A Historical Guide to Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is no question that Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) has maintained his place as one of the seminal figures in American history and literature. In his time, he was the acknowledged leader of the Transcendentalist movement. His poetic legacy, education ideals, and religious concepts are integral to the formation of American intellectual life, and scholarly interest in him continues unabated. Myerson has over the course of two decades made himself the most authoritative, respected, and prolific scholar working in this important period. His volume gathers essays that discuss biographical details of Emerson's life as well as women's rights, slavery, transcendentalism, and religion.