Ralph Waldo Emerson was a man of many talents. He wrote essays and poetry, and he was associated not only with American Romanticism but also with its sister movement, Transcendentalism. Way to get around, Emerson.

In his work, you'll find a huge emphasis on individualism, which is one of the central themes of American Romanticism. He played a big part in elaborating individualist ideals such as self-reliance. His ideas influenced also other important American Romantics, including Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman.

Essays: First Series (1841)

Emerson was really big on writing essays. He used the essay form to communicate his ideas to a wide audience, and through these essays he became a very influential figure in public life. His eloquence is on full display in this first book.

We find many of Emerson's important essays in this book, including "Self-Reliance," which lays out why we should all, you know, rely on ourselves. "I do what I want" was Emerson's catchphrase.

"The Rhodora" (1847)

Although Emerson is better known as an essayist than a poet, he also wrote important works of poetry. Seriously, what didn't this guy do? The themes of his poetry echo those in the work of other American Romantics.

"The Rhodora" is not only a poem about a flower; it's a poem about the beauty and power of nature. Nature, of course, is a huge theme in American Romantic literature—those guys couldn't get enough of the big, wide, natural world. Emerson's poem reflects the American Romantics' obsession with the natural world.

Chew On This

Individualism, one of the big themes of American Romanticism, was a fav topic of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Check out Emerson's statement on the importance of individualism in his essay "Self-Reliance."

In "Nature," Ralph Waldo Emerson reflects on the importance of engaging with nature. Check out this quotation about the stars.