The Role of the Poet and Writer

Where it surfaces

• III: Not How Many, but Where the Enemy Are

  Thoreau likens the creation of a noble life to a masterpiece of art, asserting that the true artist works on the canvas of human existence.

• Aulus Persius Flaccus

  Thoreau distinguishes between inspired poetry and mere satire, arguing that the true poet must sing with the Muse's rhythm and not merely complain about follies.

• Dark Ages

  Thoreau argues that the historian's true task is not to recover the past but to perceive what is eternally present, aligning with the poet's vision.

• Homer; Ossian; Chaucer

  Thoreau reflects on the poet's role as a truth-teller and moral guide, using these three figures as exemplars of the poet's enduring cultural and spiritual function.

• Homer

  Thoreau defines poetry as a natural, vital function and elevates Homer as the archetypal poet whose work is spontaneous and universal, contrasting with modern artifice.

• Ossian

  The bard is portrayed as a vital recorder of heroic deeds, and Thoreau reflects on the importance of poetic tradition.

• Chaucer

  Thoreau laments that the bard has lost his sacred, heroic office and become a mere tradesman; Chaucer is celebrated as a founder of the literary class who gave permanence to the English language.

• Poetry

  Thoreau defines the poet as a Cincinnatus in literature, one who weaves the planet and stubble into verse, emphasizing the poet's duty to cultivate life over mere art.

• Herald of Freedom

  Thoreau celebrates Rogers as a writer who uses the press as a living organ to reach hearts, embodying the role of the poet in society.

• Thomas Carlyle and His Works

  Thoreau examines Carlyle's role as a literary man and critic, discussing his influence, his style, and his place in modern literature. He reflects on what it means to be a philosopher and writer, and how Carlyle's work provokes action rather than contemplation.

• Sir Walter Raleigh

  Raleigh is presented as both a man of action and a writer; his historical writing is praised for its vividness and personal engagement, linking authorship to lived experience.

• After the Death of John Brown

  Thoreau presents poetry as a universal liturgy for heroes and martyrs, with poets contributing to the formula established on high.

• The Last Days of John Brown

  Thoreau contrasts Brown's unlettered but truthful writing with the empty formalism of literary professionals, arguing that true composition arises from earnestness and truth-telling.

• The Scarlet Oak

  Thoreau contrasts the poet's attentive, imaginative vision with the practical man's limited view, arguing that the poet reveals hidden beauty.

• The Naming of Them

  Thoreau acts as a poet-namer, using creative language and classical allusion to give identity to the overlooked wild apples.

• Night and Moonlight

  Thoreau positions himself as a benefactor who conquers realms from the night and adds to the domains of poetry, emphasizing the poet's role in revealing hidden beauty.

• Endnotes

  The endnotes highlight Raleigh's poetic prose and Thoreau's recognition of it, emphasizing the poet's craft.