Napoleon; or, the Man of the World explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Representative Nature of Individuals

  Napoleon is presented as the representative man of the modern age, embodying the spirit, aims, and tastes of the middle class. Emerson argues that he is France and Europe because the people he sways are 'little Napoleons.'

• Action vs. Contemplation

  Napoleon is portrayed as a man of pure action and practical genius, a realist who 'sees where the matter hinges' and acts with directness. This contrasts with the contemplative life, as he subordinates all intellectual and spiritual forces to material success.

• Self-Reliance and Endogenous Growth

  Napoleon's power is described as coming from within himself: 'His principal means are in himself. He asks counsel of no other.' He is a self-made man who relies on his own insight and prompt action.

• Moral Sentiment and Intellect

  The chapter critiques Napoleon for lacking a higher moral purpose. He is described as 'no saint' and 'no hero in the high sense,' and his ends are purely material. Emerson implies that true greatness requires a public or moral aim.

Characters to notice

• Napoleon Bonaparte

  Presented as the representative man of the nineteenth century, embodying the spirit of the democratic and commercial middle class. He is described as a realist, a man of immense practical skill and direct action, who rose to power by perfectly adapting to the masses.

• Emanuel Swedenborg

  His theory that every organ is made of homogeneous particles is used as an analogy to explain how Napoleon represents the masses: if Napoleon is France, it is because the people are little Napoleons.

• Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau

  Cited as an example of a representative man who, like Napoleon, became a monopolizer of other minds, plagiarizing good thoughts and words from others as if they were his own.

• Étienne Dumont

  Mentioned in the anecdote about Mirabeau, where Dumont wrote a peroration for Mirabeau's speech, which Mirabeau then adopted as his own.

• Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin

  Mentioned in the same anecdote as the person to whom Dumont first showed the peroration.

Key passages

• “It is Swedenborg's theory, that every organ is made up of homogeneous particles; or, as it is sometimes expressed, every whole is made of similars; that is, the lungs are composed of infinitely small lungs; the liver, of infinitely small livers; the kidney, of little kidneys, etc. Following this analogy, if any man is found to carry with him the power and affections of vast numbers, if Napoleon is France, if Napoleon is Europe, it is because the people whom he sways are little Napoleons.”

  Just as Swedenborg said each organ is made of tiny versions of itself, Napoleon represents the masses because ordinary people are essentially smaller versions of him.

  Emerson uses Swedenborg's theory of correspondence to explain Napoleon's representative nature.

• “He is a realist, terrific to all talkers, and confused truth-obscuring persons. He sees where the matter hinges, throws himself on the precise point of resistance, and slights all other considerations.”

  Napoleon is a practical man who cuts through confusion and focuses directly on the essential point of any problem, ignoring everything else.

  Highlights Napoleon's directness and practical genius.

• “He never blundered into victory, but won his battles in his head, before he won them on the field.”

  Napoleon's victories were the result of careful mental planning, not luck or accident.

  Emphasizes Napoleon's intellectual preparation and strategic foresight.

• “His principal means are in himself. He asks counsel of no other.”

  Napoleon relied entirely on his own judgment and resources, not on the advice of others.

  Illustrates the theme of self-reliance.