Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph L. Rusk
  • 1. Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph L. Rusk is a profound biographical exploration of the life and philosophy of one of America's most influential transcendentalist thinkers and writers. Rusk delves into Emerson's early life, his formative years at Harvard, and the pivotal experiences that shaped his views on individuality, nature, and society. The biography meticulously examines Emerson's relationships with notable contemporaries, such as Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne, while also reflecting on his impact on literature, philosophy, and the American cultural landscape. Through in-depth analysis and a wealth of historical context, Rusk presents Emerson not only as a literary figure but as a social thinker whose ideas on self-reliance, the interconnectedness of all living things, and the importance of nature continue to resonate in modern discourse. The biography is richly detailed, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of Emerson’s contributions to American thought and his enduring legacy as a champion of individualism and a critic of conformity.

    What is the primary focus of Ralph L. Rusk's biography of Emerson?
A) Transcendentalist movement history
B) Emerson's poetry exclusively
C) Emerson's financial affairs
D) Emerson's life and intellectual development
  • 2. What aspect of Emerson's character does Rusk emphasize?
A) His social conformity
B) His business acumen
C) His political ambition
D) His intellectual independence
  • 3. What does Rusk reveal about Emerson's early career?
A) His political aspirations
B) His business ventures
C) His immediate literary success
D) His struggle with ministry
  • 4. What does Rusk show about Emerson's lecturing career?
A) It was his main income source
B) He disliked it
C) It was unsuccessful
D) It was his primary goal
  • 5. How does Rusk view Emerson's relationship with nature?
A) As scientific only
B) As superficial
C) As contradictory
D) As central to his philosophy
  • 6. How does Rusk present Emerson's public reception?
A) As growing over time
B) As limited to America
C) As consistently negative
D) As immediately widespread
  • 7. How does Rusk treat Emerson's poetry?
A) As technically poor
B) As integral to his thought
C) As separate from essays
D) As his main achievement
  • 8. How does Rusk present Emerson's concept of self-reliance?
A) As sudden inspiration
B) As developed over time
C) As inconsistent
D) As borrowed entirely
  • 9. What year was Rusk's biography of Emerson published?
A) 1850
B) 1949
C) 1965
D) 1903
  • 10. Which prestigious award did Rusk's biography win?
A) Nobel Prize
B) National Book Award
C) Pulitzer Prize
D) Bancroft Prize
  • 11. Where was Emerson born?
A) Concord, Massachusetts
B) New York City
C) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
D) Boston, Massachusetts
  • 12. What was the name of Emerson's first wife?
A) Lydia Jackson
B) Ellen Tucker
C) Sophia Peabody
D) Margaret Fuller
  • 13. Which Harvard position did Emerson hold?
A) President
B) Overseer
C) Librarian
D) Professor of Philosophy
  • 14. What was Emerson's most famous essay?
A) The American Scholar
B) Self-Reliance
C) Experience
D) Nature
  • 15. Which journal did Emerson edit?
A) Harper's Magazine
B) The Atlantic Monthly
C) The North American Review
D) The Dial
  • 16. What was the name of Emerson's second wife?
A) Louisa May Alcott
B) Lydia Jackson
C) Ellen Tucker
D) Elizabeth Peabody
  • 17. Which famous writer did Emerson mentor?
A) Herman Melville
B) Walt Whitman
C) Henry David Thoreau
D) Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • 18. What college did Emerson attend?
A) Yale
B) Brown
C) Princeton
D) Harvard
  • 19. What caused Emerson's early retirement from ministry?
A) Family obligations
B) Poor health
C) Financial reasons
D) Doctrinal disagreements
  • 20. Which European philosopher greatly influenced Emerson?
A) Immanuel Kant
B) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
C) John Locke
D) Friedrich Nietzsche
  • 21. What was the name of Emerson's first book?
A) Nature
B) The Conduct of Life
C) Essays: First Series
D) Representative Men
  • 22. What was Emerson's father's profession?
A) Merchant
B) Lawyer
C) Minister
D) Physician
  • 23. What was Emerson's famous Harvard address called?
A) The American Scholar
B) Self-Reliance
C) The Transcendentalist
D) The Divinity School Address
  • 24. Which poet did Emerson help introduce to American audiences?
A) Emily Dickinson
B) Walt Whitman
C) Edgar Allan Poe
D) Robert Frost
  • 25. What was the cause of Emerson's death?
A) Stroke
B) Pneumonia
C) Tuberculosis
D) Heart failure
  • 26. What was Emerson's middle name?
A) Waldo
B) Whitman
C) Warren
D) William
  • 27. Which European writer did Emerson meet during his travels?
A) Victor Hugo
B) Charles Dickens
C) Thomas Carlyle
D) Leo Tolstoy
  • 28. Which reform movement did Emerson support?
A) Temperance
B) Women's suffrage
C) Labor unions
D) Abolitionism
  • 29. What was the name of Emerson's home in Concord?
A) The Old Manse
B) Bush
C) Wayside
D) Orchard House
  • 30. What was Rusk's profession besides being a biographer?
A) Professor
B) Editor
C) Journalist
D) Librarian
  • 31. What literary period is Emerson most associated with?
A) Modernism
B) Romanticism
C) Transcendentalism
D) Realism
  • 32. In what year was Emerson born?
A) 1810
B) 1795
C) 1803
D) 1820
  • 33. Which famous essay collection did Emerson publish in 1841?
A) Nature
B) The Conduct of Life
C) Essays: First Series
D) Representative Men
  • 34. Which institution did Rusk work for while writing the biography?
A) Harvard University
B) Columbia University
C) Library of Congress
D) Smithsonian Institution
  • 35. What makes Rusk's biography considered definitive?
A) Popular writing style
B) First biography published
C) Personal friendship with Emerson
D) Extensive use of primary sources
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