English III/Wilshire Name

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Intro to Romanticism & R.W. Emerson Date
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Period _________

An aphorism is a tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion (a maxim, a

proverb). An epigram is a concise, witty, and often paradoxical remark or saying
(an epigram can also be a short, usually satirical poem with a witty ending). Note
how Emerson’s writings can be viewed as both aphoristic as well as epigrammatic.
Here are the 5 aphorisms (or epigrams) from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-
Reliance” that we are learning in class this semester:
 Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist.
 A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
 To be great is to be misunderstood.
 Trust thyself; every heart vibrates to that iron string.
 Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one
of its members.

1) Please restate each aphorism in your own words:

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2) Do you agree or disagree with Emerson? Address one or more of the aphorisms
above. Write a half-page response, with good paragraphs and a thoughtful answer.
(You may finish on the back if you need more space.)
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