Question

passage 1
excerpt from society and solitude
by ralph waldo emerson
the necessity of solitude is deeper than we have said, and is organic. i have seen rarity a philosopher whose world is large enough for only one person. he affects to be a great companion; but we are still surprising his secret, that he means and needs to dispense his system on all the rest. the detachment of each is from all the others, then that of each one up into free space. i is his monster, whom each has his whole head, our societies should be so actual. like president tyler, her party falls from us every day, and we must ride in a sulky at last. dear heart! take it badly home to bess—brisk is his companion. men begin with bovinedges, and all our youth is a remembering and miscuing of the bony identity they shall combine for the salvation of men. but as the reasons starts upon a retalia of united light, yet there is no unity, which a private eye will not resolve, and the desired results are surprised by impassionate guilt. the corporation is secondary, and is put upon us by the genius of life, who means this as a part of his
how is the concept of solitude portrayed in both society and solitude and chapter 1 of nature?

• solitude is considered to be of little value
• solitude is encouraged by most people in society
• solitude is viewed as a source of strength.
• solitude is acknowledged as unnecessary

Explanation:

Ralph Waldo Emerson, in Society and Solitude, frames solitude as an organic, necessary force. He notes that philosophers (who embrace solitude) hold self-sufficient, strong worldviews, and argues that society often shrinks individual perspective, while solitude allows for authentic, unpressured growth. This aligns with the idea that solitude is a source of strength, as it fosters independent thought and self-reliance, which are core themes in Emerson's transcendentalist work. The other options contradict his argument: he does not dismiss solitude as unimportant, note it is encouraged by society, or call it unnecessary.

Answer:

Solitude is viewed as a source of strength.