The American Scholar-By R.W.E.

“The American Scholar“: “Each philosopher, each bard, each actor, has only done for me, as by a delegate, what in one day I can do for myself.“

When Emerson says this line in his speech I think that he is saying a true scholar will learn and do things for himself rather than study what has been learned by others.  Rather than reading the philosophies that have been so carefully thought by others he would carefully think for himself.  Instead of only reading the poetry of great bards he would use the inspiration gained from these poems to write his own.  He would not only view the emotions portrayed by actors but would feel and experience those emotions himself.  Philosophers, poets, actors and writers who have created great works were not book-worms, they were true scholars.  Great poems and plays are not written by men who sit and study the poems and plays of others, they are written by men who experience life and put it on paper eloquently and powerfully. 

If you have not read R.W.E. speech titled The American Scholar I recommend you do.  At first I found this speech, this essay, long and boring; after reading it more than once, clearing up my misunderstandings, looking up words I did not know and disecting it in class I found it to be incredibly eye opening.  If I want to be a scholar, if I want knowledge, if I want to know about life, the way to do it is to go out in the world and experience and live life, to view things first-hand rather than study them second or third hand.  That is what I plan to do.