Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803–1882)

American poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. He received a classical education, studied at Harvard, taught for a time, and briefly entered the ministry. After resigning his ministry and visiting Europe, Emerson returned to New England and settled in Concord, Massachusetts.

Emerson became the chief spokesman for Transcendentalism, the American philosophic and literary movement. Centered in New England during the 19th century, Transcendentalism was a reaction against scientific rationalism. Emerson's first book, Nature expresses his theories of Transcendentalism. Among Emerson's most well known works is his collection Essays, First and Second Series, which includes his essay "Self-Reliance." Emerson is widely regarded as one of America's most influential authors, philosophers, and thinkers. He died of pneumonia in 1882.

Emerson: Definitive Guide

This website is described as the definitive guide to Emerson. Visit this site for access to a great deal of information about this writer.

"Concord Hymn"