Representative Men

Representative Men is a collection of essays written by American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. Published in 1850, the book includes seven essays on influential thinkers and figures throughout history, including Plato, Shakespeare, Napoleon, and Goethe. Each essay explores the life, works, and impact of the individual, with Emerson's signature style of blending philosophy, poetry, and personal reflection. The essays are not intended to be biographical or historical accounts, but rather to present the essence of the individual's character and ideas, and their relevance to Emerson's own time.Emerson's admiration for these figures is clear, but he also offers critical insights into their limitations and flaws. He uses their lives and works as a means of exploring broader themes, such as the nature of genius, the role of art in society, and the relationship between the individual and the collective.Representative Men is considered a classic of American literature and a key work in the development of Transcendentalism, the philosophical and literary movement of which Emerson was a leading figure. The book remains relevant today as a testament to the enduring influence of great thinkers and the power of ideas to shape our lives and the world around us.AMONG eminent persons, those who are most dear to men are not of the class which the economist calls producers: they have nothing in their hands; they have not cultivated corn, nor made bread; they have not led out a colony, nor invented a loom. A higher class, in the estimation and love of this city-building market-going race of mankind, are the poets.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.