Philosophies Of Transcendentalism

American philosophers during the early to mid-1800s embraced a new liberal movement known as transcendentalism that posed a silent threat to the current social and political institutions of the time period. Henry David Thoreau acted as the father of this new philosophy that would go on to transform the social structure of America into what it is and is still becoming today.

The Transcendentalism period arose in America in the year of 1836 by the founding father Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1836, he published an essay by the name of “Nature,” which reiterated the attention of many writers and philosophers who believed in the same concepts. Many of the church followers during this time were upset with the way the church was functioning, so they turned to nature and Emerson’s ideas. Consequently, he created a club where people of his fashion and intellectual could meet and share beliefs. Emerson named the club the “Transcendental Club;” many people joined it, including his friend Henry David Thoreau. Neither Emerson or Thoreau favored the way society thought or the way the government worked; this is why hey turned to nature for deeper understanding. Both Emerson and Thoreau believed in freedom, self-reliance, individuality, internal spirit, and were transcendentalists.

“Emerson inspired his audience with the excitement of taking part in a renaissance in which the human mind was about to step up to a higher plane of understanding.” When Emerson met Thoreau, he immediately recognized the intellectual curiosity and writing ability he possessed and took him as his protégé. With Emerson’s sage wisdom and friendship, Thoreau was able to strengthen his already deeply held beliefs about nature and society and share them with the world. As Thoreau and Emerson grew in fame and followers, they were able to launch the social movement of Transcendentalism, which maintained the core tenants that both Thoreau and Emerson espoused, that of the inherent goodness and beneficial aspects of nature, and the corrupting influences of American society. With the changing cultural climate that Thoreau was now a leader of, he was finally able to arrive at the inspiration that led him to develop his influential ideas regarding wildness and the woods on Walden

Transcendentalism began around 1836 in New England. The transcendentalist believed that society and its organized institutions were corrupting the purity of individuals. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was a famous transcendentalist that wrote “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”. In this literature Thoreau argues that people need to simplify their lives and enjoy it. Transcendentalism played a big role back then and is a big deal even today as is it still relevant in our time period.

Transcendentalism, in response to enlightenment, was the redefinition and introduction of the ideas of self-dependence and spiritual guidance. Alongside these points, the complexity of our relationship with nature was explicitly explained, and the importance of stable morals was expounded. Transcendentalists, mainly led by Emerson and Thoreau, who were the literary leaders of that time, introduced a new way of thinking that implored the world around them to get in touch with their core and their sense of right and wrong. These writers, creators, doers, and thinkers knew where they stood, and had no fear of speaking their beliefs. Through their movement, transcendentalists re-wrote the rules of societal submission and worked to change the

In conclusion, I believe that all the tenets of Transcendentalism are important in part of life. We live and are created by nature which makes us, us. We have the free thought of a process that is not restricted by any force or rule and especially religion. We are also humans of nature that have confidence of believing in our instincts. There some people of non-conformity of being oneself rather than to go with the views of everyone else while others have an ideal or perfect world. In my life, confidence is the most important tenet to me. Confidence controls my whole world of being myself and there is also being confident in many ways. For example, being confident that I will succeed in my future and be a very well known person. There is also

The transcendentalism movement first came to be in the mid-19th century as a rebellious reaction to the Age of Reason, illustrated by Thomas Paine, and an overall conformist mindset in their rational way of thinking. Primarily started in New England, Ralph Waldo Emerson was a key component in this new philosophical era of intuitive, spiritual thinking. His unique style of literature (such as Self-Reliance and The American Scholar) as well as Henry David Thoreau’s Walden brought objective ideas into the open, while critiquing the general state of intellectualism and spirituality at the time. The core of the values of transcendentalism can be stemmed from a mix of Hindu teachings and

In the early nineteenth century, the Transcendentalist movement blossomed. Centered on Ralph Waldo Emerson, the movement was essentially a critique of what their society had become. Through the industrial revolution, society moved its focus to industries, material possessions and profit, ultimately distancing itself from nature. Transcendentalists believed society was too quick to conform, and individuals did not think as individuals. Transcendentalism encouraged people to find “an original relation to the universe.” (Emerson 3), or their purpose in life, particularly through nature. With the intention of finding a sense of belonging, Transcendentalists Henry David Thoreau and

Transcendentalism became an official movement with the founding of the Transcendental Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts by Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Putnam, and Frederic Henry hedge, The group frequently published poems and articles expressing the importance of self-worth and nature. In the article “Self- reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an understanding of the ideals of transcendentalism come

During the nineteenth century, the new philosophical trend of transcendentalism occurred. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, two contemporary authors, expressed transcendentalist ideas through their writing. Their perspectives of nature and society were both very similar. They believe people need to simplify their lives, and spend time in nature. To them, nature is the key to peace and tranquillity that people knowingly and unknowingly seek.

In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature” transcendentalism is demonstrated. Transcendentalism is based on the idea that in order to understand nature you need to experience it. Emerson demonstrates transcendentalism in showing self-reliance in the highest virtue. In the very first sentence of “Nature” Emerson says “To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society” (Emerson 1). Emerson is saying that for a man to be alone he must withdraw his thoughts away from society or become self-reliant.

Transcendentalists focused on creating a new national development which concentrated on reformation of such areas as freedom of religion, church, societal interaction, and abolition (Roe). The literary elements of transcendentalism focused their energy around key concepts such as individualism, insight, and intuition. Many writers during this period chose to center their writing around beliefs such as God’s presence in nature, and the idea that nature symbolizes humans and the human spirit (Kent). Literature during this time often contained large amounts of optimism and promoted the growth of the individual person through prolonged periods in nature, and self-teaching in order to apprehend God and become enlightened. One such quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson highlights the literature of this period excellently: ”We will walk on our own feet; we will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds...A nation of men will for the first time exist, because each believes himself inspired by the Divine Soul which also inspires all men

Transcendentalism was the philosophical movement that emphasized the break from increasing formalized religion in the 19th century. The leading figure of Transcendentalism was the writer and speaker Ralph Waldo Emerson. However, there were many other figures associated with Transcendentalism: Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden; Amos Bronson Alcott, father of Louisa May Alcott; and Margaret Fuller, an early feminist writer and editor. The 19th century Transcendentalists, in their purest sense, were supposed to believe that all people were joined together in their equality with nature. And, like most philosophy in 19th century America, it did not apply to women as much as it did to men; transcendentalists acknowledged women as sharing that same soul, but women still had to fight for their equality in a patriarchal society. Emerson gives the open definition of Transcendentalism as, “a whole connection of spiritual doctrine” (“Defining Transcendentalism”). Emerson, however, fails to wholly connect all; because of Emerson’s exclusion of women, “he did not fully endorse the aspirations of the women in his milieu” (Cole 413). Walt Whitman, on the other hand, was an exceptional transcendentalist in that his philosophy did not only apply to land-owning white men, but to women. Whitman argues for women’s equality by analyzing them under the scope of transcendentalism; he deconstructs gender boundaries, redefines women as sexual beings, and defends their respectability as such.

Transcendentalism: This concept was largely thanks to Ralph Waldo Emerson, whose Transcendental Club contained many followers –including his main two disciples Margaret Fuller and David Thoreau. This philosophy believed that reality is built up of spirit/soul and nature—that was influenced by several religious/philosophical influences from around the world.

To truly understand the most important members of the transcendentalist movement, it is first important to understand the basic foundations of their beliefs. Transcendentalists believed that society and social institutions such as organized religion and political parties corrupt the pureness of individuals. The guiding principle of transcendentalism, therefore, is the belief that people are at their best when they are self-reliant and independent. The central beliefs of transcendentalism were in unity between nature and God, the presence of God in each individual. These core beliefs generated others, particularly in individualism and in the self-reliance extolled by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Although Emerson and Thoreau are both transcendentalist and share the same core beliefs, there are differences between them, which will be discussed later in the essay. After analyzing each of their individual essays, I will then discuss the