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Post by chrisd02 on May 1, 2008 20:19:51 GMT -5
I found it very interesting that Emerson's first major and best known work was met with good critical reception but with little support from the public. He ended up reprinting nature in his 1849 edition of Nature; Addresses, and Lectures. In his 1836 edition he introduced the essay with a quotation from the Roman philosopher Plotinus. However, when he reprinted the essay in 1849 he omitted this poetic line and inserted one of his own poems. The epigraph that was written in 1836 reads “Nature is but an image or imitation of wisdom, the last thing of the soul; Nature being a thing which doth only do, but not know.” His six line poem in his 1849 reads A subtle chain of countless rings
The next unto the farthest brings;
The eye reads omens where it goes,
And speaks all languages the rose;
And, striving to be man, the worm
Mounts through all the spires of form.
In this quote he shows the chain that binds together all of nature.
Why do you think that Emerson decided to reprint his essay later in his life? Do you think his idea of nature changed over the time spand between these two publications?
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Post by alanw07 on May 1, 2008 21:11:53 GMT -5
It seems as though Emerson did change from one introduction to the next, as the first epigraph almost refutes his opening statement. The epigraph was written by a man other than himself; his work was not entirely his own. Yet emerson speaks of "going into solitude" and retreating from what society has already established. If he opens up his work with a statement other than his own, it is already directly contradicting the idea of reflecting in solitude, without letting the preconcieved constructs of society have influence. In Emerson's introduction, he laments the fact that we face nature through the lens of our "fathers." By using this epigraph at the beginning of his poem, he is asking people to read through the lens of Plotinus, and is implying that he wrote through the lens of Plotinus. If he is endorsing the idea that everyone should have "an original relation with the universe," then shouldn't his work be completely original?
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Post by DOMINIQUE G on May 2, 2008 6:23:30 GMT -5
I believe that in his 1836 publication quote, Emerson emphasizes how man’s continuous efforts to define nature distort our pure and honest perception of it. As Emerson depicts nature in saying that, “Not the sun or the summer alone, but every hour and season yields its tribute of delight; for every hour and change corresponds to and authorizes a different state of the mind, from breathless noon to grimmest midnight. Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic or a mourning piece,” he emphasizes the continual transformation of nature, and any lone attempt to define and explain it in its entirety is completely impossible. Not only this, but as forming one general hypothesis about nature inevitably causes man to ignore other elements of nature, our efforts again prove futile. As a result, nature becomes “an image or imitation of wisdom, the last thing of the soul,” in that most perceptions of nature are imitations of what nature truly is, and that our true interpretation—not definition of nature lies embedded within the depths of the soul.
I could see how this might affect public response to his essay. Although public appreciation is not exactly the best judge of the worth of the content of the book, (just look at bestsellers Danielle Steel or Clive Cussler) it does retain a small reflection, in part, on the work. People could have been easily offended by Emerson’s general statement that we continually define nature incorrectly. Not only this, but in his assertion that “Nature [is] a thing which doth only do, but not know,” he states that we live thinking that we are so far removed from the simplicity of our nature, yet we act on it everyday, and still ignore its presence and inescapable influence on our lives. This would also offend our “civilized” culture, as it suggests that we act on savage and naturalistic impulses, which society has sought so hard to control.
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Post by alanw07 on May 2, 2008 12:21:20 GMT -5
I hadn't even thought of this before, but Emerson actually contradicts himself with the original opening quote in its actual wording. In the American Scholar Essay, he looks down upon those who simply do their work, and in essence become their work without thinking. He claims that nature is the first path in obtaining the self awareness that is essential to transcend everything. However, in the quote from Plotinus, he states that nature only does, but "doth not know." This seems to be incongrouent with his opinion on the American Scholar.
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Post by caseyr7 on May 4, 2008 22:58:18 GMT -5
I don't believe that Emerson's reasoning for changing the epigraph was due to his changing view of nature. I am in agreement with Alan, I believe Emerson changed the opening to fit his theory that everyone should have "an original relation with the universe." The first epigraph was someone else's words, which in turn influenced him enough to be a part of his work. He saw the contradiction and changed it to fit his theory.
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