The Literary Movement of Transcendentalism Essay examples

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Transcendentalism was a literary movement in the first half of the 19th century. The philosophical theory contained such aspects as self-examination, the celebration of individualism, and the belief that the fundamental truths existed outside of human experience. Fulfillment of this search for knowledge came when one gained an acute awareness of beauty and truth, and communicated with nature to find union with the Over-Soul. When this occurred, one was cleansed of materialistic aims, and was left with a sense of self-reliance and purity. Two authors who were among the leaders of the movement were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, whose works quot;Naturequot;, quot;Self-Reliancequot;, and†¦show more content†¦They show the deep roots a person has in nature and how one can receive knowledge of their Over-Soul by honestly enjoying the outdoors and freeing oneself of previous evils. In the following lines, Emerson remarks: quot;Standing on the bare ground- my head bathed by the blithe air and uplifted into infinite space- all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eyeball: I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of God.quot; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;These lines display the transcendentalist belief that purity and knowledge can be obtained from a union with and understanding of nature. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Emerson also relates the concept of transcendentalism to human life in his essay, quot;Self-Reliance.quot; In this aptly named essay, Emerson grapples with another part of transcendentalism, the issue of quot;self-reliance.quot; He sees mankind as somewhat of a coward; that people never express their true selves. Emerson claims that humans are afraid to fail; they are pleased if successful, but are never happy with where and what they are. He expresses transcendentalist ideals by saying that a true person would be a non-conformist. Emerson puts this belief into words in the following lines: nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;quot;There is a time in every mans education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitationShow MoreRelatedTranscendentalism : A Philosophical And Literary Movement1725 Words   |  7 PagesTranscendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement that started in the mid 19th Century in the U.S.A as a reaction against the dogma and industrialization of the time, placing individualism and self-reliance above the views of social institutions and the government. It was also, in part, an attempt at creating a uniquely American literature style completely different to the established English/European styles used in the past. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a highly influential writer that ledRead MoreTranscendentalism in America: The Philosophical and Literary Movement1062 Words   |  5 Pagesspirituality. In the end, authors in America created Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that searches for in dividual truth through spiritual reflection, complete solitude, and a deep connection with nature. Because this was established by authors, many of them wrote different pieces reflecting and using the beliefs of Transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered to be the father of Transcendentalism. He wrote many influential pieces that follow andRead MoreRalph Waldo Emersons Concord Hymn819 Words   |  3 Pagesand spirit in many of his famous writings. Emerson is part of the well-known literacy movement known as transcendentalism. This is when authors often referenced nature and focused on intuition and imagination. This movement showed that people knew about themselves and others more than what they could taste, touch, hear, or feel. Many tragedies throughout his life, and his love for the transcendentalism movement helped shape one of the greatest writers in history. Ralph Waldo Emerson experiencedRead MoreTranscendentalism, An American Philosophy1640 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican philosophers during the early to mid-1800s embraced a new liberal movement known as transcendentalism that posed a silent threat to the current social and political institutions of the time period. Henry David Thoreau acted as the father of this new philosophy that would go on to transform the social structure of America into what it is and is still becoming today. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that humankind has an innate sense of being and knowledge of the world aroundRead MoreThe True Transcendentalist: Thoreau and Emerson775 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican literary movements. Like the Puritan which was a time of when people wrote personal poems, journals, and their personal diaries. The next is Enlightenment period was a time in which it was mostly about science and logic also it included political writings. Another wonderful literary movement is the Romanticism which was filled with emotion, individuality, and nature. But one of the greatest literary movements the one that will be focused on is transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is intuitionRead MoreTranscendentalism: Henry David Thoreau Essay1096 Words   |  5 PagesLiving with Emerson gave Thoreau insight and inspiration on how to write, and eventually led him to write Walden (Henry David Thoreau, Discovering Biography). Walden was also inspired by Transcendentalism, a literary movement that challenged the use and need for material objects and religious evidence. Transcendentalism provided Thoreau with a different view on humanity and religion. Thoreau wrote Walden to document his years spent living at Walden Pond and to express his ideas on the simplicity andRead MoreThe Similarities Of Transcendentalism And American Romanticism1386 Words   |  6 Pagesa stage. These stages include literary movements and their era. This is what advances writing and what creates interest and appeals to the modern generation. Two of the most prevalent literary eras were Transcendentalism and American Romanticism . Both of these movements occurred in the mid 1800’s. Although they occurred during the time period they do have their differences. Contrasts can be seen in their authors’ purpose and in their beliefs, but Transcendentalism and American Romanticism do holdRead More`` Fate `` By Ralph Waldo Emerson1441 Words   |  6 Pagesunconventional th eories of a Transcendentalist. American Transcendentalism Web, Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882, Virginia Commonwealth University, accessed June 9, 2017, http://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/. Transcendentalists connected philosophy, literacy, and nature to promote a conscience or intuition that made it possible for each person to connect to the spiritual world. Philip F. Gura, Transcendentalism and Social Reform, History Now, accessed June 9, 2017Read MoreAnti-Transcendentalist Themes in Poes The Fall of the House of Usher1651 Words   |  7 Pagesthe middle of the nineteenth century, the Transcendentalism movement became a seminal force in literature. Originating in the New England region of America, transcendentalism emphasized the spiritual over the corporeal, and the power of individual intuition over organized doctrine as a means of attaining true spirituality. But one of the most notable writers of this period, Edgar Allan Poe, made no secret of his disdain for the tenets of transcendentalism. He mocked transcendentalist ideals by clearlyRead MoreThe Transcendentalism Movement Essay658 Words   |  3 PagesI picked the Transcendentalism Movement because I found it to be very interesting. From all the different literary movements we had to choose from Transcendentalism seemed the most revolutionary. It was an entirely new way of thinking for America back in the 1800’s. The Transcendental Movement started around 1835. The movement was all about individualism and spiritualism. The idea was that you could achieve true spirituality with god not through the doctrines of man but through communion