Transcendentalist Movement Essay Research Paper Transcendentalism was
Transcendentalist Movement Essay, Research PaperTranscendentalism was a literary motion in the first half of the nineteenth century.The philosophical theory contained such facets as introspection, thejubilation of individuality, and the belief that the cardinal truths existedoutside of human experience. Fulfillment of this hunt for cognition came whenone gained an acute consciousness of beauty and truth, and communicated with natureto happen brotherhood with the Over-Soul. When this occurred, one was cleansed ofmercenary purposes, and was left with a sense of autonomy and pureness.
Twowriters who were among the leaders of the motion were Ralph Waldo Emerson andHenry David Thoreau, whose plants “ Nature ” , “ Autonomy ” ,and “ Walden ” brought America to the head of the transcendentalistmotion. Their thoughts opposed the popular materialist positions of life and voiced adesire for freedom of the person from unreal restraints. They felt thatif they explored nature exhaustively, they would come to cognize themselves and thecosmopolitan truths better. The construct of transcendental philosophy is clearly expressedin the essay “ Nature ” , by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was a leader inthe motion of transcendental philosophy and the first American writer to act uponEuropean idea. His essay “ Nature ” Tells of how one can derive insightand religious cleaning merely from sing nature. Emerson Tells of how“ in the forests is ageless young person ” and “ in the forests we return toground and religion.
” These lines exemplify the very ideals oftranscendental philosophy. They show the deep roots a individual has in nature and how onecan have cognition of their Over-Soul by candidly basking the out-of-doorss andliberating oneself of old immoralities. In the undermentioned lines, Emerson comments:“ Standing on the bare ground- my caput bathed by the blithe air and upliftedinto infinite space- all average self-importance vanishes.
I become a crystalline orb:I am nil ; I see all ; the currents of the Universal Being circulate throughme ; I am portion or package of God. ” These lines display the transcendentalistbelief that pureness and cognition can be obtained from a brotherhood with andapprehension of nature. Emerson besides relates the construct of transcendental philosophyto human life in his essay, “ Autonomy. ” In this competently namedessay, Emerson grapples with another portion of transcendental philosophy, the issue of“ autonomy.
” He sees mankind as somewhat of a coward ; that peoplene’er show their true egos. Emerson claims that worlds are afraid to neglect ;they are pleased if successful, but are ne’er happy with where and what theyare. He expresses transcendentalist ideals by stating that a true individual would bea non-conformist. Emerson puts this belief into words in the undermentioned lines:“ There is a clip in every adult males instruction when he arrives at the strong beliefthat enviousness is ignorance ; that imitation is suicide ; that he must take himself forbetter, for worse, as his portion.no meat of nurturing maize can come to himbut through his labor. ” These words are the prototype of the ideals oftranscendentalism- that one must observe the person in order to happenhimself one with the existence.
Another important glance into the nucleus idealsof transcendental philosophy was made by the distinguished writer Henry David Thoreau.Thoreau lived in the place of litterateur and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. Hismost esteemed and enjoyed work was the narrative, “ Walden ” , which gives ablunt statement of his grounds for encompassing a brooding and unquestionablytranscendentalist life populating on the shore of Walden Pond. In“ Walden ” , Thoreau explains why he chose the forests: “ I went to theforests because I wished to populate intentionally, to look merely the indispensable factsof life, and see if I could non larn what it had to learn, and non, when I cameto decease, detect that I had non lived. I did non wish to populate what was non life,life is so beloved ; nor did I wish to pattern surrender, unless it was rathernecessary.
” Thoreau himself was quoted as stating, “ In wilderness isthe saving of the universe. ” In “ Walden ” , the writer describesthe central importance of nature in 1s hunt of their psyche. Thoreau chose tolive in privacy because he believed purdah was the best comrade in orderto cognize one? ? s ain ego.
In the essay, he felt that world cared excessively profoundlyfor material ownerships ; “ simplify! ” he implored. Thoreau claimedthat worlds were “ ruined by luxury and heedless disbursal ” and thatsuccess is gained when one “ progresss confidently in the way of hisdreams ” . Thoreau stressed the importance of the person, stating “ Ifa adult male does non maintain gait with his comrades, possibly it is because he hears adifferent drummer. ” His thoughts were the foundation of transcendentalism-individuality, cognition of nature, and the disposal of material properties.
Transcendentalism was one of the most of import motions of the nineteenth century.The theory embodied ideals that, if taken to bosom, had the possible to makea better apprehension of the psyche. If a individual could link their singlepsyche with the existence, they could carry through their potency in life. One achievedthis through many different ways, ways that are explained and discussed in thethree plants mentioned before. Transcendentalism was a cardinal motion thatwas everlastingly immortalized by advanced writers and plants of literature.
