Was he Shakespeare? Did he invent Shakespeare..? He founded Freemasonary and Scientism.. the start of atheism really.. during Covid the mantra was trust the science.. no one was really saying trust God in the mainstream.. At age 44 he wrote ‘The Advancement of Learning.’ ‘Learning’ means science in Latin. The line between ancient and modern goes through Francis Bacon. He helped birth modern science by encouraging other to share their data > Knowledge is Power It is through this that the British empire was able to conquer the world, through its advanced technology and knowledge He’s considered the patron saint of the enlightenment Shakespeare is widely recognised to be Tudor propaganda --- If Francis Bacon were indeed the true author behind Shakespeare’s works (a theory known as the **Baconian hypothesis**), his motivations and hidden messages would likely align with his philosophical, political, and scientific interests. Bacon was a statesman, philosopher, and advocate of empirical science, so his writings—if disguised as Shakespeare’s—might contain layered meanings. Here are some possible messages he could have embedded: --- ### **1. Political Critique & Machiavellian Realism** Bacon worked closely with the English [[Monarchy]] and understood power dynamics. Many of Shakespeare’s plays explore: - **The dangers of tyranny** (*Macbeth*, *Richard III*, *Julius Caesar*) - **The instability of succession** (*King Lear*, *Hamlet*) - **The manipulation of public perception** (*Henry IV*, *Othello*) - **The corrupting nature of power** (*Measure for Measure*) If Bacon wrote these, he could have been subtly warning against absolutism while avoiding direct blame (since criticizing royalty openly was dangerous). --- ### **2. Advancement of Scientific & Empirical Thought** Bacon was a pioneer of the **scientific method** (*Novum Organum*). Shakespeare’s works contain: - **Natural philosophy references** (*Hamlet*’s "There are more things in heaven and earth…") - **Skepticism of superstition** (*Macbeth*’s witches as manipulators, not true magic) - **Observational psychology** (deep character studies like *Iago* or *Lady Macbeth*) Bacon might have used drama to **popularize rational inquiry** in an era when science was still distrusted. --- ### **3. Freemasonry & Esoteric Knowledge** Some Baconians argue he embedded **Rosicrucian or Hermetic symbolism** in the plays: - **Alchemical motifs** (*The Tempest* as a transformation allegory) - **Secret societies & hidden wisdom** (Prospero as a philosopher-mage) - **Numerology & ciphers** (some claim Bacon hid codes in the First Folio) This aligns with Bacon’s interest in **esoteric traditions** and his rumored ties to secret societies. --- ### **4. Legal & Ethical Philosophy** Bacon was a lawyer and Lord Chancellor. Shakespeare’s plays are obsessed with: - **Justice vs. mercy** (*The Merchant of Venice*, *Measure for Measure*) - **Corruption in law** (*King Lear*’s "Robes and furred gowns hide all") - **Moral ambiguity** (*Hamlet*’s dilemmas) This could reflect Bacon’s own struggles with ethics (he was later convicted of bribery). --- ### **5. Humanist & Secular Morality** Bacon, like Renaissance humanists, emphasized **human reason over dogma**. Shakespeare’s works often: - **Question divine justice** (*King Lear*’s "As flies to wanton boys…") - **Celebrate earthly love** (*Romeo and Juliet*, *Sonnets*) - **Satirize religious hypocrisy** (*Twelfth Night*’s Malvolio, *Measure for Measure*) This matches Bacon’s push for **enlightenment values** before they were mainstream. --- ### **6. Concealed Autobiography** If Bacon wrote the *Sonnets*, their themes of: - **A hidden "better self"** (Sonnet 52: "So am I as the rich…") - **Betrayal by patrons** (Sonnet 121: "’Tis better to be vile than vile esteemed") - **Political survival** (Sonnet 94: "They that have power to hurt and will do none…") …could mirror Bacon’s own rise and fall in court politics. --- ### **Conclusion: A Subversive Enlightenment Project?** If Bacon was Shakespeare, his works might have been a **covert vehicle** for: - **Challenging authority** without direct confrontation. - **Promoting scientific thinking** through storytelling. - **Preserving secret knowledge** for future deciphering. This would explain why the plays resonate with **both emotional depth and intellectual complexity**—something Bacon, the philosopher-statesman, would uniquely blend. `Concepts:` [[Philosophy]] `Knowledge Base:`