Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. Early in his life, Emerson followed in his father's footsteps and became a minister, but that ended in 1832 when he felt he could no longer serve as a minister in good conscience. He experienced doubts about the Christian church and its doctrine. These reservations were temporarily alleviated by his brief association with Unitarianism, but Emerson soon became dissatisfied with even their decidedly liberal interpretation of Christianity. After a while, however, he discovered the writings of the British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the German philosopher Immanuel Kant and used their works to shape his own. Emerson's wife died in 1831, an event that likely set him on a path of self-discovery. At the end of 1832 Emerson left for Europe. While there, he had the opportunity to meet some of his literary idols: William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Thomas Carlyle. These relationships would continue to inspire Emerson as he forged his unique relationship with the universe. When Emerson returned to America in 1833, he began a career as a lecturer and published his first book, the now famous, Nature. After a series of radical lectures, Emerson went from preacher and scholar to full-time speaker and author. His work, Essays, was published in 1841. This work only increased his notoriety as a nonconformist. He continued to publish and lecture intermittently in the United States, until he undertook a series of lectures in Europe in 1847. Emerson returned to the United States and resumed lecturing and writing. He made numerous trips to speak throughout the nation, and again in Europe, until his death... center of paper... scholars from around the world, and taught at some of the earliest levels of the world's American educational system. He is the embodiment of the American spirit, a man full of freedom and determination, restless in his search for a unique understanding of life. Works Cited Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Sixth Edition. vol. A ofLiterature to 1820. New York: Norton, 2003.Buell, Lawrence. "Ralph Waldo Emerson." Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 1: TheAmerican Renaissance in New England Ed. Joel Myerson. Gale, 1978.48-60. Literature Resource Center. Doors, Joel. Representative Man: Ralph Waldo Emerson in his day. Oxford UP, 1979. A brief biographical sketch of Ralph Waldo Emerson. November 11, 2002 Yannella, Donald. Ralph Waldo Emerson. Boston: Twayne, 1982.