TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

What is Transcendentalism?What is Transcendentalism?

  Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau The most well-known TThe most well-known Transcendentalists…ranscendentalists…

American TranscendentalismAmerican Transcendentalism is a literary movement that began in the is a literary movement that began in the New England region in the New England region in the early 1830’searly 1830’s. .

Transcendentalists placed great faith in higher, intuitive forms or knowledge, Transcendentalists placed great faith in higher, intuitive forms or knowledge, and urged people to have and urged people to have disgust for conformity while praising disgust for conformity while praising individuality.individuality.

Transcendentalists disliked the commercial, financial side of American life.  Transcendentalists disliked the commercial, financial side of American life.  They stressed instead spiritual well-being, achieved through intellectual activity They stressed instead spiritual well-being, achieved through intellectual activity and and a close relationship with nature.a close relationship with nature.

  

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism There are four basic tenets:There are four basic tenets:

Individual Individual over societyover society SimplicitySimplicity over materialism over materialism NatureNature over the city over the city JusticeJustice over the law over the law

Transcendentalism Transcendentalism focuses on individualism. focuses on individualism.  From their belief that God was within every From their belief that God was within every person to their steadfast belief that every man person to their steadfast belief that every man should make should make decisions based on personal moral decisions based on personal moral values, individualism was stressed in their livesvalues, individualism was stressed in their lives. .

Thoreau and Emerson wrote extensively on what it Thoreau and Emerson wrote extensively on what it means means to be an individual, what it means to to be an individual, what it means to conform, and how difficult nonconformity is.conform, and how difficult nonconformity is.  

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson Born 1803--BostonBorn 1803--Boston Unpleasant, religious Unpleasant, religious

childhoodchildhood Enters Harvard @ 14Enters Harvard @ 14 Becomes Unitarian minister Becomes Unitarian minister

like father @ 25, but leaves like father @ 25, but leaves the pulpit.the pulpit. Ministry in 1829-32Ministry in 1829-32 1839--left to lecture 1839--left to lecture

Founder/editor the “Dial” Founder/editor the “Dial” magazinemagazine

Considered the founder of the Considered the founder of the Transcendentalism movementTranscendentalism movement

      

In “Self-Reliance” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, In “Self-Reliance” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes,

““What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the What I must do, is all that concerns me, not what the people think.  This rule, equally arduous in actual people think.  This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness.  It is the distinction between greatness and meanness.  It is the harder, because you will always find those who think harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.  they know what is your duty better than you know it.  It is easy in the world to live after the world’s It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion…” opinion…”

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance”

What does this term mean?What does this term mean?

What do you think this essay will be about?What do you think this essay will be about?

““Self-Reliance” VocabularySelf-Reliance” Vocabulary Manifest:readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent; plain Contemporary (noun): a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another person Predominate:to surpass others in authority or influence; be preeminent: Transcendent:going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding. Benefactor:a person who confers a benefit; kindly helper. Conformity:action in accord with prevailing social standards, attitudes, practices, etc. Aversion: a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy (usually followed by to):

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance” Directions: Read the essay carefully. You

may want to read it more than once.

Discuss the meaning of the verse preceding the essay.

Looking at the entire essay, what does Emerson mean by self-reliance? Objectively summarize Emerson's major points.

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance” Interpret the first sentence. What does every

person realize at some moment of his or her education?

 "The eye was placed where one ray should fall, that it might testify of that particular ray." Interpret.

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance” "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against

the manhood of every one of its members." Interpret.

"The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion." Explain.

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance” Explain the significance of the "iron string."

Why do you think Emerson used iron and not silken, golden, or silver string?

 Discuss the use of the simile, "words as hard as cannon balls."

““Self-Reliance”Self-Reliance” What is the general message in Emerson’s What is the general message in Emerson’s

text?text?

Imagine that Emerson spent a day in your life– Imagine that Emerson spent a day in your life– how might he feel about how we spend our how might he feel about how we spend our days? days? The products we use? The products we use? The commercials we watch?The commercials we watch?

““What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.”not been discovered.”

EmersonEmerson

Background: ThoreauBackground: Thoreau

Matt Damon on Civil Disobedience ( 5 minutes)

Thoreau Mini Biography (3 min) (3 min)

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau was a was a complex man of many talents. complex man of many talents.

Born in 1817, one of his first Born in 1817, one of his first memories was of staying awake at memories was of staying awake at night "looking through the stars to night "looking through the stars to see if I could see God behind see if I could see God behind them." One might say he never them." One might say he never stopped looking into nature for stopped looking into nature for ultimate Truth. ultimate Truth.

““Walden”Walden” Thoreau spent two years living alone in a cabin

in the woods on Walden Pond in Connecticut. While he was there, he wrote an extremely famous book, Walden.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

““Every generation laughs at the old fashions, Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.”but follows religiously the new.” Thoreau Thoreau    

““Civil Disobedience”Civil Disobedience” Civil (adj.): Civil (adj.):

of or relating to ordinary citizens and their concernsof or relating to ordinary citizens and their concerns Disobedience (n.): Disobedience (n.):

failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority.failure or refusal to obey rules or someone in authority. Conscience (n.): Conscience (n.):

an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.one's behavior.

Obligation (n.): Obligation (n.): an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or

commitment. commitment. Justice (n.):Justice (n.):

fair behavior or treatment.fair behavior or treatment. Transgress (v.): Transgress (v.):

to infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established to infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or other established standard of behavior).standard of behavior).

““Civil Disobedience”Civil Disobedience” What does “civil disobedience” mean?What does “civil disobedience” mean?

Could this be considered an oxymoron? How?Could this be considered an oxymoron? How?

Can you think of examples of civil disobedience?Can you think of examples of civil disobedience?

Considering this term, what do you think Considering this term, what do you think Thoreau’s essay will argue?Thoreau’s essay will argue?

““Civil Disobedience”Civil Disobedience” After reading excerpts on “Civil After reading excerpts on “Civil

Disobedience,” what are Thoreau’s views on…Disobedience,” what are Thoreau’s views on…

the role of government?the role of government? revolution?revolution? voting?voting? prisons?prisons? conformity?conformity? taxes?taxes?

““If a man does not keep pace with his If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far which he hears, however measured or far away.” away.” Thoreau Thoreau 

Transcendentalism, revisitedTranscendentalism, revisited "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd

How does this music video illustrate some How does this music video illustrate some transcendental ideas?transcendental ideas?

"I became convinced that noncooperation with "I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. No other person has been more eloquent with good. No other person has been more eloquent and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of creative protest." creative protest."

- Martin Luther King, Jr,- Martin Luther King, Jr,