Dieterich Ralph Waldo Emerson

1. Ralph
Waldo
Emerson
1803-1882

2.  Essayist, poet, philosopher,
& orator
 1st American philosopher
 Transcendentalism was his
reaction against scientific
rationalism
 His motto: Trust thyself

3.  1st book
 Nature
 The best expression of his
transcendentalism
 Most famous work
 Essays
 “Compensation,” “Nature” and
“Self-Reliance”

4.  “Self-Reliance”
 Theme – People should be true
to themselves.

5.  Transcendental Club
 He formed this group along with
a group of friends, including
Henry David Thoreau and
Margaret Fuller
 Nature was the creed for the
club