Bell work: Francis Bacon (an author we will study today) wrote his essays to help guide young men who were ambitious to succeed. Like bacon, many people love to dispense advice and share their knowledge and experiences. You've probably received advice from your family and friends on everything from how to manage your homework to what clothes to wear. What advice has made a real difference in your life?

Essay A relatively brief work of nonfiction that offers an opinion on a subject.

Purpose of Essays To express ideas and feelings To inform To entertain To persuade

Characteristics of a formal essay: Impersonal Elevated language Serious tone Complex sentence structure (and words!)

Of Studies by Sir Francis Bacon 1. Reread lines 5-7. Explain why you agree or disagree with Bacon's opinions on the use of study. 2. Analyze the visual. Consider Bacon's discussion of the uses of studies. What might the pear in this image symbolize? 3. "general counsels... come best from those that are learned" (lines 4-5). What advice is Bacon offering? 4. "that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation" (lines 12-13). What advice is Bacon offering?

Of Studies continued... 5. In lines 24-26, what connections does Bacon make between certain kinds of books and certain character traits? 6. Which of these traits or skills seem to be emphasized today?

Of Marriage and Single Life by Sir Francis Bacon 1. Reread the opinion expressed in lines 2-5. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Explain. 2. What characteristics of a formal essay do you observe in this text? Be specific. 3. Based on lines 13-18, what advice might Bacon offer someone who is considering hiring a single man?

One of the Questions of the Times for Unit 2 is “Why is love so complicated?” Consider how Bacon seems to respond to that question in “Of Marriage and Single Life.” Your task is to write a reflection in which you reflect upon love and its complications but ultimately reach a conclusion about which state—singleness or marriage—you would prefer. (2 paragraphs)

Office Smackdown: Parent vs. Childless Workers I emailed an article to each of you this morning. Please read and annotate the article after prayer. Be ready for a class discussion! 

Group A Discuss pros and cons of flexible schedules for workers with children. What stood out to you in this article? Would you change these policies if you could? Which of Bacon’s opinions are now outdated? Group B Discuss pros and cons for single workers. Why do you think Bacon failed to mention romantic love in his formal essay?

English 12 Bell Work Question Please answer on the back of the handout provided. (Handouts are on the stool!)  Does gender impose limits? From birth, you are identified by your gender. In every society, certain traits and behaviors are considered typically masculine or feminine; for example, some of the speakers in “Female Orations” believe that women should be submissive toward men and strive only to become good housewives. Of course, attitudes toward women have changed greatly since the Renaissance, but many people feel that gender still influences how we see ourselves and how others see us. Do you feel that your gender has limited your choices or opportunities, or given you any advantages? (1-2 paragraphs).

Meet Margaret Cavendish page 707 1623 - 1674 She wrote what has been described as the first science fiction novel. Thought it was against nature for a woman to spell correctly. Used her own remedies to treat her illnesses, a course of action that probably hastened her death.

Literary Analysis (Handout 287) You will record details from “Female Orations” that reflect each of the social conditions listed in the first column.

Bell Work: What is the role of death in life? Death is not something we only face at the end of our lives; it influences us when we lose loved ones or even when we contemplate our own mortality. John Donne, who experienced the early deaths of his wife and some of his children, struggled to understand the meaning of death. His thoughts about mortality inspired some of his greatest works. How has the knowledge of death affected your life? Has it made your more cautious or fearful for your personal safety? Does it influence your relationship with others? Does it affect your appreciation of life’s pleasures? (1-2 paragraphs)

NOTES Metaphysical Conceit: a type or metaphor or simile in which the comparison is unusually striking, original, and elaborate. While all metaphors and similes show likeness in two unlike things, a conceit compares two unlike things that may at first seem to have no connection whatsoever. In “Meditation 17”, for example, Donne compares humanity to a book in which each person makes up a chapter. As we read, look for other examples of metaphysical conceits.

Meet the Author: John Donne 1572-1631 Page 767 Video intro to A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning page 768

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning 1. What do the gestures and facial expressions of the figures in this painting suggest about their relationship? 2. What does the speaker contrast in lines 9-12? 3. How does the contrast in lines 9-12 apply to lines 13-16? 4. Metaphysical Conceit: Reread lines 25-36. What is unusual about comparing two lovers to a compass? How does his comparison help express the speaker’s love?

Holy Sonnet 10 1. Why does the speaker state that death is not mighty or dreadful? 2. How do you interpret the statement “Death, thou shalt die”?

Meditation 17 1. Metaphysical Conceit: Reread lines 8-13. What comparison is made in this conceit? 2. Lines 8 and 12 contain several words that have multiple meanings: volume, bind, and leaves. What does each word mean in this passage? How can you guess their meaning?

Text Analysis Assignment Page 776 # 1-4, 7, 9 Please use complete sentences and cite evidence from the text on questions 7 and 9.