Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance The American Scholar Nature

Emerson 5.25.1803: Born in Boston, MA Liked to go by “Waldo”

Emerson Father, William, was a Unitarian minister Unitarians believe in the unity of all things. Don’t need to follow dogma.

Emerson Oldest of 8 children All boys 3 died in childhood 2 died in their 20’s

Emerson Father died when Waldo was 8 years old

Emerson 1812-1817: Attended Boston Public Latin School

Emerson 1817: Accepted to Harvard at 14 years old Became youngest grad. of class of 1821

Emerson 1826: Began career as Unitarian minister

Emerson 1829: Married Ellen Tucker He: 26 She: 18

Emerson 1831: Ellen died of tuberculosis Made Emerson question life

Emerson Spent time in Europe Met British Romantic Poets: Wordsworth Coleridge

Emerson 1835: Returned to settle in Concord, MA 1835: Married Lydia Jackson

Emerson 1836: Son born (Waldo)

Emerson 1836: “Nature” (essay) published. Outlined the Trans. Philosophy

Emerson “Nature” had a group of followers Became known as the Transcendental Club

Emerson Same year, gave up preaching to edit “The Dial” (newspaper) with Margaret Fuller

Emerson 1837: “The American Scholar” (essay) published Called “America’s Intellectual Declaration of Independence”

Emerson 1838: Delivered a speech at Harvard Divinity School Attacked the laxness of ministers

Emerson Became persona non grata for 30 yrs. Means “person not welcome”

Emerson 1839: Daughter born (Ellen)

Emerson 1841: Daughter born (Edith)

Emerson 1841: “Self-Reliance” (essay) published

Emerson 1842: Son, Waldo, died Scarlet Fever

Emerson 1844: Bought land with Walden Pond on it Next year- Thoreau moved into his cabin & wrote Walden

Emerson Known to have criticized President Lincoln

Emerson (Lincoln continued) Too concerned with saving the Union, not enough about ending slavery

Emerson 1866: Welcomed back to Harvard Awarded Honorary Degree Elected to Board of Overseers- modernized curriculum

Emerson 1870: Health began to fail Began losing memory

Emerson 1871: Delivered last lecture In CA

Emerson 4.27.1882: Died in Concord (Buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery)