Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Making of a Democratic Intellectual

Peter S. Field argues that Ralph Waldo Emerson was America’s first democratic intellectual. Field contends that Emerson was a democrat in two senses: his writings are imbued with an optimistic, confident ethos; and, more importanty, he acted the part of the democrat by bringing culture to all Americans. Despite an intellectual inheritance grounded in federalist-unionist elitism, Emerson embraced American democracy. His energy and essential originality stemmed from his attempt to apply his high cultural education to an increasingly egalitarian society. Field connects Emerson and his remarkable creativity to the key political issue of the day: the nature of democracy and the role of intellectuals within a democratic society.