Emerson's Literary CriticismRalph Waldo Emerson has always fascinated students of criticism and of American literature and thought. Emerson& ’ s Literary Criticism supplies the continuing need for an anthology. This collection brings together Emerson& ’ s literary criticism from a wide variety of sources. Eric W. Carlson has culled both the major statements of Emerson's critical principles and many secondary observations that illuminate them. Here are more than sixty selections on thirty-five critical topics. Headnotes provide valuable background. Carlson relates Emerson& ’ s critical principles to his philosophy, social thought, and literary milieu, and also to biographical details. Intended for the student as well as the researcher, this book amply illustrates Alfred Kazin's contention that Ralph Waldo Emerson was "one of the shrewdest critics who ever lived." |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 30
Page 96
When I read Plutarch , or look at a Greek vase , I incline to accept the common
opinion of scholars , that the Greeks had clearer wits than any other people . But
there is anything but time in my idea of the antique . A clear or natural expression
...
When I read Plutarch , or look at a Greek vase , I incline to accept the common
opinion of scholars , that the Greeks had clearer wits than any other people . But
there is anything but time in my idea of the antique . A clear or natural expression
...
Page 114
To look at him one would say there was never an observer before . What sagacity
, what industry of observation . To read his record is a frugality of time , for you
shall find no word that does not stand for a thing , and he is of that
comprehension ...
To look at him one would say there was never an observer before . What sagacity
, what industry of observation . To read his record is a frugality of time , for you
shall find no word that does not stand for a thing , and he is of that
comprehension ...
Page 188
No man existed who could look down on him . They that looked into his eyes saw
that they might look down the sky as easily . His muse and teaching was common
sense , joyful , aggressive , irresistible . Not Latimer , nor Luther struck more ...
No man existed who could look down on him . They that looked into his eyes saw
that they might look down the sky as easily . His muse and teaching was common
sense , joyful , aggressive , irresistible . Not Latimer , nor Luther struck more ...
What people are saying - Write a review
Emerson's literary criticism
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictEditor Carlson gathered this selection of Emerson's literary criticism in 1979. The great poet here ruminates on "Art as Experience," "The Creative Process," "Writers and Books," and more. Read full review
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
American appear beauty become better called character Chaucer Coleridge common criticism culture delight draw Edited effect Emerson England English essay experience expression fact feeling flow genius give Goethe hand heart human ideal ideas imagination influence insight inspiration intellect interest journal language learned leaves lecture less light lines literary literature living look manners material meaning Milton mind moral nature never novel object organic original painting pass passage perception person philosopher picture poems poet poetic poetry praise present published reader reason relation represents rhetoric seems sense Shakspeare soul speak speech spirit stand style symbol theory things thought tion translation true truth universal verse whole wonderful Wordsworth write written
Bibliographic information
| Title | Emerson's Literary Criticism Regents critics series Survey and Bibliography of Recent Studies in English Renaiss |
| Author | Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| Editor | Eric W. Carlson |
| Publisher | University of Nebraska Press, 1979 |
| ISBN | 0803214030, 9780803214033 |
| Length | 251 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |