Ralph Waldo Emerson, a lecturer, essayist, philosopher, and poet, was a highly influential representative of the 19th-century American transcendentalist movement, which makes Emerson ideas and works worth exploring by students even nowadays. Here you can find essays on Emerson ideas and his radical views and their political implications (e.g. for ...Read More
Ralph Waldo Emerson, a lecturer, essayist, philosopher, and poet, was a highly influential representative of the 19th-century American transcendentalist movement, which makes Emerson ideas and works worth exploring by students even nowadays. Here you can find essays on Emerson ideas and his radical views and their political implications (e.g. for national consciousness), on his perspective over individualism (e.g. the qualities of a self-reliant individual), but also on his understanding and appreciation of the surrounding nature. His revolutionary views on individualism are important given how central the latter is to our society. Whichever the topic, an essay has to be properly structured (introduction, conclusion, paragraphs, ideas, etc.) and to respect grammar and stylistic rules – review the samples below to get a better idea.
With the end of the civil war in America came the huge task of inventing a national identity. America wished to cut its European ties, and forge a new voice through literature, as it is through the word that a nation expresses itself. However even...
Introduction to Emerson’s “Nature” Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Nature,” first published in 1836, serves as a foundational text for Transcendentalism and offers profound insights into the relationship between humans and the natural world. This work is not just a philosophical treatise; it’s an invitation to...
The Nature of Societal Virtue When we look around at our contemporary society, it’s hard not to notice the virtues that are often praised and demanded. From honesty and integrity to kindness and compassion, these traits are the bedrock of a harmonious community. Society seems...
When we think about nature, what usually comes to mind are the vibrant colors of a sunset, the calming sound of waves crashing on the shore, or perhaps the smell of pine trees in a serene forest. But have you ever paused to consider how...
Introduction Transcendentalism emerged as a significant philosophical and literary movement in the early 19th century in the United States, spearheaded by thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson. This movement emphasized the inherent goodness of people and nature, the importance of individual intuition over empirical evidence, and...
Introduction Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of the most influential American philosophers and writers of the 19th century, is a pivotal figure in the Transcendentalist movement. His essays, rich in philosophical depth and literary prowess, have left an indelible mark on American thought and literature. Emerson’s...
is a seminal work in the canon of American literature. In this essay, I will analyze the key themes and ideas presented in Emerson’s work, exploring the implications of his arguments and their relevance to contemporary society. By examining the text through a critical lens,...
Emerson wrote self reliance and argued that self sufficiency is the thing that give people the freedom to find their true self. Emerson states “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in you private heart, is true for all...
In Self-Reliance Ralph Waldo Emerson describes self-reliance as the perception of one’s interpretation of reality, or truth. “What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think,” Emerson says. He emphasizes on the dignity of the individual and advocates that every...
In Class Write: Puritanism/Transcendentalism Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote Self Reliance to point out how the people in this world have let themselves deteriorate into society. Emerson considers that “man is timid and apologetic; he is no longer upright; he dares not say, ‘I think’, ‘I...
Individual progress is galvanized by one’s mentality which cultivates authenticity and rejects imitation. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance, Transcendentalist principles are a recurring matter which yearn towards individuality within oneself and exhibit the adoption of foreign principles as a lack of possession and loss of...
Self Reliance
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Transcendentalism
Poetry is arguably the most democratized art form. It is written by the common man, for the common man. As a result, it becomes an effective medium to express sentiments of nationalism which lie in the deep consciousness of the ordinary man, but are not...
In his essay “Nature,” Ralph Waldo Emerson exhibits an untraditional appreciation for the world around him. Concerned initially with the stars and the world around us, the grandeur of nature, Emerson then turns his attention onto how we perceive objects. “Nature” seeks to show humanity...
In his essay “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson often radiates an arrogant and self-important tone, writing, for example, “A great man is coming to eat at my house. I do not wish to please him; I wish that he should wish to please me.” Although prideful,...
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s experiences in life create a pathway that guides the development of his morals and values. Through his journey, he establishes a unique interpretation towards life that he culminates in “Self Reliance.” By understanding Emerson’s philosophy, John Steinbeck accomplishes his desire to spread...
As evidenced by its continued appearance throughout the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson and William James, the language of finance served as a particularly useful wellspring for examples and terminology to help those authors convey the important elements of their respective messages. For Emerson, economic...
Steinbeck’s characterization of Jim Casy in The Grapes of Wrath stems from Emersonian thought, as expressed in Emerson’s essay “The Over-Soul”. Jim Casy forms beliefs based on the ideas presented in this piece, as evident through his action of quitting preaching, and his understanding that...
Ralph Waldo Emerson is generally remembered as one of the most influential writers of the American Renaissance. He is the father of the philosophical movement Transcendentalism, that is, the American equivalent of the European movement Romanticism. During his career, Emerson wrote several essays and delivered...
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the author of Self Reliance, was one of the leading Transcendentalists in the American movement and a truly “American” writer. However, he was not as dedicated as Henry David Thoreau, who spent two years living in the woods and detailed his life...
Literary Analysis Self reliance and independence are characteristics in any one person seen as beneficial. In today’s society, non-conformity is rewarded with praise and approval. Throughout the time period displayed in the two passages, the ideas of Romanticism and Transcendentalism became a widely known topic....
The hero in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in many ways embodies the self-reliant characteristics advocated by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Huckleberry Finn acts without consideration for his society’s morality, and without concern for others’ perception of him. However, contrary to Emersonian philosophy, Huck...
In their respective writings, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Frederick Douglass learn to operate and rebel in their own, personal political communities and are both ostracized by their political convictions. Douglass, a slave living in antebellum America, learns to read and write; his literacy in itself...
Song of Myself by Walt Whitman, and Self-Reliance and The Poet by Ralph Waldo Emerson can relate to each other about the authors’ thoughts on transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the connection between people and nature. These writers believe that the universe and the individual soul have...
Transcendentalism, as described by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is searching for one’s own way to connect with oneself and finding peace from within. Discoveries such as necessities, desires, and nature reflect one’s findings. The only way to not conform to another through Transcendentalism is by designing...
For Emerson and Whitman, nature is more than just the trees that line the street, or even the flowers that rest beautifully within the vase. Both men find such a deeper harmony and value within nature, in a way that is very relevant to the...
May 25, 1803, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died
April 27, 1882, Concord, Massachusetts, United States
Quotes
"Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string."
"To be great is to be misunderstood."
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."
Notable Ideas
"Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door"
Date
May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882
Activity
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American lecturer, poet, and essayist, the leading exponent of New England Transcendentalism.
Works
“Address at Divinity College”, “English Traits”, “Essays”, “Nature”, “Poems”, “Representative Men”, “Self-Reliance”, “The American Scholar”, “The Conduct of Life”
Themes
Emerson wrote on a number of subjects, never espousing fixed philosophical tenets, but developing certain ideas such as individuality, freedom, the ability for mankind to realize almost anything, and the relationship between the soul and the surrounding world.
Philosophy
Waldo Emerson is truly the center of the American transcendental movement, setting out most of its ideas and values in a little book, Nature, published in 1836, that represented at least ten years of intense study in philosophy, religion, and literature. His philosophical ideas also include self-reliance, transparent eyeball, double consciousness, stream of thought, over-soul, etc.
Legacy
Emerson was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, and his ideology was disseminated through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States. As a lecturer and orator, Emerson became the leading voice of intellectual culture in the United States. His work not only influenced his contemporaries, but would continue to influence thinkers and writers in the United States and around the world down to the present.
Quotes
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.”
