... Henry James, and Robert Frost. Emerson's essays are a series of loosely related impressions, maxims, proverbs, and parables. He has been described as belonging to the tradition of "wisdom literature" that includes Confucius, Marcus Aurelius, Michel de Montaigne, and Francis Bacon, among others. Despite personal hardships, Emerson developed a moral philosophy based on optimism and individualism. In "Self-Reliance ... career as a writer and lecturer. The sources of Emerson's thought have been found in many intellectual movements "Platonism, Neoplatonism, Puritanism, Renaissance poetry, my...

• Word Count: 3135
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School