Representative Men: Seven Lectures

Representative Men is a collection of seven lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Contents: Uses of great men, Plato ("the Philosopher"), Emanuel Swedenborg ("the Mystic"), Michel de Montaigne ("the Skeptic"), William Shakespeare ("the Poet"), Napoleon ("the Man of the World") and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ("the Writer").

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was a central figure in the American transcendentalist movement, renowned for his essays, lectures, and as a champion of individualism. His work not only provided a philosophical backbone to transcendentalism but also had a profound impact on American thought and literature. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Emerson was educated at Harvard before becoming an ordained minister. His disillusionment with organized religion led him to develop his own spiritual and philosophical outlook, which he articulated through his writing and public speaking. Emerson's work explores the inherent goodness of human beings, the beauty of nature, and the potential for personal growth and societal reform. His seminal essay collections such as 'Nature' (1836) and 'Self-Reliance' (1841) laid the groundwork for his literary prominence. In 'Representative Men: Seven Lectures' (1850), Emerson presents biographical sketches of historical figures, including Plato, Shakespeare, and Goethe, discussing their contributions and the ways they reflected or influenced the universal mind. Emerson's essays are characterized by their clear prose, aphoristic insights, and the belief that truth can be discovered through intuition. His literary style has been celebrated for its poetic rhythm and philosophical depth, making Emerson a pivotal figure in American letters and a primary shaper of its intellectual history.