The Influence of Emerson

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at how Ralph Waldo Emerson became one of the most outspoken proponents of transcendentalism and relates that it was through this belief of transcending the traditions of strict humanism and embracing nature, that Emerson had a direct and tangible influence on the thinking and writing of Thoreau, Hawthorne and others. The paper then discusses how Emerson took up the abolitionist cause that put him in strong opposition to the southern culture. The paper concludes that Emerson's influence is still felt in our understanding today of what it means to be American.

From the Paper:

"The strength of Emerson's work has always been in its absolute honesty and dedication to communicating in words, the actions we need to take in life in order to be truly alive. While his ideas have not always been universally embraced, Emerson's philosophy sits at the very core of what we would define as "Americanism". His essay, Self Reliance, spells out not only the "Pioneer Spirit" but the nature of a constant - the core of what it has always meant to be American. That spirit has changed little since the first days of Jamestown and today. Emerson's contribution to American literature has, too, remained a reliable constant. For it is within his words that authors have found the prototype of the self-reliant individualistic hero - that quintessentially American literary character who succeeds on his own terms and works with others only toward a common good."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Emerson, R. W. (1995). Emerson's Anti Slavery Writings. (J. Myerson, Ed.) New York: Yale University Press.
• Emerson, R. W. (1909). Nature. Boston: Duffield.
• Emerson, R. W. (1993). Self-Reliance and Other Essays. New York: Courier Dover Publications.
• Emerson, R. W. (1904). The Conduct of Life. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
• Lowance, M. I. (2000). Against Slavery: An Abolitionist Reader. New York: Penguin Classics.

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