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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. To what cause does Richardson attribute Emerson's moodiness in advance of his trip to Europe?

2. What idea of Hegel's did Emerson discover on returning from Europe?

3. How does Richardson characterize Emerson's feelings?

4. How did Emerson portray great men?

5. Who does Emerson say he had always considered his best friend?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Emerson's relationship with Whitman.

2. What was Emerson's relationship with "The Dial?"

3. How did Emerson balance writing and editing?

4. Describe Emerson's lecturing career.

5. What was Emerson's talk in Dartmouth like?

6. What does Richardson say was Emerson's last characteristic book?

7. Who was Jones Very?

8. How does Richardson characterize Emerson's fame?

9. What was Emerson's relationship with abolition?

10. What was the significance of Emerson's first daughter's name?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Emerson advocated first-hand experience of life, and yet his life was a fairly stable, conventional life, with a wife and children, and steady adherence to work. Do you think Emerson's work suffers for its lack of more extreme or unconventional experiences?

Essay Topic 2

In what way or to what extent is Emerson a Northern or New England writer or intellectual? How much does his region affect his legacy? Are there aspects of America he was not representing?

Essay Topic 3

Emerson wrote essays on love and spiritual laws, but never marriage. Why not, do you think?

(see the answer keys)

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