TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

An important American Literary and An important American Literary and Philosophical Movement (though NOT a Philosophical Movement (though NOT a

religion)religion)1830s to 1860s1830s to 1860s

Transcend (v)Transcend (v)

to go beyond a limit or range, for example, of to go beyond a limit or range, for example, of thought or beliefthought or belief

So, TRANSCENDENTALISM, at its core is So, TRANSCENDENTALISM, at its core is about “moving beyond” common experience about “moving beyond” common experience and understanding.and understanding.

So who were a few So who were a few Transcendentalists?Transcendentalists?

Ralph Waldo Emerson (former Unitarian Ralph Waldo Emerson (former Unitarian minister from Massachusetts who became the minister from Massachusetts who became the most well known Transcendentalist.)most well known Transcendentalist.)

Henry David Thoreau (his pupil, the son of Henry David Thoreau (his pupil, the son of pencil maker who dropped out of society to pencil maker who dropped out of society to live a solitary and transcendent life).live a solitary and transcendent life).

Margaret Fuller (teacher and renowned literary Margaret Fuller (teacher and renowned literary critic who wrote on women’s issues, indians, critic who wrote on women’s issues, indians, and a wealth of other subjects.)and a wealth of other subjects.)

Pics…Pics… Margaret FullerMargaret Fuller Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

Henry David Thoreau

Why did Transcendentalism become Why did Transcendentalism become popular?popular?

As with Romanticism, Americans felt that As with Romanticism, Americans felt that there must be more to life than logical, rational there must be more to life than logical, rational experience.experience.

The Transcendentalists sought to regain a The Transcendentalists sought to regain a spirituality that they thought was missing from spirituality that they thought was missing from current thought and philosophy.current thought and philosophy.

Major Premises of Major Premises of TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

1. An individual is the spiritual center of the universe 1. An individual is the spiritual center of the universe - and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, - and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a rejection of the existence of God, but a preference to rejection of the existence of God, but a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of an explain an individual and the world in terms of an individual. individual.

EACH PERSON HAS ALL OF THE DIVINE EACH PERSON HAS ALL OF THE DIVINE ASPECTS OF GOD WITHIN THEMSELVES.ASPECTS OF GOD WITHIN THEMSELVES.

Premises cont…Premises cont…

2. The structure of the universe 2. The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure literally duplicates the structure of the individual self - all of the individual self - all knowledge, therefore, begins knowledge, therefore, begins with self-knowledge. This is with self-knowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself." "know thyself."

TO KNOW THE UNIVERSE, TO KNOW THE UNIVERSE, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOU CAN LOOK AT YOURSELF.YOURSELF.

Premises cont…Premises cont…

3. Transcendentalists accepted the neo-3. Transcendentalists accepted the neo-Platonic conception of nature as a living Platonic conception of nature as a living mystery, full of signs - nature is symbolic. mystery, full of signs - nature is symbolic.

JUST LIKE IN ROMANTICISM, NATURE JUST LIKE IN ROMANTICISM, NATURE HOLDS THE KEY TO DEEPER HOLDS THE KEY TO DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.UNDERSTANDING.

Premises cont…Premises cont… 4. The belief that individual virtue and happiness 4. The belief that individual virtue and happiness

depend upon self-realization - this depends upon the depend upon self-realization - this depends upon the reconciliationreconciliation of two universal psychological of two universal psychological tendencies: tendencies: a. the expansive or self-transcending tendency - a desire to a. the expansive or self-transcending tendency - a desire to

embrace the whole world - to know and become one with embrace the whole world - to know and become one with the world. the world.

b. the contracting or self-asserting tendency - the desire to b. the contracting or self-asserting tendency - the desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate - an egotistical withdraw, remain unique and separate - an egotistical existence.existence.

THESE TWO IDEAS THESE TWO IDEAS HAVEHAVE TO EXIST TOGETHER; TO EXIST TOGETHER; TRANSCENDENTALISTS SOUGHT TO TRANSCENDENTALISTS SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND JOIN IN WITH THE WHOLE UNDERSTAND AND JOIN IN WITH THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT THEY ALSO STROVE TO REMAIN WORLD, BUT THEY ALSO STROVE TO REMAIN INDIVIDUALISTS AT ALL TIMES.INDIVIDUALISTS AT ALL TIMES.

Major works…Major works…

Emerson’s essays “Nature,” “Self Reliance”Emerson’s essays “Nature,” “Self Reliance” Thoreau’s book Thoreau’s book WaldenWalden. Essay “Civil . Essay “Civil

Disobedience”Disobedience” Fuller’s book Fuller’s book Women in the 19Women in the 19thth Century. Century.

SourceSource

Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 4: Early Nineteenth Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 4: Early Nineteenth Century - American Transcendentalism: Century - American Transcendentalism:

A A Brief Introduction." Brief Introduction." PAL: Perspectives in PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and American Literature- A Research and

Reference GuideReference Guide. URL: . URL: http://web.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap4/4intro.html (10 January, hap4/4intro.html (10 January,

2007) 2007)