. Published in 1844, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Experience” explores the plethora of unanswered questions and ample confusion that occurs when man attempts to walk through nature and understand it. “Experience” is directly related to human subjectivity and how people see the world, citing experience as the fundamental facet by which human experience and life itself is measured. Emerson’s primary argument in “Experience” is that we form and shape our own realities through the subjective nature of experience, even when we do not realize it; by embracing the moment, and becoming self-reliant, we can life the most ideal version of our lives in harmony with nature.
Emerson’s writing of “Experience” carries with it an extremely personal perspective, as he wrote the essay shortly after his young son died, something he does not readily talk about in the essay (White 285). Emerson himself frames the experience of losing his son as a means of finding a greater sense of reality: "An innavigable sea washes with silent waves between us and the things we aim at and converse with. Grief too will make us idealists" (Emerson 213). When talking about his son, Emerson notes the distance by which he treats the tragedy, sidestepping grief because he feels it is useless. “I grieve that grief can teach me nothing, nor carry me one step into real nature” (213). Essentially, Emerson downplays grief as a mask between us and our real experiences, as we learn nothing from it; instead, we should focus less on examining these static moments and time and move along with the flow of the universe.
The link between man and nature is given much more of a subjective, negative connotation than in the works of other authors in the Enlightenment (White 285). The opening lines of the poem demonstrate the unknowable nature of God, as the ‘lords of life’ walk alongside a confused Mankind, who must endlessly navigate their life experience with little help from the gods: “The lords of life, the lords of life,— I saw them pass” (Emerson, lines 1-2). These ‘lords of life’ are both influential forces on our life (being synonymous to the objectivities of nature) and our equals, as Emerson describes the lords of life as walking amongst us. To that end, Emerson we carry with us a great deal of confusion regarding how we relate to nature – whether or not we are its masters or its partners.
“Experience” shows the way in which mood can affect perspective; the way we think about the world changes depending on our own temperament, lending greater credence to the point of subjectivity. Emerson, consequently, takes a dim view of the sciences, as they try to categorize and sum up life in neat categorizes and analysis of specific moments, when in fact life should be acknowledged for its own mystery. Emerson, in the essay, has “a preoccupation with the act of naming, or pronouncing a name as an act of representation” (White 285). In this way, Emerson argues that we should spend more time being in the moment rather than trying to question the greater journey of our lives: “Since our office is with moments, let us husband them” (219). The essay argues that, by focusing on the moment, we create the best life by not wasting time on self-reflection and overt introspection.
One of the reasons life in the moment is important for Emerson is the supremacy of chance as a factor in our life’s circumstances. Chance is an incredibly important component of life, argues Emerson; even if life can be predictable from day to day, it should still be celebrated and exalted for the “sound and solid good” it can do us (220). Emerson’s viewpoint is decidedly nihilist, as he says that one should expect nothing from life in order to cherish the things you do receive. If you expect too much, you will be disappointed at some point; this is the “temperate zone” between what we would like to have and what we do have (220). By living in the temperate zone, we can still aspire to things without being consumed by what might be if not for chance.
According to Emerson, we must follow our intuition in order to fully understand our spiritual unity with God and the universe. By doing this, human beings can become more joyful, and receive new visions and worlds that enrich our lives. The alternative to this outcome involves obfuscating the ‘truth,’ which Emerson feels is overrated: “Dream delivers us to dream, and there is no end to illusion” (Emerson 214). The subjective nature of human experience is inevitable and without escape; we project what we want to in ourselves in all aspects of life, which colors our perception of how life is meant to be. Subjectivity permits us to forgive ourselves for the things we do, but often makes us lose sight of whether or not we are truly sinning. In order to truly survive life and make the most of our experiences, we just become self-reliant: “We do what we must, and call it by the best names we can” (218). To that end, self-reliance must inevitably involve the aforementioned factors of allowing chance into one’s life, eschewing grief, and living in the moment rather than trying to figure out what it all means.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in “Experience,” wants us to own up to our own subjectivity and embrace the unknown nature of life. Emerson emphasizes that, while it is somewhat worthwhile to investigate objectivities, it is a shame that we do not embrace the value of our subjective experiences more: “I observe that in the history of mankind there is never a solitary example of success – taking their own tests of successWhy not realize your world?” (232-233). “Experience” teaches the reader that they must take one day at a time, love the things they have and do not covet what they do not have. Emerson warns us to not be afraid of illusion; this is what gives us power and patience, and an ability to focus on the things that really matter. By being self-reliant, living in the moment, and not letting grief and introspection disrupt your journey through life, argues Emerson, you can be open to experience and enrich your life in the process.
Works Cited
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Experience.”
White, Ryan. “Neither Here Nor There: On Grief and Absence in Emerson’s ‘Experience.’”
