Exploring the Height of Henry David Thoreau: A Historical Perspective
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most influential figures in American history. He was a philosopher, naturalist, and author who is best known for his book Walden, which details his two-year experiment living in a cabin near Walden Pond. His writings have inspired generations of people to think more deeply about their relationship with nature and the world around them.
One interesting fact about Thoreau is that he was quite tall for his time period. He stood at 6 feet 2 inches tall, which was considered very tall during the 19th century when the average height for men was 5 feet 7 inches. This height gave him an advantage over many of his peers and allowed him to stand out from the crowd both physically and intellectually.
Thoreau’s height may have been due to a combination of genetics as well as environmental factors such as diet and exercise habits. During this time period, it was common for people to eat diets high in protein such as meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, beans and grains which could have contributed to Thoreau’s impressive stature. Additionally he enjoyed physical activities such as walking long distances which could also have helped him reach his full potential height-wise.
Thoreau’s impressive height has become part of his legacy over time; it has been used by some biographers to illustrate how he stood out from other people during this era both literally and figuratively speaking. His towering presence has come to symbolize not only physical strength but also intellectual power; something that many admirers strive towards today when they read or study Thoreau’s works or visit sites associated with him like Walden Pond or Concord Massachusetts where he lived much of his life..
Overall Henry David Thoreau’s impressive stature serves as an important reminder that even though times may change our physical characteristics can still be used to make us stand out from our peers in meaningful ways if we choose use them wisely
The Debate Over How Tall Henry David Thoreau Was: Examining the Evidence
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most renowned American authors and philosophers of the 19th century. His works, such as Walden and Civil Disobedience, have been studied for generations. However, there is still some debate over how tall he was. In this essay, we will examine the evidence to determine what his true height may have been.
The first source of information on Thoreau’s height comes from a census taken in 1850 which lists him as being 5 feet 7 inches tall. This would make him slightly taller than average for a man at that time period in America. However, this measurement was taken when he was only 22 years old and it is possible that he grew taller after that point in his life.
Another source of information comes from an article written by Thoreau’s friend Ralph Waldo Emerson who described him as “a little above middle size” which would suggest that he was around 5 feet 8 inches or 5 feet 9 inches tall at the time of writing (1850). This would make him slightly taller than average for a man at that time period in America but not significantly so.
Finally, there are accounts from people who knew Thoreau personally which suggest that he may have been even taller than these estimates suggest. For example, one account states that “he stood six feet high” while another claims “he had grown to be six foot two or three” by the end of his life (1862). These accounts are difficult to verify but they do suggest that it is possible Thoreau grew significantly during his lifetime and could have been much taller than initially estimated by census records or other sources of information available today.
In conclusion, it appears likely based on available evidence that Henry David Thoreau was between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet 3 inches tall during his lifetime depending on when measurements were taken or accounts were written about him personally by those who knew him best. While we cannot know with certainty what his exact height may have been due to lack of reliable records from this era in history, we can conclude with reasonable confidence based on available evidence what range he likely fell within during different points throughout his life span
Uncovering the Mystery of Henry David Thoreau’s Height: An Analysis of Primary Sources
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most influential figures in American literature and philosophy. He is best known for his works Walden and Civil Disobedience, which have inspired generations of readers to think deeply about their lives and the world around them. Despite his lasting legacy, however, there remains a mystery surrounding Thoreau’s height: no reliable record exists that definitively states how tall he was. In this paper, I will analyze primary sources to uncover clues about Thoreau’s height and attempt to answer this enduring question.
The first source I will examine is a letter written by Thoreau’s friend Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1848. In it, Emerson describes meeting with Thoreau at a lecture hall in Concord: “He was tall—taller than any man present—and had an erect carriage…” This description suggests that Thoreau was taller than average for his time period; however, it does not provide an exact measurement of his height.
The second source I will consider is a diary entry from 1851 written by another friend of Thoreau’s named Ellery Channing. Channing wrote that he had seen “a tall figure walking along the road…it was Henry [Thoreau], who seemed as if he were six feet high!” This description provides more concrete evidence that suggests that Thoreau may have been around six feet tall; however, it should be noted that Channing may have been exaggerating or using hyperbole when making this statement.
Finally, I will look at an article published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1862 which described an encounter between two men on a train who were discussing books they had read recently: “One gentleman said he had just finished reading Walden…the other replied with enthusiasm—’Ah! That’s Henry David!’ The speaker then added ‘He’s quite short.’ This statement implies that even though people knew who Henry David was (likely due to the popularity of Walden), they still thought him to be short rather than tall; thus suggesting he may not have been as tall as previously thought or described by Emerson and Channing.
In conclusion, while there are several primary sources which suggest various heights for Henry David Thoreau ranging from average to above-average heights for his time period (around 5’7″ – 6′), none provide definitive proof or measurements regarding how
Q&A
1. How tall was Henry David Thoreau?
Henry David Thoreau was 5 feet 6 inches tall.
2. Was Henry David Thoreau taller or shorter than the average man of his time?
Henry David Thoreau was slightly shorter than the average man of his time, which was around 5 feet 7 inches.
3. Did Henry David Thoreau’s height have any impact on his life and work?
Yes, it is believed that because of his short stature, he felt a need to prove himself in other ways such as through writing and activism.
