Transcendentalism

Ralph Waldo EmersonHenry David Thoreau

Walt Whitman

Background InformationTranscendentalists were:

Inspired by the rebellious spirit of American revolutionaries (think Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson)Desired to break free from the strict principles of PuritanismBelieved in the power of nature and the human spirit, especially intuition

What is Transcendentalism?A philosophy that stresses the following:

Individuality, celebrating/being yourselfAppreciating NatureNonconformity & Self-Reliance: follow your heart, not society’s rulesStanding up for what is rightSimplicity, cutting out material goods, stressSeizing the day & living life to the fullest!

Key Ideas

Return to NatureDesire to lead “The Simple Life”NonconformityCelebration of the IndividualUniqueness of Every Human Being

Key Players

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Henry David Thoreau

Walt Whitman

Ralph Waldo Emerson

1803-1882The “Father” of the transcendentalist movementSon of a minister, he became one himselfLike Poe, he suffered losses of loved onesConsidered the spiritual voice of his generation

Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”This famous essay is full of “aphorisms,” or short statements expressing a general truth about lifeSome memorable aphorisms:

“To be great is to be misunderstood.”“Envy is ignorance”“Imitation is suicide.”“Trust thyself.” “Good men must not obey the laws too well.”

Key Themes in “Self Reliance”

Trust yourself/be a nonconformist Don’t worry too much about consistency

Literary Terms for Emerson

Aphorism - a short statement of general truth or wisdom about lifeNonconformist - one who does not follow generally accepted beliefs, customs or practicesEssay - brief nonfiction article that expresses an opinion on a subjectParadox - statement that seems to be contradictory or ridiculous but is nevertheless true

Henry David Thoreau

1817-1862Student of Emerson’sNonconformist who stood up for his beliefsSought the simple life in a cabin in MAInfluenced many in anti-slavery movementDied of TB

Thoreau on Reform

Believed reform starts with the individualPeople should follow their conscience and not necessarily follow laws, because laws can be unjustRecall “Dance Ban” video, if applicable

Thoreau at Walden PondBelieved in leading a “simple” life, away from the hustle and bustle of our industrially advancing societyBelieved in living by his own values, not society’s materialistic valuesConducted an “experiment” in which he lived in a cabin he built by hand for over 2 yearsKept a journal detailing his thoughts and experiences, hoping to achieve personal growth and insightLeft the woods b/c he had more living to do

Thoreau on Walden:

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”“I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.”“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”

Thoreau & Voluntary SimplicityInfluenced people seeking solitude & desire to get away from stress and live uncluttered lives“Our life is frittered away by detail.”“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity!”“Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends.”

Thoreau & Nonconformity

Went to jail for refusing to pay a tax which indirectly supported slaveryRefused to wear Harvard uniformRefused to punish his students physically “The surface of the earth is soft and impressible by the feet of men; and so with the paths which the mind travels. How worn and dusty must be the highways of the word, how deep the ruts of tradition and conformity!”

Thoreau’s Motivational Words:

“[Advance] confidently in the direction of [your] dreams…live the life which [you] have imagined, [and you will meet with success.]“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them…”

Thoreau on Living Life to the Fullest

“I did not wish to take a cabin passage, but rather to go before the mast and on the deck of the world, for there I could best see the moonlight…I do not wish to go below now.”

Thoreau’s Critics

Some criticize Thoreau because:He only spent one night in jail, and only because the warden had already gone homeHe wrote about experiences in the wild, when in fact he was only 1/2 mile from town, and he frequently visited & dined with friends

Thoreau to Know:Works by Thoreau:

Civil DisobedienceWalden

Words to KnowConscientious - guided by conscience; honestNature writing - a type of essay in which the writer uses firsthand observations to explore the mysteries of the human relationship with nature

Walt WhitmanPoetry was revolutionary; didn’t follow traditional “rules”Many traditional writers and audiences found his poetry offensive because of the form and the contentHe was a patriot who loved to celebrate America and its peopleWorks - I Hear America Singing, Song of Myself, and I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer, and I Sit and Look Out

Whitman ToolboxWords to Know:

Form - (or structure) in poetry is the way a poem is organized. Conventional form follows fixed rules, and organic form is irregular and mimics natural speechFree verse - Organic form of poetry without regular patterns of rhyme and meterRepetition - recurrence of words, phrases or linesCatalog - lists of people, things or qualitiesParallelism - related ideas are phrased in similar ways

Nonfiction Texts

Primary SourcesOffer direct, first-hand knowledge of something, like a diary, journal, memoir, autobiography, interview, personal history, or archival document (transcript, official records)

Secondary SourcesOffer indirect, second-hand knowledge, like a summary, textbook, encyclopedia