Emerson's, Divinity School Address Explored

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Divinity School Address" takes a fresh approach to Christianity, arguing convincingly that historical Christianity is dying and that we each have divinity within us that we must embrace in order to live as best as we can. Emerson slowly builds his argument from a simple appreciation of life and nature to a call for virtuous living, making his argument very convincing, since he begins at a very basic level and talks his audience with him into a higher level of thought by the end of his speech. His argument is passionate, emotional and persuasive, but he is careful not to go so far as to forcefully impose his views on his audience. Emerson uses personal, emotional language to convey his point, and makes sure to emphasize certain points through his syntax. Like with his essay, "Self-Reliance," Emerson especially stresses the idea of relying on one's own thoughts and intuitions, or, as he puts it, one's soul.