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The Aeolian Harp: Beauty and Unity in the Poetry and Prose of Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature
- Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association
- Volume 56, Number 1, 2002
- pp. 25-35
- 10.1353/rmr.2002.a460578
- Article
- Additional Information
Attempting to convince his audience that the unity and harmony in the Over-Soul, or "great soul," can be experienced by all people, not only through the message of the poet, but also through other sources in nature, Emerson uses the Aeolian harp as a symbol of a musical conduit that carries the spirit of the Over-Soul through nature's breeze to the soul of an individual. As Emerson ages, the Aeolian harp becomes a symbol of beauty, wisdom, and divine harmony in his poetry and writings. The Aeolian harp poems reveal Emerson's concept of beauty during the last few decades of his life. Emerson's great affection for the Aeolian harp can be observed in his poetry and journal entries as well as in the written recollections of his friends and family.