Summary
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the greatest of the Transcendentalists, is often considered to be the central thinker in American history. In essays such as "Self-Reliance" and poems such as "Concord Hymn," he gave voice to ideals that Americans have held dear ever since.
Critical Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson is a reliable and up-to-date resource for students interested in this prolific author. This illustrated volume examines Emerson's life and 140 of his most important works, including all of his major essays and 60 of his poems.
Coverage includes:
- A concise but thorough biography
- Entries on major books; lectures; essays, such as "Self-Reliance," "Nature," and "The Over-Soul"; poems, such as "Concord Hymn," "Brahma," and "Merlin"; and more
- Entries on related people, places, and topics, including Henry David Thoreau, Concord, the Transcendental Club, Unitarianism, the Dial, and more
- Appendixes, including a chronology of Emerson's life, a bibliography of his works, and primary and secondary sources.
Specifications
Black-and-white photographs and illustrations. Index. Appendixes. Bibliographies. Cross-references. Chronology.
About the Author(s)
Tiffany K. Wayne holds a Ph.D. from the University of California in Santa Cruz. She is the author of Woman Thinking: Feminism and Transcendentalism in 19th-Century America, as well as Encyclopedia of Transcendentalism in Facts On File's Literary Movements series.