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The Poetic Mind Of Ralph Waldo Emerson Long Essay

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Essay 1: Solitude & Nature. THE POETIC MIND. Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson long essay, was written in 1836, and at the time it presented very progressive ideas. Not only Nature presented a novel way to connect with God, but it also changed, to some extent, previous beliefs about the natural world. For most of human history the wilderness was a place that provoked fear and meant trouble. Emerson argued differently, for him nature was part of God 's creation, and, thus could not mean any harm .Furthermore, he asserted that to truly experience the richness of the natural world, one should step in not only with an open mind, but also with a child like curiosity, and more importantly, is should be done in solitude. But to go into solitude, Emerson argues, one should withdraw not only from known places and people, but also of any diversions. A person surrounded by possessions, by people, and by distractions can hardly, if ever, experience a solitary state of the mind. Someone wishing to encounter the solitary needs only to gaze at the stars in the night sky. The light that radiates from “those heavenly worlds will separate between him and what he touches” (6). In other words, the deep sense of awe that the stars and the vastness of the night sky evoke, sets the mind in a state of separation between oneself, and the tangible world. This sublime quality of the stars facilitates not only a solitary state of mind, but also brings forth a sense reverence, which is shared by all

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