Self RelianceWaldo Ralph Emerson Essay Research Paper

Self Reliance-Waldo Ralph Emerson Essay, Research Paper

In his Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson writes of the over-soul , the belief that mankind is united through very similar beliefs through this over-soul . Our instinctive actions in making moral choices are all part of this over-soul. This over-soul exists universally among men and is the basis of deriving the basic laws of government. The idea of the over-soul is evident in and greatly influences religion and faith. It is seen in the inherent morals of all men, therefore there is truth to the existence of the over-soul.Emerson writes of the over-soul; that Unity, that Over-soul, within which every man s particular being is contained and made one with all other; that common heart, of which all sincere conversation is the worship, to which all right action is submission; that overpowering reality which confutes our tricks and talents, and constrains every one to pass for what he is, and to speak from his character, and not from his tongue, and which evermore tends to pass into our thought and hand, and become wisdom, and virtue, and power, and beauty (52). With this, Emerson says that the common instinct instilled in man lets him see the truth for himself. This reality found from the shared over-soul, is the purest form of truth. All men have this ability to perceive the truth; we are unified and united with a common knowledge of goodness. Man s instinctive actions in making moral choices are all part of the over-soul. Man can perceive that which is ultimately good, only if he looks past the set laws and dogmas of the majority. It is true that all men have certain inherent morals. These morals that uniquely define man, are what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. This human characteristic to distinguish between what is morally right from wrong is evident in every individual and constitutes a unifying all embodying entity , the over-soul. Along with our natural instincts as animals, we are given the ability to choose whether we will submit to our animal urges or follow the true path of the over-soul. The over-soul exists universally among men and is the basis of deriving the basic laws of government. Emerson writes, Justice we see and know, Love, Freedom, Power. These natures no man ever got above, but they tower over us, and most in the moment when our interests tempt us to wound them (53). Through the over-soul, the importance of the ideals of justice, love, freedom, and power, can be seen. The general laws in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, concerning the justice and freedom of men, all carry hints of moral, or nearly religious attributes. There are many similar laws in other free countries that carry the nearly the same intent and purpose as our laws of freedom and justice. The hints of morally and spiritually derived laws of the United States are justifiable, due to the amiable and pious characters of its drafters, the founding fathers of this country. These men were unquestionably of good moral values, seeing truth in the idea that all men deserved freedom and justice. Their desire to oppose that which forcibly limited their freedom was greatly influenced by the over-soul. They embodied these truths into the laws and rights formulated in our government.The idea of the over-soul is evident in, and greatly influences religion and faith. Emerson writes, there is no screen or ceiling between our heads and the infinite heavens, so there is no bar or wall in the soul where man, the effect, ceases, and God, the cause, begins (53). Emerson believed that God was forever influencing, but not forcing, man to do what is right. Constantly mentioning God in his writings, Emerson s beliefs were greatly influenced by religion. The ability to see what is true is always present; one must only look hard enough to see the truth. Emerson s over-soul, is this constant truth that remains with man, and is always available to him if he seeks it, just as God remains with us and available if sought.Trusting oneself and relying on oneself for the answers are the main points of Emerson s Self-Reliance. He writes, And this deep power in which we exist, and whose beatitude is all accessible to us, is not only self-sufficing and perfect in every hour, but the act of seeing and the thing seen, the seer and the spectacle, the subject and the object, are one (52). The deep power of which he speaks of, is the over-soul that remains with us. The over-soul will always remain a part of us, or yet, we will remain part of it at all times.

His idea that the over-soul can exist without being seen shares many aspects with Emerson s spiritual beliefs. Emerson writes of the over-soul being the influence of God. He mentions many times in his writings, God, another entity which can not be seen by but obviously very real to Emerson. In many faiths and religions, there are numerous ideas of the existence of invisible, yet still influential, entities. Some of these figures, for example, are the various respectable gods of different cultures, angels, demons, spirits, and ghosts. It can be argued that the ideas of what are considered or categorized as good or bad are too vague and ambiguous, yet Emerson believed that by looking to oneself for what was true, one could distinguish between good and bad . This ability to believe ones feelings other than what the majority believed, was greatly supported, admired, and encouraged by Emerson. Even