Washington Irving
"Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great minds rise above them."
1783-1859
Author Washington Irving was born in New York City in 1783. He achieved international fame for the fictional stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," as well biographical works, A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Irving also served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain in the 1840s, and pushed for stronger copyright laws before his death in 1859. Considered perhaps the first true American writer, Irving sought to nurture his successors and pushed for stronger laws to protect writers from copyright infringement. The terminology of his works seeped into American popular culture, with monikers such as "knickerbocker" and "Gotham" becoming affiliated with New York City.
Author Washington Irving was born in New York City in 1783. He achieved international fame for the fictional stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," as well biographical works, A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus. Irving also served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain in the 1840s, and pushed for stronger copyright laws before his death in 1859. Considered perhaps the first true American writer, Irving sought to nurture his successors and pushed for stronger laws to protect writers from copyright infringement. The terminology of his works seeped into American popular culture, with monikers such as "knickerbocker" and "Gotham" becoming affiliated with New York City.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
1803-1882
Emerson, was born into a family of ministers, became known as a controversial thinker in the late 1830s. And his writing and public persona an influence over American writing, as he influenced such major American writers as Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau, his ideas have created some of the most influential literature in American history. One of his most famous works is, "Nature", in this essay Emerson lays out and attempts to solve an abstract problem: that humans do not fully accept nature’s beauty. He writes that people are distracted by the demands of the world.
Emerson, was born into a family of ministers, became known as a controversial thinker in the late 1830s. And his writing and public persona an influence over American writing, as he influenced such major American writers as Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau, his ideas have created some of the most influential literature in American history. One of his most famous works is, "Nature", in this essay Emerson lays out and attempts to solve an abstract problem: that humans do not fully accept nature’s beauty. He writes that people are distracted by the demands of the world.
Henry David Thoreau
"The world is but a canvas to our imagination"
1817-1862
Henry David Thoreau began writing nature poetry in the 1840s, with poet Ralph Waldo Emerson as a mentor and friend. In 1845 he began his famous two-year stay on Walden Pond, which he wrote about in his master work, Walden. He also became known for his beliefs in Transcendentalism and civil disobedience, and was a dedicated abolitionist. He is one of America's most famed writers, he is known for philosophical and naturalist writings.
Henry David Thoreau began writing nature poetry in the 1840s, with poet Ralph Waldo Emerson as a mentor and friend. In 1845 he began his famous two-year stay on Walden Pond, which he wrote about in his master work, Walden. He also became known for his beliefs in Transcendentalism and civil disobedience, and was a dedicated abolitionist. He is one of America's most famed writers, he is known for philosophical and naturalist writings.
Edgar Allan Poe
"i became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity"
1809-1849
Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and horror. Widely regarded as a central figure of romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole, he was one of the country's earliest creators of the short story. Much of what we see today on TV and film such as horror films, detective films, and stories, have been inspired to some extent by Poe's work. So Poe's writing, his stories, have established these genres in American fiction. Since his work was so new and unique in that time frame, not just amongst Americans and Europeans but writers from all over the world were influenced by him and tried writing in these genres.
Walt Whitman
"Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you"
1819-1892
Whitman was a famous poet, he wrote with emotion and he embodied divinity of nature and the human body. He is most famous for Leaves of Grass and "Song of Myself". Leaves of Grass was a collection of poems that at first were a failure but they ended up influencing poetry in America, his works have also influenced America's movement away from old British values.
Whitman was a famous poet, he wrote with emotion and he embodied divinity of nature and the human body. He is most famous for Leaves of Grass and "Song of Myself". Leaves of Grass was a collection of poems that at first were a failure but they ended up influencing poetry in America, his works have also influenced America's movement away from old British values.