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Destiny

From Poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was an American essayist, lecturer and poet, and a leading figure of the Transcendentalist movement. 'Destiny' and 'Guy' were published together in his collected Poems in the mid-nineteenth century. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. Emerson's argument is provocative: he claims that innate destiny, not cultivated virtue, determines success, and that some are born with a talisman the rest lack. The poem is worth a senior reader's time because it challenges the comforting belief that merit and effort determine outcome, forcing engagement with the role of temperament, charisma and fortune in shaping a life. Readers encounter the argument from Emerson's perspective; they are invited to weigh it against competing views of agency and desert.

Band

Red · Complex language and analysisTypical starting range: ages 15–17

Length

long · about 1128 words in 3 sections · 2 pictures

Source

Poems, Ralph Waldo Emerson

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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