Literature in the American Literature in the American RenaissanceRenaissance

The Flowering of New EnglandThe Flowering of New England1840-18601840-1860

TranscendentalistsTranscendentalistsAnti-transcendentalistsAnti-transcendentalists

BrahminsBrahminsFireside PoetsFireside Poets

Characteristics of PeriodCharacteristics of Period• Rush of optimism characterized Rush of optimism characterized

American expansion, reform, and American expansion, reform, and literatureliterature

• Technological increases + increase in Technological increases + increase in reading audience = increased reading audience = increased opportunities for writersopportunities for writers

• American literature achieved a American literature achieved a “universal voice”“universal voice”

Major writers of the timeMajor writers of the time• Emerson (Concord)Emerson (Concord)• Thoreau (Concord)Thoreau (Concord)• Hawthorne (Salem)Hawthorne (Salem)• Melville (Pittsfield)Melville (Pittsfield)• Longfellow Longfellow

(Cambridge)(Cambridge)• Whittier (Haverhill Whittier (Haverhill

and Amesbury)and Amesbury)• Holmes (Cambridge)Holmes (Cambridge)• Lowell (Cambridge)Lowell (Cambridge)• Dickenson (Amherst)Dickenson (Amherst)

• Massachusetts Massachusetts home of 8 of these home of 8 of these writerswriters

• Boston touched Boston touched most of their lives, most of their lives, but names are but names are often associated often associated with smaller townswith smaller towns

TranscendentalisTranscendentalismm

• Roots in Boston and Cambridge in 1830sRoots in Boston and Cambridge in 1830s• Western branch in STL in 1840sWestern branch in STL in 1840s• Parted from philosophies of John Locke Parted from philosophies of John Locke

who asserted that knowledge comes who asserted that knowledge comes from the outside, through our senses from the outside, through our senses ((tabula rasatabula rasa))

• During 18During 18thth century (1700s), Locke’s century (1700s), Locke’s idea that knowledge must derive idea that knowledge must derive from 5 senses dominated from 5 senses dominated

• 1800s transcendentalism asserts 1800s transcendentalism asserts that knowledge comes from beyond that knowledge comes from beyond our sensesour senses

• Humanism + Naturalism + SoulHumanism + Naturalism + Soul

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism• Neither a religion nor a philosophy nor Neither a religion nor a philosophy nor

a literary theory (elements of all 3)a literary theory (elements of all 3)• Knowledge comes from inside Knowledge comes from inside

(intuition) and not from our senses(intuition) and not from our senses– The “God in us”The “God in us”

• All humanity knows how to behave if All humanity knows how to behave if we trust our inner light we trust our inner light

• Don’t look to the past, but rather withinDon’t look to the past, but rather within• Literature has no fixed idea, genre, or Literature has no fixed idea, genre, or

structurestructure

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism• Because knowledge is within the self, Because knowledge is within the self,

one does not need the past, the one does not need the past, the family, or the society as guides to family, or the society as guides to behaviorbehavior

• Radical IndividualismRadical Individualism– Self transcends and when left to human Self transcends and when left to human

nature, goodness will prevailnature, goodness will prevail

Emerson and ThoreauEmerson and Thoreau

• Insisted one should follow one’s instinct Insisted one should follow one’s instinct wherever it leads, irrespective of wherever it leads, irrespective of conventionconvention

• Do whatever one wants deeply to doDo whatever one wants deeply to do• Great American literature would arise not Great American literature would arise not

by following the forms and language of by following the forms and language of other cultures, but by writing about other cultures, but by writing about American things in and American American things in and American landscapelandscape

• Nation, like the individual, must realize Nation, like the individual, must realize itselfitself

Emerson Emerson • ““[Intuition] never reasons, never proves, [Intuition] never reasons, never proves,

it simply perceives”it simply perceives”• ““highest power is the soul”highest power is the soul”• Similar to Puritan views of experiencing Similar to Puritan views of experiencing

God; but, very different in the sense God; but, very different in the sense Emerson believed ALL could experience Emerson believed ALL could experience God firsthand (not reserved for “elect” God firsthand (not reserved for “elect” few)few)

• Over-soul---drives everything in nature Over-soul---drives everything in nature to realize its inner potentialto realize its inner potential

ThoreauThoreau• Took Took

transcendentaltranscendentalist ideas and ist ideas and his naturalist his naturalist talents to talents to create create WaldenWalden

• Weaves Weaves together together natural, natural, human, and human, and spiritual spiritual meaningsmeanings

• Nature is the Nature is the means to self-means to self-knowledgeknowledge

Anti-transcendentalistsAnti-transcendentalists• Attacked transcendentalists for Attacked transcendentalists for

ignoring 2 powerful realities: reality ignoring 2 powerful realities: reality of evil and reality of human loveof evil and reality of human love

• Argue transcendentalism rests on Argue transcendentalism rests on humanity’s goodness---but when left humanity’s goodness---but when left to its own devices, why would to its own devices, why would humanity behave well?humanity behave well?

Anti-transcendentalistsAnti-transcendentalists• Wondered if a self freed from society Wondered if a self freed from society

might be freed only to release violence might be freed only to release violence and chaosand chaos

• Humans can’t escape conscience, Humans can’t escape conscience, institutions, or the past since they arose institutions, or the past since they arose from deep emotional needsfrom deep emotional needs

• Unbridgeable gap between human Unbridgeable gap between human desiresdesires

• Mixture of good and evil in all human Mixture of good and evil in all human motivesmotives

Hawthorne and Hawthorne and MelvilleMelville

• Not all humanity is goodNot all humanity is good• Think about Hawthorne’s commentary Think about Hawthorne’s commentary

on society in on society in The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter• People are seekers of truth, not finders People are seekers of truth, not finders

of itof it• Humanity, while it might be good, is Humanity, while it might be good, is

restricted by dark forces that it cannot restricted by dark forces that it cannot controlcontrol

Hawthorne and MelvilleHawthorne and Melville• People can be not only reasonable but People can be not only reasonable but

also unpredictable, unreasonable, & also unpredictable, unreasonable, & filled with self-conceitfilled with self-conceit

• Over-emphasis on the individual will Over-emphasis on the individual will lead to destructionlead to destruction

• The self we display to the world is no The self we display to the world is no different than the inner self different than the inner self

• Harsh industrial conditions, slavery, Harsh industrial conditions, slavery, and the Civil War seem to invalidate and the Civil War seem to invalidate transcendentalismtranscendentalism

Fireside PoetsFireside Poets• Longfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and LowellLongfellow, Whittier, Holmes, and Lowell• Shared common themes and techniquesShared common themes and techniques• Poetry deals mainly with nature, family, Poetry deals mainly with nature, family,

and mythical materialand mythical material• Relatively easy to read for the “literate Relatively easy to read for the “literate

family circle” of the time as well as family circle” of the time as well as scholarsscholars

BrahminsBrahmins• ““brahmin” is reference to highest brahmin” is reference to highest

caste in Hindu societycaste in Hindu society• Lowell, Longfellow, and Holmes were Lowell, Longfellow, and Holmes were

considered high caste New Englandersconsidered high caste New Englanders– Represented good taste and distinguished Represented good taste and distinguished

achievementsachievements• Unaffected by transcendentalist Unaffected by transcendentalist

movementmovement

Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson • Also a poet during this time periodAlso a poet during this time period• Works were largely unpublished Works were largely unpublished

during this time thoughduring this time though

““American Actuality”American Actuality”• Anti-transcendentalists’ assertion of Anti-transcendentalists’ assertion of

uneven balance within humans as uneven balance within humans as opposed to the transcendentalist opposed to the transcendentalist optimismoptimism

• The times reflect the truth of Hawthorne The times reflect the truth of Hawthorne and Melville, not Emerson and Thoreauand Melville, not Emerson and Thoreau

• Both optimism in human possibilities and Both optimism in human possibilities and appraisal of human limits were needed appraisal of human limits were needed for American literature to fully mature.for American literature to fully mature.