婚姻与单身Of marriage and single life

Of Marriage and Single Life

In this essay, Francis Bacon presents his preference of marriage to single life with convincing arguments. He thought that marriage makes a man be full of responsibility and love. He preferred marriage to single life.

In the essay, he listed the advantages and disadvantages of the marriage and single life. He first stated that married men are not easy to get successful. Because of family, you cannot go off on a reckless and gre at adventure, just as Bacon said “He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.” Second, unmarried men viewed wife and children as bill of charges. People have the children “as if it were an abatement to his riches”. Without the wife and children, they can reduce the consumption. Third, they can pursue the liberty without the bondage from the family. “T he most ordinary cause of a single life, is liberty, especially in certain selfpleasing and humorous minds, which are so sensible of every restraint , as they will go near to think their girdles and garters, to be bonds and shackles.” However, married men can benefit a lot from the wife and children.“Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity.” They can be more tender and more warm-hearted. Also, “Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands…” It can be good for the society. What’s more, to Bacon, “Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.”

It is my conviction that everyone has his choice to be single or be married. But for me, I’d love to choose to be married. First, once married, it means that you have the heart of belonging. You are not alone any more, your husband or wife and children keep you accompany and be always with you forever. No matter what difficulties you have faced, your family will be your harbor that always gives you energy and encouragement. Second, marriage is the good guarantee of your future. When you are old, your husband or wife and children will get along with you. Maybe sometimes there are quarrels in the daily day, but variety is the spice of life, you will experience different pleasures of life. Even though once married, you will have more responsibility with your family. But when you are tired, there is a place you can stop and have a rest.In some people’s mind, being single means being more freedom. You can do what you want to do. You can take risks. You have more choices to try your life. However, you are easy to be utterly dispirited and depressed when no one looks after you. Sometimes you will feel lonely, just like the while world abandons