American Exceptionalism In Emerson's The American Scholar

In order to show how this speech is about American Exceptionalism, the term must be defined. According to the Free dictionary, the term Exceptionalism has two definitions.

1. The condition of being exceptional or unique.

2. The theory or belief that something, especially a nation, does not conform to a pattern or norm.

In this paper, both definitions are used in order to show the exceptionalistic thoughts and ideas throughout Emerson’s The American Scholar. The first such indication of American exceptionalism can be found in the title given to the oration. In his speech, he refers to the scholar seventeen times. Only twice does he speak directly of the American scholar. Still the title of his oration is not simply “The Scholar”, but very

First his choice of the word ‘continent’. Emerson is referring to the United States as a continent, despite the fact that they do not make up the entirety of the North American continent. The fact that Emerson chooses to refer to the United States as a continent, however, indicates that in his mind the United States are the most important aspect of said continent. When Emerson refers to the American intellect as being “sluggard”, he is not saying that America is lacking in its intellectual capacity, but that it has been lazy or inactive with said capacity, by simply relying on its given European origin and knowledge. This concept of an intellectually lazy America being equal to Europe is another indication of Emersons exceptionalistic ideas. Nowhere in his speech does he speak of Europe as being lazy or sluggard, but of having had great minds such as Cicero, Locke, or Bacon. By making America’s “sluggard intellect” equal to Europe’s achievements of the past, he is indicating that if America truly were to “look from under its iron lids” it would show an even greater intellect than those great European minds. Emerson further speaks of expectations that the world holds for the United States. This phrase works under the assumption that the United States have an expected role in the world that they are, according to Emerson, not fulfilling yet. This reminds strongly of John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity where he speaks about the city upon a hill. He states: “For wee must consider that wee shall be as a citty upon a hill. The eies of all people are upon us.” This idea that the world is looking to the United States for light and guidance, the world expecting the United States to be more, to be an example, yet another indication of American Exceptionalism to be found in Emerson’s oration. Similar to Winthrop’s vision of a city upon a hill, Emerson believes that it is the duty of the