Emerson and Eros: The Making of a Cultural HeroThis critical biography traces the spiritual, psychological, and intellectual growth of one of America's foremost oracles and prophets, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882). Beginning with his undergraduate career at Harvard and spanning the range of his adult life, the book examines the complex, often painful emotional journey inward that would eventually transform Emerson from an average Unitarian minister into one of the century's most formidable intellectual figures. By connecting Emerson's inner life with his outer life, Len Gougeon illustrates a virtually seamless relationship between Emerson's Transcendental philosophy and his later career as a social reformer, a rebel who sought to "unsettle all things" in an effort to redeem his society. In tracing the path of Emerson's evolution, Gougeon makes use of insights by Joseph Campbell, Erich Neumann, Mircea Eliade, and N. O. Brown. Like Emerson, all of these thinkers directly experienced the fragmentation and dehumanization of the Western world, and all were influenced both directly and indirectly by Emerson and his philosophy. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how Emerson's philosophy would become a major force of liberal reformation in American society, a force whose impact is still felt today. |
Contents
1 | |
Reentering Reality | 21 |
2 THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH | 45 |
Emerson In His Journals 18201836 | 75 |
Emersons Early Public Voice 18361844 | 125 |
Recentering America 18441871 | 159 |
EMERSON WHOLENESSAND THE SELF | 193 |
NOTES | 199 |
241 | |
255 | |
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affective American appears archetypal asserts balance become body Brown called Campbell century chapter clearly collective concept conscious continued critics cultural death describes divine earlier early effort element Emerson emotional energy essay established eternal eventually existence experience expression fact faith fathers feeling finally force function harmony heart hero human humanists Ibid ideal important indicates individual influence insists intellectual intuitive journal Jung language largely later laws lecture liberation living maintains meaning mind moral movement nature needs Neumann never notes observes once period philosophy poet present prophet psyche psychological psychomythic reality Reason refers reflects reform religious represent result role says seems seen sense slavery social society soul spiritual suggests symbolic things thought throughout transcendent true truth ultimately unconscious Understanding unity universal vision vital whole writings young
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Page 3 - The planter, who is Man sent out into the field to gather food, is seldom cheered by any idea of the true dignity of his ministry. He sees his bushel and his cart, and nothing beyond, and sinks into the farmer, instead of Man on the farm.