2016 Ralph Waldo Emerson and his impact on American Literature Up until the 1800’s American Literature was mostly focused around the stories that told American History, and of poems that were written in America with a European writing style. No one ever wrote about the cultures in the Middle East or Asia. Instead it was focused around what had happened over here. However, an American author named Ralph Waldo Emerson would change what America wrote about. Influenced by western Culture Ralph Waldo Emerson was a striking author and speaker who impacted the Transcendentalist. Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston Massachusetts (Ralph, Waldo Emerson). He was the son of Ruth Haskins a strong Anglican, and William Emerson who was a strong liberal (The New Encyclopedia Britannica pg.473). On May 12 1811 William Emerson died of stomach cancer (Myerson). This left Ruth to care for her eight children with little money (Myerson). Luckily Ralph Emerson was able to attend Boston Latin School in 1812, and graduated in 1817 (Myerson).
