Representative Men is a collection of seven essays written by the American philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. Each essay focuses on a different individual who Emerson considers to be a representative of a particular type of person or idea. The individuals examined in the book include Plato, Emanuel Swedenborg, Michel de Montaigne, William Shakespeare, Napoleon Bonaparte, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Ralph Waldo Emerson himself.In each essay, Emerson explores the life and work of the individual in question, seeking to understand what makes them unique and what lessons can be learned from their experiences. He examines their ideas and beliefs, their achievements and failures, and their impact on the world around them.Through his analysis of these representative men, Emerson explores a range of themes and ideas, including the nature of genius, the role of the individual in society, the power of imagination, and the relationship between the spiritual and the material. He also offers his own insights and reflections on these topics, drawing on his own experiences and observations.Representative Men is a thought-provoking and insightful collection of essays that offers a unique perspective on some of the most influential figures in history. It is a must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, literature, or the human condition.AMONG eminent persons, those who are most dear to men are not of the class which the economist calls producers: they have nothing in their hands; they have not cultivated corn, nor made bread; they have not led out a colony, nor invented a loom. A higher class, in the estimation and love of this city-building market-going race of mankind, are the poets.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.