Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was a prolific poet, philosopher, and speaker who was generally regarded as the leader of the Transcendental movement. Born in Boston to a father who was a Unitarian minister and a mother whose Anglican background strongly influenced his education, Emerson grew up steeped in religion. He graduated from Harvard in 1820, became a schoolteacher and then a minister, but his struggles with doubt after his wife, Ellen, died of tuberculosis, led him to leave the ministry. Before taking another job, Emerson spent some time living on the support of friends and family, traveled to Europe, where he met Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Carlysle, and experimented with...
Join Now to View Premium Content
GradeSaver provides access to 2375 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11027 literature essays, 2797 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.
