READING EMERSON'S NATURE

Nature is the most difficult text we've read so far this term, so don't be fooled by its relative brevity. Allow yourself plenty of time to read.  Not only is the text dense, but Emerson tends to shift topics abruptly, and to redefine his terms without warning. He also experiments with different styles, often in the same essay and even on the same page.

Moreover, the composition of Nature was itself divided and complicated.   Initially, Emerson seems to have planned to write a shorter essay called Nature, something like what turned out to be chapters 1-6 of the current volume.1   He planned to publish it with a companion piece called Spirit, but as he neared the end of the project, he decided to combine the volumes into one (Packer 27).   Moreover, on May 9, 1836, Emerson's brother Charles died quite suddenly, and in his grief Emerson set the project aside for nearly a month (Packer 29-30). When Emerson resumed writing, he did so with new and different ideas, some of which he developed in response to his loss (Packer 52).

This doesn't, however, mean that you should simply throw up your hands in despair. Rather, it means that you must read closely and watch for shifts in ideas and approaches.   I suggest that you pay particular attention to Emerson's use of the terms "nature" and "spirit," especially as each is related to the self. You may even want to take notes on what these terms mean at various points in the essay.

On a larger scale, think about how the various parts of this text fit together.   Can you make a rough sketch of the plot of Nature?

Pay attention as well to Emerson's ideas about language.  How does he view the relationship between nature and language? How does poetry fit into this essay?

You'll also notice, over the next two weeks, that Emerson is very interested in sight, and that he often uses images of vision. Think about the transparent eyeball image on page 996.  Some critics find it beautiful, while others find it ridiculous. What do you think?

Obviously, these questions are not intended to be exhaustive.  But they do offer some strategies that may be helpful to you as you wrestle with this difficult text. I also encourage you to post your thoughts and your perplexities to the newsgroup. Good luck!

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                1 B. L. Packer, Emerson's Fall: A New Interpretation of the Major Essays (New York: Continuum, 1982) 27. [Return to text]