This volume of critical interpretations focuses on Emerson's Essays First Series
and Essays Second Series which encompass some of his most important works-
History, Self Reliance, Circles, The Poet and Experience among others. These
essays exemplify Emerson's distinctively rich prose and his radical affirmation
of the strength of the individual. The analyses and apreciations collected here
place Emerson's essays in the context of literary and intellectual history,
grapple with the implications of his epigrams and tropes, and link his shifts of
perspective and tone to the changes in Emerson's life. VIVA MODERN CRITICAL
INTERPRETATIONS presents the best current criticism on the most widely read and
studied poems, novels