Self-Reliance [1841], had a great impact on Emerson’s society, becoming his mostwell-known essay. Self-Reliance, together with Nature, established Emerson as awriter and lecturer. He became regarded as the founder of the Transcendentalmovement, a distinctly American philosophy emphasizing optimism,individuality, and mysticism. He was one of the most influential literary figuresof the nineteenth century.This resource is an introduction to the study of Transcendentalism and the principles of this