Ralph Waldo Emerson - A Man of Many Faces. This biography deals with Emerson and his diverse lifestyle and writing practices throughout his life.

Essay by Xodus22High School, 10th gradeA+, August 2002

download word file, 2 pages 3.2

Downloaded 118 times

A Man of Many Faces

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a poet who was one in a million. Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, his father was a Unitarian minister, a path that Emerson would later follow. Emerson lived in poverty during his early days. Yet, through hard work, he was accepted to Harvard but graduated without distinction in 1821. His family's high thinking and plain living though Emerson at an early age the importance of self-reliance and gave him a deep respect for books and learning.

Emerson began by teaching a private girl's school but moved on to bigger things. Within a few years, Emerson was licensed to preach in the Unitarian Church. For the next few years, Emerson spent his life preaching. In 1829, Emerson would meet his first wife, Ellen Louise Tucker. The two got married but unfortunately, Tucker was very frail and died of tuberculosis. After his wife's death, Emerson abandoned preaching, perhaps seeing his call as a poet instead.

On December 1832, Emerson sailed for Europe. There he met many people and saw many things which helped him develop his love of nature and other things that would go on to inspire his work. After returning to Boston in 1833, Emerson grew into a routine of studying, lecturing and writing. A short while later, he met Lydia Jackson, a fanatic of Emerson's work, and the pair were married within a year.

The next decade would mark Emerson's intellectual maturity. He completed his essay, "Nature," which is looked upon as a masterpiece even today. He also gave his "American Scholar" address for the Harvard Phi Beta Kappa society in which he expressed his basic doctrine of self-reliance. Yet, Emerson continued to witness tragedy as he saw two of his brothers die and another who had gone...