Transcendentalism In America

Men, women, and children are all called at one time in their life “to look to the stars” and this mysticism beckons them closer (369). Stars are always there every night to be seen and to help humans reflect from their beauty. Except stars are not the only way to reflect, there are the leaves, the sun, and everything else in nature. Nature is the foundation of life and it is the center of transcendentalism and many other philosophies and religions. Overall, authors and supporters of the transcendental philosophy would disagree on how American society treats children and technology.

With the fact that remained in history, the primary conception of transcendentalism was led by the unitarianism, the reaction to the strict Calvinism, which supported that people should live the spiritual life in terms of a continuing effort to cultivate one’s own spiritual resources. David Robinson explicated it in his article “Transcendentalism”:

People around the world and throughout time have always had an idea of spirituality. The spirit has been thought of as an essential part of human nature. The evidence is in the common culture of religions in the world. The soul is the essence of humanity and spirituality is the condition of one’s soul. Spirituality is the condition of a consciousness. One answer to creating this essential growth in spirituality is Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the rebellion of one’s soul against the societal laws that humanity upholds. It is the integrity of a being and the healing of a scarred mind through nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a major figure in transcendentalist literature and wrote two separate essays, one being named “Self-Reliance”, and the other “Nature”. Spiritual growth of all kinds is motivated by these transcendentalist impulses, shown through literary impressions and comparisons, mainly through Emerson, around the themes of self-reliance, poetic nature, and the influence of that nature on the soul.

Nature itself is very important in the world and as for self-reliance it was seen as being something you should be. Along with social reforms being something that is going against what society deems right. Transcendentalist believed that nature was a main aspect of life and that it was

Transcendentalism is people who were during Civil War, some of them were struggling to find a religion. Some scriptures were a start of it too. A lot of transcendentalism

The transcendentalist movement shaped America in the 1860s by inspiring citizens to be free thinkers and hardworking individuals who would lead their lives to the fullest. The movement was led by three revolutionary writers named Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt Whitman, three icons who challenged Americans to be individuals. Through his works “Self Reliance” and “Nature”, Ralph Waldo Emerson preached of nonconformity and creating a personal destiny. Henry David Thoreau emphasized simplicity and making the most of life by seizing every opportunity presented, in his work “Walden”. Walt Whitman encourages real life experience and the value of hard work throughout his various poems. The principles preached by the

Early American transcendentalism has one of the greatest influences towards American society because it is not only a philosophy, but also a religion and physical progression. During the early nineteenth century, Ralph Emerson, Henry Thoreau, and other radical individuals challenged the present day theories of values, ethics, and what it means to live life to the fullest (Timko). If early American transcendentalists were living among civilians today, would present day civilians think the earlier activists were radical and psychotic? During this time, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “There are always two parties, the party of the Past and the party of the Future” (Timko). Early radical, transcendental activists believe that their approach of

Transcendentalism is a very elaborate word which is used to describe a very simplistic idea, this idea sparked a religious, philosophical, and literary movement. All people, whether it be men or women, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them which in essence ‘transcends’ or goes beyond what they can sense or feel. This immense knowledge arises by way of intuition and not of logic or the senses. A transcendentalist is a person who understands and accepts these ideas and concepts as a way of understanding life, and realizes that action is better than contemplation. Transcendentalism was born in New England in the 1830’s and discovered by the extraordinary philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Nature and Transcendentalism are intrinsically connected. Transcendentalism is a form of Romanticism, which emerged as a response to growing civilization and, more specifically, the Industrial Revolution. The romantics endorsed trips away from this, into the wilderness, where one could experience nature undiluted. Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, for

They were to live independently, all you need is your mind, knowledge is born with. They also believed that an institution isn 't necessary, and it 's better to live independently.

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.

Transcendentalist has a handful of principals from self-reliance to the thought of technology is harmful.The main tenet throughout the paper will focus on the importance of nature. Transcendentalist views nature as a gateway to the spiritual world, a way to the Omnipower. Henry David Thoreau immersed himself into nature fully “The morning wind forever blows, the poem of creation is uninterrupted; but few are the ears that hear it”(Thoreau II). Thoreau reveals how he has taken the time to observe nature to its fullest extent. He saw nature as a neighbor who was to be respected just as a man would treat another. Ralph Waldo Emerson a great transcendentalist, a mentor to Thoreau. Emerson’s point of view of nature showed how men and nature can become one to uplift themselves from the worldly shackles. Thoreau and Emerson both had a concept that nature was essentials to mankind, one sought out to respect it and the other viewed as a form of release.Nature is important to transcendentalism because it leads to spiritual connection and harmonization.

In the past the United States of America has gone through many a stage. These stages include literary movements and their era. This is what advances writing and what creates interest and appeals to the modern generation. Two of the most prevalent literary eras were Transcendentalism and American Romanticism . Both of these movements occurred in the mid 1800’s. Although they occurred during the time period they do have their differences. Contrasts can be seen in their author's’ purpose and in their beliefs, but Transcendentalism and American Romanticism do hold many easily comparable similarities.

Transcendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement that started in the mid 19th Century in the U.S.A as a reaction against the dogma and industrialization of the time, placing individualism and self-reliance above the views of social institutions and the government. It was also, in part, an attempt at creating a uniquely American literature style completely different to the established English/European styles used in the past. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a highly influential writer that led the transcendentalist movement, he was primarily concerned with individualism and in each person following their unique instincts and ideas. Another notable writer of this period is Henry David Thoreau, a transcendentalist author that believed in standing behind what you feel is right, despite the contradictions of the State or Government. Walt Whitman was another writer that had a profound influence on the transcendentalist movement, he was a poet that went against what people viewed as the typical format and rules for poetry and instead focused on what he wanted his poetry to be and how he thought it should be written. These radical free thinkers developed ideas and morals about society and the individual that, at the time, were viewed as “uncivilized free and wild thinking” (Thoreau, Henry. Walking) and which have influenced the development of America.

Transcendentalism was an American artistic and philosophical movement similar to the Romantic movement of Europe. The movement praised the efforts of mankind as individuals instead of depicting humanity as a crowd of like-minded people. Transcendentalists admired the former great thinkers of the world from Aristotle and Jesus to Copernicus and Newton for their confidence and persistence in the face of opposition. The movement encouraged many in the United States to express their creativity and live originally. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading Transcendentalist writer, who advocated for confidence, originality, honesty, and freedom for all people, and his essay called “Self-Reliance” summarizes his views of nonconformity. Former slave and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, although he was born sixty years before Emerson, is an example of a man who expressed his unique lifestyle and ideas, fought for his freedom, and transcended the ordinary. For ten years, Equiano was an enslaved man, who was uprooted from his home in Africa as a young child. Yet he persevered throughout his oppression to gain an education, prove his worth, and buy his freedom. However, Equiano lacks the pride necessary to fully represent Emerson’s idea of a self-reliant man. In his The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, which was published in 1789, Equiano acknowledges the hand of God and the help of others in his life. He also conformed to the image of an educated Englishman to