Ralph Waldo Emerson was a pivotal literary figure in a crucial time for the formation of the uniquely American genre of literature. Coming off of the American Revolution and newfound independence from England, the nation was navigating its way through creating its own literature apart from England as well. Emerson, particularly in his essay “Self-Reliance”, was highly influential to this new style. Emerson, the main spokesperson of transcendentalism in this time period, includes many of his beliefs in the themes of the essay, which is very critical of society. Three of these themes, solitude, the divinity within, and self-trust not only play a part in Emerson’s time but also in modern society in America. Notably, one of the most prominent
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In order to find one’s true divinity and the truth hidden within oneself, an individual must be secluded from society; this is the value of solitude. In this essay, Emerson speaks much of the negative affects of society on an individual to show why solitude is ultimately so important. For example, in this essay he says “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.” Society has an affect on people, whether it is intentional or not. This is also communicated when Emerson says, “Every decent and well-spoken individual affects and sways me more than is right.” According to Emerson, because of the culture’s negative affect on an individual it is best to find solitude. If one is never secluded from society, they will get caught up in what others have to say about them or what the world is saying and they will not be able to discover their own truth. He also says, “My life is for itself and not a spectacle.” If everyone’s lives are on display, free for any comment or influence, then it is hard to focus on oneself and finding his own truth. This is the importance of solitude as translated via Emerson and other transcendentalists. In today’s …show more content…
Along with solitude and the divinity within, self-trust is a significant part of Emerson’s transcendental beliefs displayed in his essay. Self-trust gives an individual the discretion to find the divinity within. Emerson says, “I hope in these days we have heard the last of conformity and consistency.” Conformity and consistency breed the opposite of self-trust; they focus on others and encourage trust of surrounding people rather than individualism. To truly trust oneself, there must be abandonment of society and conforming to social norms. Self-trust is also important to find the divinity within. Emerson further continues this point when he says, “The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion.” Here, he explicitly states that self-trust, or rather self-reliance, are opposites and cannot coexist. Furthermore, Emerson emphasizes that solitude and seclusion from society are incredibly valuable, especially to trust oneself. He says, “There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, or worse, as his portion…” Influence from others discourages self-trust and encourages insecurity and ignorant dependence. This encourages the theme of solitude in order to breed self-trust, another theme seen in this essay. In
In order to find one’s true divinity and the truth hidden within oneself, an individual must be secluded from society; this is the value of solitude. In this essay, Emerson speaks much of the negative affects of society on an individual to show why solitude is ultimately so important. For example, in this essay he says “Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members.” Society has an affect on people, whether it is intentional or not. This is also communicated when Emerson says, “Every decent and well-spoken individual affects and sways me more than is right.” According to Emerson, because of the culture’s negative affect on an individual it is best to find solitude. If one is never secluded from society, they will get caught up in what others have to say about them or what the world is saying and they will not be able to discover their own truth. He also says, “My life is for itself and not a spectacle.” If everyone’s lives are on display, free for any comment or influence, then it is hard to focus on oneself and finding his own truth. This is the importance of solitude as translated via Emerson and other transcendentalists. In today’s …show more content…
Along with solitude and the divinity within, self-trust is a significant part of Emerson’s transcendental beliefs displayed in his essay. Self-trust gives an individual the discretion to find the divinity within. Emerson says, “I hope in these days we have heard the last of conformity and consistency.” Conformity and consistency breed the opposite of self-trust; they focus on others and encourage trust of surrounding people rather than individualism. To truly trust oneself, there must be abandonment of society and conforming to social norms. Self-trust is also important to find the divinity within. Emerson further continues this point when he says, “The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion.” Here, he explicitly states that self-trust, or rather self-reliance, are opposites and cannot coexist. Furthermore, Emerson emphasizes that solitude and seclusion from society are incredibly valuable, especially to trust oneself. He says, “There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, or worse, as his portion…” Influence from others discourages self-trust and encourages insecurity and ignorant dependence. This encourages the theme of solitude in order to breed self-trust, another theme seen in this essay. In