Ralph Waldo Emerson Biography

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, poet, and a leading figure of Transcendentalism. His writings explore a belief in the 'Over-Soul,' challenging traditional religious dogmas in favor of an inner spirit. Emerson's style is marked by incisive aphorisms that expose hypocrisy and advocate for independent thought. His radical philosophy inspired generations of thinkers and writers, including Henry David Thoreau and Friedrich Nietzsche, with his work remaining influential today.