The American Scholar Criticism
Ralph Waldo Emerson stands as a seminal figure in American literature, renowned for his influential role in the Transcendentalist movement. His work deeply explores the divine nature of humanity and the essential principle of self-reliance, pivotal themes within Transcendental philosophy. In particular, Emerson's celebrated essay "The American Scholar" serves as a manifesto for American intellectual independence, proposing a break from European traditions, a perspective thoroughly examined in The Making of an American Prophet. His philosophical contributions have left an indelible mark on contemporaries such as Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman.
Emerson's philosophical journey was shaped by his Bostonian roots and exposure to diverse philosophical and religious traditions, including German Idealism and Hinduism. These influences permeate his essays like "Self-Reliance" and "The Over-Soul," where he delves into ideas of ethical autonomy and spiritual interconnectedness. James M. Albrecht notes how these experiences and his resignation from the ministry in 1832—alongside European travels—catalyzed his break from established Christian doctrines, steering his philosophical outlook towards a more radical, personal spirituality.
Though Emerson's literary acclaim has fluctuated over time, he remains a cornerstone of American thought, as evidenced by the dialectical nature of his prose that recent scholars have emphasized in overturning critiques of structural inconsistency. His poetry, initially overshadowed by his essays, has also garnered renewed recognition for its artistic depth, as discussed by Saundra Morris. Emerson's enduring influence as a theorist of American philosophy is marked by his integration of nature, individuality, and the divine in his work.
The critical reception of Emerson's poetic style has been a subject of long-standing debate, often seen as thematically rich but structurally flawed. Initial assessments focused on his religious perspectives, evolving as critics like Charles Eliot Norton and William Dean Howells recognized the moral depth in his work's uneven style. Meanwhile, Seymour L. Gross critiqued specific poetic flaws. Despite these mixed reviews, Emerson's poetry has been acknowledged as a liberating force in American literature, contributing to the cultural shift towards non-traditional forms, themes explored by Jean Gorely.
Contents
- Principal Works
-
Emerson, Ralph Waldo (Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism)
-
The Making of an American Prophet: Emerson, His Audiences, and the Rise of the Culture Industry in Nineteenth-Century America
(summary)
In the following essay, originally published in 1987, Cayton offers an assessment of Emerson's cultural impact in the context of contemporary media.
-
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(summary)
In the following essay, Goodman provides an overview of Emerson's philosophical beliefs as expressed in his writings.
-
Vision's Imperative: ‘Self-Reliance’ and the Command to See Things As They Are
(summary)
In the following essay, Jacobson explores Emerson's early theories on self-reliance, explaining that for Emerson, self-reliance leads to an emancipation of the will, allowing for a clearer understanding of the universe.
-
The Nature of War in Emerson's ‘Boston Hymn’
(summary)
In the following essay, Cadava traces the link between nature and politics, in addition to examining Emerson's views on war in the context of his poem “The Boston Hymn.”
-
Toward a Grammar of Moral Life
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Robinson provides an assessment of Emerson's later career, noting that the author's personal struggles with authorship should prompt caution in too closely analyzing these texts as true examples of Emerson's ideas and writing.
-
‘What poems are many private lives’: Emerson Writing the American Plutarch
(summary)
In the following essay, Bosco examines Emerson's views on the link between biography and history in the context of his two biographical works, Representative Men and Lectures and Biographical Sketches.
-
Emerson's ‘Domestic and Social Experiments’: Service, Slavery, and the Unhired Man
(summary)
In the following essay, Ryan outlines Emerson's ideas on abolition, examining the development of these views in the context of the writer's own domestic arrangements.
-
‘Too Pathetic, Too Pitiable’: Emerson's Lessons in Love's Philosophy
(summary)
In the following essay, Selinger examines Emerson's view on marriage and love, and the friction between earthly love and a more divine love.
-
‘Living Property’: Emerson's Ethics
(summary)
In the following essay, Albrecht examines Emerson's ethical philosophy in the context of such essays as “Self-Reliance” and “Experience.”
-
The Anti-Emerson Tradition
(summary)
In the following essay, Lopez traces the critical reception of Emerson's philosophical writings through the decades in an attempt to define his place in American critical thinking.
-
Emerson, Disclosure, and the Experiencing Self
(summary)
In the following essay, Petruzzi contends that the disclosive theory of truth allows for a more complete description of Emerson's rhetorical theory than either Enlightenment rhetoric or Romantic rhetoric.
-
Fate, Power, and History in Emerson and Nietzsche
(summary)
In the following essay, Friedl offers a comparison between the philosophical vision and the terminology expounded by Emerson and Nietzsche in some of their best-known essays.
-
Emerson and Christianity
(summary)
In the following essay, Bishop examines Emerson's “Divinity School Address” to locate the “Emersonian alternative” to traditional or “historical Christianity.”
-
Emerson and the Woman Question: The Evolution of His Thought
(summary)
In the following essay, Gougeon summarizes Emerson's views on the women's liberation movement.
-
‘Metre-Making’ Arguments: Emerson's Poems
(summary)
In the following essay, Morris presents an overview of Emerson's poetical works.
-
Emerson and Nature
(summary)
In the following essay, Richardson defines Emerson's perception of nature and the role it played in his philosophical thinking and writing.
-
The Making of an American Prophet: Emerson, His Audiences, and the Rise of the Culture Industry in Nineteenth-Century America
(summary)
-
Emerson, Ralph Waldo (Poetry Criticism)
-
The Poet
(summary)
In this piece, Emerson describes the poet's intuitive sense and ability to record his perceptions, often with symbols from nature.
-
Poetry and Imagination
(summary)
In this excerpt from his review of Emerson's Poems, Bartol offers a theological evaluation determining that Emerson's religious beliefs weaken his poetry.
-
Emerson's Poems
(summary)
Brownson, an early Transcendentalist who became an ardent Roman Catholic, edited his own magazine from 1844 to 1875 as a vehicle for his religious beliefs and wrote popular books containing the sensationalized religious tone evident in this excerpt. Here Brownson criticizes Emerson's poetry by describing it as the voice of a depressed and delusional poet under the influence of Satan.
-
Nine New Poets
(summary)
In this excerpt, Bowen finds fault with Emerson's meter, rhyme and 'obscure' allusions. Bowen's negative response to the poems represents the general reaction of early reviewers to Emerson's first book of poetry.
-
Emerson as a Poet
(summary)
In this excerpt from an article appearing in the magazine associated with Emerson's alma mater, Harvard University, the anonymous critic commends Emerson as an intellectual poet whose original verse derives its inspiration from both American nature and Eastern religions. Written eight years after Emerson first published Poems, the critic's positive response reflects the changing attitude toward poetic styles during the 1850s.
-
A review of May-Day and Other Pieces
(summary)
Norton, an editor of leading journals during the 1860s and a professor at Harvard University for twenty-five years, wrote internationally renowned literary and social criticism and historical essays that produced a wide cultural influence. In this excerpt, he praises Emerson's second book of poetry by expressing a willingness to accept Emerson's uneven poetic style as a minor flaw in light of the greater contribution made by Emerson's moral and spiritual themes.
-
A review of May-Day and Other Pieces
(summary)
Howells, one of the most popular novelists of the late nineteenth century, was an editor of Atlantic Monthly for fifteen years. In this excerpt Howells praises selections from Emerson's second book of poetry and states that Emerson's poetry, while challenging, offers great intellectual rewards.
-
Emerson's Poems
(summary)
Holmes discusses Emerson's poetry by comparing Emerson to the great writers throughout history, ranking Emerson highly for the moral statements he makes in symbolic terms but also criticizing him slightly for the unevenness of his poetic rhythm.
-
Poems
(summary)
In this excerpt Cary, a professional journalist-biographer, praises Emerson's poetry, finding it equal to William Wordsworth's in its "moral purpose." To Cary, Emerson epitomizes America's mid-nineteenth century call for poets to fulfill an organic ideal of verse.
-
A Puritan Plus Poetry
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Van Dyke emphasizes Emerson's ability to describe the beauty of nature and to spark the reader's imagination.
-
The Poetry of Emerson
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Noyes compares Emerson to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Edgar Allan Poe with a focus on the poems, "Humble-Bee," "Give All to Love," and "Bacchus." He also presents Emerson as a creative force in the development of modern poetry linking Emerson to Robert Louis Stevenson and Rudyard Kipling.
-
Poetry, England, and the War
(summary)
Gay edited a collection of verse for college students. In the following excerpt, he criticizes Emerson's poetry for its lack of "smoothness" and links this poetic flaw to what he perceives as Emerson's theory of poetry with its emphasis on the poem as a philosophical statement rather than an aesthetically stylized work of art.
-
Emerson's Theory of Poetry
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Gorely explores Emerson's method of poetic composition by referring to his journals and his essay, "The Poet." She discusses the value that Emerson places on inspiration and truth as forces that guide the poet in rhythmical expression.
-
Emerson and Poetry
(summary)
Gross is an American-Literature scholar whose area of specialization is Nathaniel Hawthorne with an additional focus on African-American Literature and Emerson criticism. In the following excerpt, Gross examines contradictory aspects of Emerson's theories of poetry and rates Emerson's poetry unfavorably. The critic points out specific flaws in the poems 'Each and All' and 'The Rhodora' but presents 'Days' as Emerson's finest poem.
-
Toward the 'Titmouse Dimension': The Development of Emerson's Poetic Style
(summary)
In this excerpt, Yoder presents a chronological study of Emerson's poems to reveal the development of Emerson's poetic style. Yoder finds that Emerson's use of poetic techniques, his themes, and his poetic structures follow a progression that coincides with his changing concept of the 'poet's identity.'
-
Artful Thunder
(summary)
In this excerpt, Yannella shows that while "not all are great" Emerson's poems are "technically accomplished works" worthy of a distinguished rank in American poetry. Yannella begins by interpreting Emerson's poetic theory as stated in "The Poet," and proceeds to explicate a selection of Emerson's poems grouped together thematically.
-
The Poet
(summary)
- Further Reading