasize the importance of having a friend with whom one can share the joys and burdens of one’s heart. Pythagoras advanced this idea ‘Cor ne edito’. It means ‘Eat not the heart’. Pythogoras had some harsh way of describing the hazards of keen friendship. He felt that a person may locate a worthy friend before whom he could unburden his worries. But, by doing this, he would be inadvertently decapitating (cannibalizing) his own heart. Such surrender of one’s self before even the closest friend might lead to undesirable consequences causing harm. Bacon goes on to conclude that nurturing intimacy excessively might prove to be a double-edged sword. In the plus side, it could enhance joy and reduce the grief encountered in day-to-day life. On the minus side, such happiness may be illusory. It is a fact that there is no man who has shared all his grief with his friend and realistically reduced his grief. Similarly, there is no man who has shared all the joys with a friend and experienced more joy. Like the alchemists miracle remedies which palliate pain despite warning of adverse effects, friendship might soothe suffering despite the risk of possible harm. In the same vein, a close look at Nature will show that a union of two elements results in better and more pleasant results. Human friendship has undoubtedly got some curative and embalming effects notwithstanding the risk of it turning foul. Strengthening of personal affection and bonding apart, the other benefit is therapeutic (healing). It sharpens mental functions too. Friendship tempers down the ill effects of the storms of life, and brings sunshine and cheer to one’s life. It enables one to think clearly.

This does not mean that you will always get good advise from friends, but what it means is that the thoughts get jumbled up in the mind and there is not always the clarity in understanding them. However, when you communicate these thoughts to a friend by putting them in words, you get the clarity and understanding and become wiser simply by putting these thoughts in an orderly manner to make the right judgement. This is more beneficial then doing an entire day’s meditation. Arras was a place famous for its hand-woven textiles. These tapastries were rich ad beautiful. Themistocles once said that speech must be heard to be appreciated. This was akin to the tapestries from Arras that could be admired only when opened up and hung for people to feast their eyes on. Similarly, thoughts, when not opened up for propagation, remain locked in the mind of the thinker. This is like the rolled-up tapestry that lies in packs. People walk past them unaware of their great hidden beauty. This second fruit of friendship – good judgment and better understanding — is not restricted to opening up of your minds only to a few intelligent friends, although it is best when you do so. Even if the friend might not be intelligent enough, it nevertheless is beneficial to expound the thoughts before him. By doing this, one can understand them, and possibly throw more light on them. This could sharpen his intelligence. It is like the way we sharpen a tool by rubbing it against a rough stone. Obviously, Bacon compares the thinker with the tool and the not-so-intelligent listener as the rough stone. In short, it means a man better say his thoughts to a statue than to bury them in the mind and suffer suffocation.

Bacon proceeds to praise the advice that comes from well-meaning, un-biased, wise friends. Such advice seldom leads to undesirable consequences. If a person is guided by his own instincts, intuition and emotions, the judgment might be coloured, biased and one-sided. This might lead to difficulties. So, one must not be guided by one’s own understanding of the situation, and seek advice from wise friends. Heraclitus termed such independent advice from another person as ‘Dry light’. The drier it is, the more useful it can be. Just the way one’s own judgment has to be sidelined in favour of an independent-minded advisor’s words, a sycophant’s counsel need to be treated with much less seriousness than one’s own decision in any matter. Bacon reminds the reader that a person’s own reading of himself could be minimally critical as it is human tendency not find fault with oneself. Because of such inherent weakness to feel good about him ignoring the many flaws of character and brain, a person must guard against the tendency to go by his own assessment and cast aside the wise counsel of other capable men. Advice from a well-meaning wise friend can be for two principal reasons. It might be about a person’s manners and conduct and the second might be about his business. A friend’s criticism helps to keep the mind free of many undesirable thoughts and influences. Keeping a check on one’s own self may sometimes prove to be difficult. It is generally seen that people do not take much interest in reading good books on morality and good conduct. Learning by observing others’ mistakes may not be possible for some. But the best thing remedy that works and that one should take is the castigation of our good friends. It is strange to see how people, especially those who are powerful and wealthy, make blunders and damage their fame and fortune due to lack of well-meaning, balanced and neutral advice from good friends. The more powerful the person is, the higher will be his propensity to commit such mistakes. St. James had cautioned his followers about such self deception when one becomes blind to one’s own failings and weaknesses. People often lose sight of the hard realities and their own infirmities after a few rounds of success. They argue that two eyes see no better than one eye, implying that they are able to reach the correct decision themselves and do not need other’s advice. In the same vein, they can say a gambler takes a better call than others watching the game. He can also claim that a musket can be fired from the arm as efficiently as from a rest. These thoughts are born out of boastfulness and ignorance. In the long run, such mindset can be highly damaging. All good and competent advisors weigh the risks involved in a business correctly. They proffer their advice to the businessman with no fear or hesitation. A businessman can choose to seek advice from one friend over one issue, and from another friend over another issue. This is better than asking no advice at all, and choosing to go by one’s own intuition. But by choosing more than one advisor, a businessman may run into some risk. The advisor, realizing that there are other advisors like him, might be a little perfunctory in giving his advice. The other risk may be the possibility of getting biased and ill-intentioned advice. Unless the advisor is extremely good, loyal, principled, and wise, the advice, disguised as genuine, may turn out to be crooked. Bacon now talks of another danger from advice from others. The counselor may have genuine intention to help the person in trouble, but may not have been able to study the matter properly. In such a case, he could give a drastic and upsetting advice with all the good intentions. Sadly, the result for the recipient may be harmful and even ruinous. This situation is similar to the one that results when an incompetent doctor, unaware of the patient’s medical history, prescribes the wrong medicines to the patient. The patient’s problems are aggravated leading to his death. So, Bacon concludes, a person must confide in a single counselor, who knows the ins and outs of his business. This is because he would be well-placed to give correct advice using his good understanding of the business. Seeking advice from multiple sources might be misleading rather than rewarding. So far, we have learnt about two main benefits resulting from friendship. One relates to emotions, the other to understanding and judgement. In his concluding statement, Bacon talks about the third benefit which he likens to the pomegranate fruit that has so many kernels inside it. Friendship means helping and taking part in all actions and occasions of a friend. So far, we have learnt about two main benefits resulting from friendship. One relates to emotions, the other to understanding and judgement. In his concluding statement, Bacon talks about the third benefit which he likens to the pomegranate fruit that has so many kernels inside it. Friendship means helping and taking part in all actions and occasions of a friend. The best way to explain the many uses of friendship is to see how many things there are in one’s life that one cannot do or confront alone. In ancient times, it was customary to call a friend as a replica of one’s self. In reality, a friend is more than himself. Men in their lifetime have many things to accomplish, many desires to fulfil which are close to their heart, like devoting to a child, or any other goals. When a man is blessed with a genuine, loyal and un-selfish friend, the latter will take care of his responsibilities after his death. He may care for his family, run his business, pay off his debts or do all those things left un-finished after the death of the man. Thus, a man’s life span gets prolonged. Then, comes the benefit accruing from delegation of authority. A person can’t be present in multiple places at any given point of time. In such a case, he may delegate the work in other places which his friend can visit and get things done. There are many things in life a person can’t do alone- be it in farming, trading, educating children, fighting off enemies etc. A good friend, like a trusted deputy, comes to the aid of his friend and smoothens his life. When trying to present his own merits before others, a person tends to become needlessly boastful, inviting derision from others. Alternatively, he may be too shy to present his own qualities with the praise they deserve. Similarly, while asking for a favour from others, he may feel very awkward. All these functions are best discharged by a loyal and capable friend. Thus, many functions in the society that are mandatory can be got done through a friend. A friend may be a good mediator or a go-between. When a message is to be communicated to an adolescent son or a peeved wife, or a stern enemy, a friend can do the job with aplomb and with great ease. Thus, the benefits of friendship are endless. A friendless, cut-off person is unfit to live in the society.

Reference: eng-literature.com

Of Travel - Summary

                                                                     Of Travel – Francis Bacon

Summary

When a young child travels around in alien places, he learns a lot from the sight and sound around him. In the process, his awareness grows and his learning process is accelerated. So, travel for a young child has good educational value. So, the countryside becomes a school for him, although in an informal way. A youngster travelling to an unknown place under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable chaperon is always desirable. By virtue of the knowledge and experience, the chaperon can guide the young traveler where to go, what to see, and the type of people to befriend. The able guide can also tell the youngster about the pastime, hobbies, and crafts the places are famous for. Without the company of a guide, he will fail to observe the important and interesting things in the new places. While on a voyage in the sea, the seafarer gets to see nothing other than the vast expanse of blue water and the un-ending sky above. In such a case, the voyager should maintain a travel diary. When travelling overland, there is an overwhelming abundance of new sights and sounds and myriad things to observe. People generally fail to keep note of every detail of what they come across. So, maintain a diary is always a good idea. In the diary, one can record his observations about the following.

a. The royal courts of princes, kings, and sovereigns. He can observe the opulence, splendor, courtiers, and the practices followed in the courts. The elaborate protocol followed while formally accepting the ambassadors from other countries is worth observing and noting.

b. The royal courts that hear pleas, and dispense justice also offer interesting sights. The practices followed in the Roman courts and those in the English clergy are also interesting.

c. The churches, monasteries, their architectural styles offer much visual delight. It is advisable to observe and record these in the diary.

d. The city walls, the fortresses, and the watchtowers that ring a city to ward off invaders are also very interesting to watch.

e. The beautiful towns and harbours also deserve to be seen with observant eyes.

f. The antiquities, the ruins standing as witness to past attacks of marauding invaders are worth seeing minutely.

g. Colleges, universities, centers of learning, town halls where debates are held, stadia etc. bear testimony to the intellectual vigour of any society. So, they should be visited too.

h. Shipping facilities and naval yards are the yardsticks of a nation’s maritime prowess. So, they deserve to be keenly looked at.

i. Public office buildings are the citadels of power and authority. They are deliberately built majestically to tower over other private buildings nearby. They project the state’s power. Similarly, parks and recreational open spaces speak about the taste and habits of the way people spend their leisure time. Their architecture reflects the aesthetic sense of the character of a race. So, these public places are to be visited and keenly observed.

j. Visit the country’s armoury and ammunition storage facilities is quite enlightening too.

k. Visits to warehouses, stock exchanges and wholesale markets are also of good educational value.

l. Seeing equestrian sports and horse rearing centers indicate the ability of the country to use the horse for military and recreational purposes.

m. Visit opera houses show how cultured the upper sections of the society are.

n. Exhibition of fine jewelry, fine clothing, antiques etc. throws light on the wealth and taste of the people.

o. In this way, one needs to visit all places of interest to bring back a treasure trove of highly rewarding information and knowledge.

Social occasions like marriages, funerals, feasts, public executions, victory celebrations etc. are, no doubt, important, but they need not be documented or observed so keenly. Bacon proceeds to give some ‘do’s and ‘don’ts for a travel expedition to yield maximum value. These are as follows ……

1. The youngster has to have some basic learning before he sets out on his journey.
2. He must have a dedicated and knowledgeable guide. This man must be well-conversant with the country he is visiting.
3. The guide should carry with him some books, catalogues, or brochures about the places he has in his travel. These will prove to be handy in course of the travel.
4. The learner must have a diary where he can jot down whatever he sees as he moves from place to place.
5. He should not stay more than it is necessary to stay in one place.
6. In case he stays in a city or a town for a longer duration, he must change his lodging, and move to another in the other end of the town to get the maximum exposure.
7. While staying in a place, he must not choose to stay among people from his own place. Instead, he must choose to live among people of the host country, so that he gets to observe their habits.
8. He must procure and carry with him letters of introduction from eminent people from his own locality to those in the places he is going to visit. This will ease travel, stay and availability of other conveniences.

In the places where he goes, he must seek out people of eminence like ambassadors, senior bureaucrats, and other eminent people who can offer practical help in sight-seeing, gathering information, and in availing other comforts needed during travel in a new place. He should avoid getting into arguments, quarrels and fights with locals. He should avoid the company of mistresses and quarrelsome people, because these are the persons who drag him to unnecessary fights and unpleasant situations. On returning to his native home, he must not completely forget the people and places he has visited. He must maintain the link through correspondence with those eminent men who had extended courtesy and help him during his sojourn. His heightened knowledge and awareness acquired during the journey are not to be shown off through elaborate attire or mannerisms of the foreign lands. This might invite ridicule and derision. On the contrary, his new wisdom must reflect in his talking and lectures to his fellowmen. He should be concise and factual in his accounts, and not weave stories. He must not give an impression that he has forsaken his country manners and dress to adopt those of the lands he has visited. He should selectively describe all the good things he has learnt abroad.

Reference: englishcharity.com

Of Nobility - summary

 

Of Nobility – Summary

In most of the essays, Bacon conveys the message to the human beings through his philosophy. “Of Nobility” also belongs to the same category, in which Sir Francis Bacon deals with the advantages of being nobility in this world. He divides nobility into two types; “as a portion of state” and “as a condition of particular person”. He, very concisely, describes features of both these types. In the first type, he talks about the benefits, which the state can get from nobility. He also demonstrates the impacts of nobility on a state. He tries to answers some questions. For instance, he answers, if there is nobility, what benefits can a state get from it; if a state lacks nobility then what are its drawbacks. Sir Francis Bacon also judges the nobility from an individualistic angle. Hence, the second type is for those people who are noble in characters.

Nobility as a Portion of State:

The first drawback of lacking the nobility, which Sir Francis Bacon describes, is that the state becomes “pure or absolute tyranny”; people are forced to live under a cruel and oppressive monarchy. In order to exemplify, he refers to the monarchy of Turks. Sir Francis Bacon wants to say that if a state lacks nobility, its impact is proportional to its people; therefore, nobility, in a state is very much necessary, if the people of a kingdom want peace. Nobility, in this way, is the name of peace and happiness. Secondly, nobility “draws the eyes of the people somewhat aside from the line royal”; people after realizing that their king has nobility feel secure from internal catastrophes; they focus their whole attention on other matters of life instead of royalty. In this way, an empire makes more progress as compared to that empire, which lacks morality.

Nobility is not necessary for Democratic Country:

Sir Francis Bacon considers nobility as part of every state. However, he does not feel its necessity in a democratic country. He thinks that, in a democratic country, people focus more on their business affairs instead converging their attention on the state. Moreover, in a monarchy, people demand nobility but in a democratic country, they don’t. Sir Francis Bacon mentions Switzerland in this regard, which is a democratic country but its people do not demand nobility despite having different religions. People have a belief that everyone is equal. Besides, people of this country are united but the bond between them is not of nobility but of utility; they give time to their own matters instead of wasting it on demanding nobility.  Thus, in a democratic country, nobility is not necessary nor do people demand it.

Another benefit of nobility is that it ends the fear of people. They become more courageous. Thus, nobility is also the name of life and spirit. Nonetheless, the author doubts that it is a financial burden on the people because it adds majesty to a monarch. Additionally, too much nobility is not necessary. It makes a state poor as the noble position is expensive and financial strength is required to maintain it. Sir Francis Bacon further explains nobility; “it maketh a kind of disproportion between honour and means.” Nobility wants honour and finance wants means. From honour and means, only one thing can be saved; a noble person would try to make a balance between honour and means, which is not an easy task. Indeed it is a “disproportion between honour and means”.

Nobility as a Condition of a Particular Person:

Sir Francis Bacon says that everyone should adopt nobility. It is beneficial not only for a state but also for a person. He gives opinions in its favour via simile. If a person has nobility then his family would be respected for many years just like an ancient castle or a fair-limber tree. He prefers old nobility to new. According to him, those persons who “first raised to nobility are more virtuous but less innocent than their descendants”; the new nobility is just a power. Moreover, faults of a noble person die with him, whereas his virtues and good deeds last forever in people’s heart. In this suggestion of Bacon, we can examine his worldly insight. Nobility can be used to gain respect in the hearts of people. If a person is trying to become noble, he is trying to gain more and more respect in the vicinity.

Sir Francis Bacon also illustrates drawbacks of nobility. It has a negative impact, on the person, who possesses it. A noble person cannot be industrious; he does not work hard nor does he sees others working; therefore, he cannot make progress. Bacon has repeated the above situation here too. A person has to select one of the two things; either nobility or progress. If he selects progress, he cannot be noble and if he chooses nobility then he cannot make progress. In this way, nobility although helps a person gain respect in society yet it badly impacts on his progress.

Suggestions to the Kings:

Bacon, at the end of the essay, gives suggestions to the Kings. If the kings have noble men they should preferably employee them. Noblemen want honour; therefore, they can do anything to protect it. They are beneficial in every field of life. It is their natural ability to obey an order. Kings should get benefits from their natural ability. Bacon actually wants to guide the kings; they can save themselves if they hire noblemen. Firstly, they are honorees; therefore, they will not take any step to harm the king or state. Secondly, they do not oppose. In obeying orders, they are better than the others. Hence, a king can simultaneously get two benefits while hiring noblemen.

Conclusion:

The whole essay is full of worldly wisdom. Although Sir Francis Bacon promotes nobility, yet he does not say that it is helpful for a person in eternal life. He just talks about worldly benefits. His philosophy teaches us to live a good life in this world. A person can adopt Bacon’s philosophy to achieve his goals. This essay is about the pros and cons of nobility at the state level and at the individualistic level. Moreover, Bacon has used short sentences and meticulous words to explain his philosophy. He has also quoted some examples in order to bring clarity. Similes are also there in it. These are the reasons due to which this essay has freshness even today.

Reference: askliterature.com

SONNET - 154 SUMMARY

  Sonnet No 154:

The little Love-god lying once asleep,
Laid by his side his heart-inflaming brand,
Whilst many nymphs that vowed chaste life to keep
Came tripping by; but in her maiden hand
The fairest votary took up that fire
Which many legions of true hearts had warmed;
And so the General of hot desire
Was, sleeping, by a virgin hand disarmed.
This brand she quenched in a cool well by,
Which from Love's fire took heat perpetual,
Growing a bath and healthful remedy,
For men diseased; but I, my mistress' thrall,
   Came there for cure and this by that I prove,
   Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.

 Once, while sleeping, little Cupid put down his love-inducing torch while many Diana's nymphs, who had all made lifelong vows of chastity, came tripping by. But the most beautiful of Diana's nymphs picked up that fire that had warmed the hearts of legions of faithful lovers. In this fashion, the commander of hot desire was disarmed by the hand of a virgin as he was sleeping. She quenched this torch in a cool spring nearby, and the spring took a perpetual heat from love's fire. It turned into a hot bath and healthy remedy for diseased men. But when the poet, enslaved by my mistress, went to the bath to be cured. The message is learned with the concluding line that love is a strong force and cannot be conquered: "Love's fire heats water, water cools not love.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com

SONNET - 147 SUMMARY

 Sonnet No 147:

My love is as a fever longing still,
For that which longer nurseth the disease;
Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill,
The uncertain sickly appetite to please.
My reason, the physician to my love,
Angry that his prescriptions are not kept,
Hath left me, and I desperate now approve
Desire is death, which physic did except.
Past cure I am, now Reason is past care,
And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;
My thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are,
At random from the truth vainly expressed;
   For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,
   Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.

This Sonnet is written from the perspective of a poet who regards the love he holds for his mistress and lover as a sickness, and more specifically, as a fever. It lives on whatever will preserve the illness, in order to prop up my fickle desire. The sonnet details the internal battle the poet has between his reason (or head) and love he has for his mistress (his heart). The poet's reasoning has acted as doctor and treated his love, but then it left him because he wasn't following its instructions. As he realizes his love is detrimental to his health and stability, perhaps even fatal the poet's rationality attempts to put an end to the relationship. Eventually, however, the battle between the poet's reason and his love comes to an end. Unable to give up his lover, the poet gives up rationale and his love becomes consuming, sending him to the brink of madness. The poet's thoughts and speech are like a madman's, pointlessly expressing random untruths. The poet says that his mistress is beautiful radiant when she is actually as black as be and as dark as night.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com

SONNET - 144 SUMMARY

 Sonnet No 144:

Two loves I have of comfort and despair,
Which like two spirits do suggest me still:
The better angel is a man right fair,
The worser spirit a woman coloured ill.
To win me soon to hell, my female evil,
Tempteth my better angel from my side,
And would corrupt my saint to be a devil,
Wooing his purity with her foul pride.
And whether that my angel be turned fiend,
Suspect I may, yet not directly tell;
But being both from me, both to each friend,
I guess one angel in another's hell:
   Yet this shall I ne'er know, but live in doubt,
   Till my bad angel fire my good one out.

The poet has two loves, his mistress and the Earl of Southampton. Shakespeare's love for the Earl of Southampton is a matter of comfort. His love for his mistress is a matter of despair and distress. This kind of contrary effects for his love makes him stupefied. The better of the two is the one -the Earl with a fair of complexion. The worst is the woman - the poet's wife who is a woman of conceit. In order to send the poet soon to hell his wife tempts his friend from his side. The poet has his own fear that his wife might corrupt his friend into a devil by her diabolic sexual machinations. His friend at present is saintly. She woos a man of purity with her foul pride. The poet is afraid that his friend might turn his enemy.  The poet shall remain in doubt about the result until he comes to know of the bad impact on his angelic friend.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com

SONNET - 140 SUMMARY

 Sonnet No 140:

Be wise as thou art cruel; do not press
My tongue-tied patience with too much disdain;
Lest sorrow lend me words, and words express
The manner of my pity-wanting pain.
If I might teach thee wit, better it were,
Though not to love, yet, love to tell me so;
As testy sick men, when their deaths be near,
No news but health from their physicians know;
For, if I should despair, I should grow mad,
And in my madness might speak ill of thee;
Now this ill-wresting world is grown so bad,
Mad slanderers by mad ears believed be.
   That I may not be so, nor thou belied,
   Bear thine eyes straight, though thy proud heart go wide.

This is one of the Dark Lady sonnets, in which the poet writes to a mysterious woman who rivals the Fair Youth for the poet's affection. Sinking quickly into despair over the sad state of his relationship with the woman, the poet threatens the woman with public humiliation should she not at least feign love for him. The first warning is in the first quatrain, in which he cautions her not to be too public in her flirtations with other men. In the second quatrain, the poet uses a simile to convey his thoughts of how the woman should treat him. Like a dying man who wants only false reassurances from his doctor about his condition, he wants the woman to falsify her love for the poet. Sadly, the poet's suggesting this action shows how knowledgeable he is that the relationship's end is near. The third quatrain contains another threat that the poet will publicly slander the woman's character. Lest the woman not heed his first two warnings, he adds a third in the sonnet's last three lines, overtly forewarning his mistress that "Slanderers by mad ears believed be," and that she should "Bear thine eyes straight, though thy proud heart go wide." In other words, when they are in public, she must pay attention only to him and not to any other man; if she does not do as he wishes, he will publicly slander her.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com

SONNET - 126 SUMMARY

 Sonnet No 126:

O thou, my lovely boy, who in thy power
Dost hold Time's fickle glass, his sickle, hour;
Who hast by waning grown, and therein showest
Thy lovers withering, as thy sweet self growest.
If Nature, sovereign mistress over wrack,
As thou goest onwards still will pluck thee back,
She keeps thee to this purpose, that her skill
May time disgrace and wretched minutes kill.
Yet fear her, O thou minion of her pleasure!
She may detain, but not still keep, her treasure:
Her audit (though delayed) answered must be,
And her quietus is to render thee.

It is the final member of the Fair Youth sequence, in which the poet shows how Time and Nature coincide. The poet says "Oh you, my lovely boy, who have power over time's changing mirror power over its ability to harvest all life - who have grown younger as you ve aged, exposing during that process, how your lover has withered as you've become more beautiful". If nature, the ultimate authority over ruin, insists on rescuing the youth from decay, she's doing it for this reason: to demonstrate that she is able to disgrace time and kill its wretched measurements. The youth should fear her, though he is nature's best-loved pet. She can preserve the youth for a time, but she can't keep the youth, her treasure, always. She can slow her treasure's decay down but she can't prevent it forever. Even though it may be delayed she has to be accountable eventually. The way she'll pay her debt to time is with the youth.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com

SONNET - 116 SUMMARY

 Sonnet No 116:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
     If this be error and upon me proved,
     I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Shakespeare in this sonnet lines talks of love. He realises now that love is not Time's Fool.  "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks-

 Within his bending sickle's compass come"

Time cannot make any obstacles in the way of the union of true lovers.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love"

True love does not change with the passing of time. Time take away the physical beauty of the object of love. True love is not shaken by storm. It is like pole star which guides the ship. "O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken'.

It continues without change upto the doomsday.  If anyone can prove that what has said is wrong, he would withdraw his words.

Reference: shakespeare-sonnets.com