LITR 4232: American Renaissance
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Student Presentation, spring 2001

Reader: Barbara Sharp

Recorder: Linda Quarles

February 8, 2001

From Emerson’s Nature and Self-Reliance

Emerson’s main theme in Nature and Self-Reliance is individualism, a standard characteristic that aligns with Romanticism, and relative to Objective 2 of the syllabus. The "romance" genre capitalizes on the "romantic hero" as the ideal individual. On page 1625 in Self-Reliance, Emerson defines this person as one "who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." This sentence personifies the ideal "romantic hero": the person whose deeds or accomplishments stand out yet is able to easily coexist within the larger society. Cora in The Last of the Mohicans is a good example because, although she does not fit under a purely European or Indian label, she is still accepted by the larger society that consists of the two groups as a whole; a feat she accomplishes without conforming to either side.

"Trust thyself"--Emerson proclaims that "great men have always done so"; this sentiment, from page 1623, resounds throughout Self-Reliance. Here Emerson points out that, ideally, the best opinions formulate from one’s own conscience. On page 1583 in Nature, Emerson explicates on how easy it is to become complacent to the world surrounding you, and that you must "go into solitude" and "retire as much from [your] chamber as from society" in order to remember what is truly important: rediscovering simple values. Detaching from normal routines in everyday settings gives you the opportunity to reflect on your present situation without distractions or social pressures.

Interestingly, Emerson’s essays are addressed to a male audience, although he expresses the theme of individuality in terms of a singular person. The query of why he uses an almost exclusively masculine voice provokes critical thinking in order to establish possible reasons. One explanation may be that Emerson was reflecting the era of his society: the male majority of the public world. Another plausible reason may stem from an influence of Asian ideas; since he studied oriental culture, it could have influenced his belief that women had low social value, as this was typically how Eastern culture viewed women.

The discussion that followed took an interesting turn as the question into why Emerson used a masculine direction was pondered. Kellie pointed out that Emerson appeared to be contradictory; she inquired, "would it have killed him to say ‘humankind’ instead of man?" Keely responded by mentioning that during Emerson’s time there was no political correctness: the universal usage of the term man always referred to males only. Pam pointed out that "humankind" was not a term used at this time since it was not a part of their vocabulary. Lynne made the comment that she did not believe Emerson intentionally meant to cut women out. Joanne wondered if women saw Emerson’s use of the word man included them, or if his writings were seen more as instructional guides for their husbands and sons. She also pointed out a passage on page 1585 of the text where Emerson writes "few adult persons" instead of "man". Sheila directed us to page 1588 of the text showing where Emerson writes "every natural creature." Keely added that the instinct motivating Emerson was tied to childhood and innocence. Pointing out a passage on page 1623 of the text, she related it to her belief that Emerson encouraged his readers to have an open mind and get out of societal constraints. Sonya pointed out that children have no prejudices. Dr. White wrapped up the discussion by relating the romantic hero to a detective, stating how this hero was an outsider, but likable to all.

Romanticism and the romantic hero are synonymous in literature during the American Renaissance. Although in most writings, the protagonist was a male figure, a few female heroes can be found in their midst. Emerson played a major role in the emergence of the individual.