1837, Emerson published a famous speech entitled "American Scholar", claiming that American literature has been independent from English literature, and warned American scholars not to let the pedant's habits spread, blindly follow the tradition and make pure imitation. In addition, this speech also attacked the money worship in American society and emphasized the value of people. Known as the "declaration of independence" in the field of American thought and culture. A year later, Emerson criticized the lifeless situation of the only monotheistic sect in Christianity in Salute to the Theological Seminary, and strongly advocated the supremacy of human beings and intuitive understanding of the truth. "Believe in your own thoughts and what suits you in your heart is suitable for everyone ..." Lawrence Bull, a literary critic, said in The Life of Emerson that Emerson and his theory are the most important secular religions in the United States.
1838, he was invited to return to Harvard theological seminary and give a speech at the graduation ceremony. His remarks immediately shocked the whole Protestant society, because he explained that when Jesus was a man, he was not a god (people would rather not hear such remarks at that time). Therefore, he was accused of being an atheist and poisoning the minds of young people. In the face of these criticisms, he didn't make any response or defense. In the next 40 years, he was not invited to give a lecture at Harvard University, but in the mid-1880s, his position became a dogmatic school. From 65438 to 0840, Emerson was the editor-in-chief of the transcendentalist publication sundial, and further promoted transcendentalism. Later, he compiled his speech into a book, the famous Essays. The first collection of essays was published in 184 1, including on self-help, on oversoul, on compensation, on love, on friendship and so on 12 papers. Three years later, the second set of essays was published. As Emerson, this work won a great reputation. His thought is called the core of transcendentalism, and he himself is known as "the leader of American Renaissance".
1842, Emerson's eldest son Huadu died of scarlet fever. Emerson expressed his sadness in his two representative works, An Elegy and Essay Experience. In the same year that william james was born, Emerson agreed to be his godfather.
Emerson became a famous speaker in New England and other countries outside the southern United States. When he can't attend some speeches as planned, Frederick Douglass will take his place. Emerson's lectures have many different topics, and many of his works are taken from his speeches.
Emerson was friends with nathaniel hawthorne and henry david thoreau and often walked with them in Concord. Emerson inspired Thoreau's talent. Thoreau also built a house in Walden Lake in Jackson County (Colorado), where Emerson lived. When Thoreau lived in Chinatown, Emerson provided food and hired Thoreau to do some work. When Thoreau left Iowa two years later, Emerson also left because he had to travel around to give a speech. At that time, Thoreau lived in Emerson's house. However, when Thoreau published his first book, A Week on Concord and Merrimack, Emerson gave him a bad suggestion, and their friendly relationship broke down. This book has no extensive design, but Emerson took him to see his agent and made Thoreau bear the cost and risk of publishing this book. Not many readers of this book, Thoreau began to be heavily in debt. Finally, the two of them reconciled some differences, but Thoreau privately accused Emerson of gradually deviating from his original outlook on life, and Emerson began to regard Thoreau as a misanthrope. Emerson gave a negative evaluation of Thoreau's eulogy in the19th century.
Although Emerson is an abstract and profound writer, his speech is still heard by many people. Emerson's works are mainly based on his observation of things in his diary. When he was still studying at Harvard University, he had the habit of keeping diaries, which were carefully indexed by Emerson. He wrote down his experiences and thoughts in his diary, brought out some meaningful information, and combined the essence of his intensive and concentrated speech. Later, he revised and polished his speech to include it in his prose and other works.
He was regarded as one of the great orators at that time, and fascinated the audience with his deep voice. Moreover, he was quite enthusiastic and treated and valued the audience with an equal attitude. His straightforward and uncompromising stance on the issue of abolishing slavery aroused people's opposition and ridicule when he talked about related topics later. He continued to make radical speeches about the abolition of slaves, but he didn't consider whether people liked it or not. He tried not to join any open political movement or group, and he often longed for independence, which reflected his individualism. He often insists on not being an advocate, but becoming a self-reliant person. In his later years, people asked him to count his works, but he still said that his belief was "infinite individual".
Emerson read the works of Montaigne, a French essayist, in his early years and was greatly influenced by him. He realized his personal style from these works and began to reduce his trust in God. He has never read Kant's works, but he has read Coleridge's explanation of German Transcendentalists. This made Emerson distrust the soul and God. After his death, Emerson was buried in Sleeper Valley Cemetery in Concord County, Massachusetts. In May 2006, after Emerson delivered "Seminary Speech" 168, the theological seminary of Harvard University announced the establishment of UUA (Unitaria n Universalist Association).
Emerson's many essays included in Essays Collection: The First (184 1) and the Second (1844) series are considered as one of the representative works of 100.
Emerson's article praised that people should believe their own opinions. Such people believe that they are the representatives of all people because they perceive the truth of the universe. Emerson calmly described his view of the world in a detached tone. Transcendentalism combines and permeates such serious moral values as neo-Platonism and Calvinism, and romantic optimism that God's love can be found in all nature.
Emerson likes speaking, and he is very excited in front of the crowd. He said that he felt a huge emotional call, and his main reputation and achievements were based on this call. Through his papers and speeches, he became the leader of American Transcendentalism and the most important informal philosopher. His philosophical spirit is manifested in his outstanding views on logic and empiricism. He despises pure theoretical exploration and believes in nature, believing that it embodies God and God's laws.
In addition to prose, Emerson's works include representative, English characteristics, poetry, Mayday and other poems. Emerson is an essayist, thinker and poet. His poems and essays are unique, paying attention to ideology rather than rhetoric. His writing style is like a motto, and his philosophy is easy to understand and convincing, with a typical "Emerson style". Some people commented that his writing style "Emerson seems to only write epigrams", and the temperament revealed in his writing style is indescribable: full of autocracy and unquestionable, with an open democratic spirit; There are both the arrogance of nobles and the frankness of civilians; It's clear and easy to understand, often mixed with mysticism ... It's amazing that one person can cram so many epigrams into an article. Why are the sentences worth reading in the morning always inspiring? Time will not cover him with dust, but let him set out.
Emerson's greatest achievement in the history of American culture and literature is that he firmly advocates the establishment of independent national culture and literature. He is against following in the footsteps of others. He preached the spiritual independence of the new world. Emerson's thought was further developed by his famous American philosopher. Emerson asked American thinkers to "know themselves" and "observe nature", learn from the strengths of others, create a new culture in the new world, write books belonging to their own times, and make contributions to human progress while striving to improve themselves. He asked American philosophers to be independent thinkers, not to follow others' advice. He pointed out that books contain the wisdom of the past, but they can't keep up with the past and have no laws and regulations. He asked scholars to become a universe, not a satellite out of their orbit. Some ideas are creative, some actions are creative, and some words are creative, which naturally flow from the goodness and beauty that the mind itself feels. He warned that the genius of the past can become the enemy of the genius creation of today, and Shakespeare can "melt" the original style of modern people. American scholars should look ahead, keep their eyes on their heads, and hopefully write books of their own time. Every era should write its own book.