Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes - 34 quotes

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an American essayist, lecturer, poet, and a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement. He was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts. Emerson was the son of a Unitarian minister. He attended Harvard University, graduating in 1821, and later studied at Harvard Divinity School. Emerson initially followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a Unitarian minister. However, his growing philosophical doubts led him to resign from the ministry in 1832. Seeking a deeper spiritual understanding, he traveled to Europe, where he met influential thinkers like Thomas Carlyle and William Wordsworth. Upon returning to the United States, Emerson settled in Concord, Massachusetts, and began his career as a writer and lecturer. His seminal work, "Nature" (1836), laid the foundation for Transcendentalism, a philosophy that emphasized the inherent goodness of people and nature. Emerson's essays, such as "Self-Reliance" and "The American Scholar", promoted individualism and self-improvement. Emerson was a mentor to other notable Transcendentalists, including Henry David Thoreau. He continued to lecture and write until his death on April 27, 1882, in Concord.