Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Emerson's Biography in brief

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EMERSON, Ralph Waldo (May 25, 1803 - Apr. 27, 1882)

American philosopher, essayist, and poet. Born Boston, son of Rev. William Emerson, one of a line of New England ministers. His aunt Mary Moody Emerson was formative influence on early years. Educated at Boston Latin School and Harvard (graduated 1821), spent next years school-teaching. Studied briefly at Harvard Divinity School. Already "approbated to preach" (1826) the Unitarian faith, he was appointed to Second Church in Boston (1829). That same year married Ellen Tucker (she died in 1831). Resigned pastorate (1832) and went abroad, calling on Landor in Florence and on Coleridge, Wordsworth, and Carlyle in Great Britain. Returned to Concord, Mass. (1834), preached "on call," and lectured. Married Lydia (Lidian) Jackson (1835). Now launched on public career, he published Nature (1836), an orderly statement of transcendental philosophy. The American Scholar address at Harvard (1837) encouraged the younger literary generation; The Divinity School Address (1838) puzzled or infuriated the elder. Essays, First Series (1841) and Essays, Second Series (1844) are reductions of his lectures and notebooks. The Conduct of Life (1860), Society and Solitude (1870), and rest of his later prose are also the substance of his lectures. Published two volumes of poetry, Poems (1847) and May-Day and Other Pieces (1867). Lecture tour of Great Britain (1847-48) resulted in English Traits (1856). Liberal in politics and philosophy, yet skeptical of doctrinaire positions, he denounced the Fugitive Slave Law, came out for abolition. Grew in popular esteem, though later books reiterate a message already familiar. The burning of his Concord house (1872) was a severe shock; friends contributed to its rebuilding and to a trip abroad. But Emerson's mind was already weakening; his last years, though serene, were marked by increasing senility. Died in Concord; buried there near Thoreau.

Reprinted from Atlantic Brief Lives, A Biographical Companion to the Arts, ed. Louis Kronenberger, Boston: Little, Brown, 1971. By permission of the publisher.

• Joel Porte ofers a much more complete biography,with more pictures.
  
  
• This interview on C-Span's Booknotes with Robert D. Richardson, author of Emerson: The Mind on Fire, is an excellent general introduction to Emerson's life, times and work.
  
  
• The article on Emerson at Britannica.com is quite thorough.