Examples Of Transcendentalism

Improved Essays
What is transcendentalism? What does it mean to be a transcendentalist? The definition of transcendentalism is any philosophy based up on the doctrine that the principles of reality are to be discovered by the study of the processes of thought, or a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical. Some of the more famous transcendentalists are Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and many more. “They were critics of their contemporary society for its unthinking conformity...,” Russell Goodman states in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The main focus of these thinkers was that Nature had a very important role in the human life and the best way to live is to realize you cannot live without it. Furthermore, …show more content…
Though Dickinson isn’t considered one of the most famous or even thought of transcendentalists she does incorporate the way of thinking into many of her pieces. For example one quote from The Brain-is wider than the Sky- is “ The Brain is deeper than the Sea— For— hold them— Blue to Blue— .(page 415)” Referenced over and over is Nature, and over and over the mention of the Sea is a prime example in Dickinson’s work. U.S. History explains it best as “...who accepts these ideas not as religious beliefs but as a way of understanding life relationships.” She relates parts of Nature around her to deeper levels of thinking about things or actions we have or do everyday. Clearly, that is one of the ways she relates into transcendentalism or the views humans …show more content…
Throughout the whole poem she repeats the idea that there are far and wide areas that are empty in everything, but you have to find it for yourself. One of the topics in the poem mentions the solitude of the space and sea. “With so many options available to us for distraction, it can be easy to forget the importance of making room for thought,” Todd Henry writes in his article The Value of Solitude. Which can then be related to Dickinson’s words “a solitude of sea, A solitude of death,...(page 416)” There is much solitude in everyday life around us; you just have to take the initiative to look. Clearly, she meets the requirements of that form of transcendental

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism was an intellectual movement that encouraged eight moral ideals. These ideals were intended to give structure to everyday life and improve the moral character of those who lived according to them. Although the transcendental movement has mostly subsided there are still many people who live following transcendental principles. A modern day example of living for transcendentalism is the life of Chris McCandless. The life, journey, and death of Chris McCandless is told in the book Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism was a movement in mid-nineteenth century America that focused on an individual obtaining personal freedom from the constrictions of their surrounding society. Thus, it can be said that they pushed for social and political change to be achieved so that individualism would be prized over collectivism. Two writers, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, are at the frontline of these Transcendentalist views. These authors introduce a similar twist to the concept of personal freedom, claiming that a person can achieve it by encompassing oneself into nature.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalist Parallels between Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau both show their beliefs through the philosophy of transcendentalism. Throughout Into the Wild, the parallels between Thoreau and Chris, and their ideas for transcendentalism, are almost identical. Transcendentalism’s main belief is finding inner self-wisdom, which both Chris and Thoreau attempt by going into nature. McCandless and Thoreau are both extremely similar and it can be seen throughout Into the Wild and Walden.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Madonna Transcendentalism

    • 1188 Words
    • 5 Pages

    She has expressed through many forms her idea of man's place compared to the government. Furthermore she shares many values about the individual's importance with writers of the time such as nature helping the individual, and originality. Madonna also is transcendental in her thoughts on conformity and how people evolve throughout their lives. Overall Madonna executes her life in a transcendentalist fashion through her thought and actions. Transcendentalists such as Thoreau makes it very clear in their work that they believe if man sees something wrong with their government they need to do something about it.…

    • 1188 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I most relate to the transcendental literature because of what it inspires within me. It is all too easy to get wrapped up in what society expects of you. The transcendentalists writers like Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman suggest we listen to our inner voice. In “Self Reliance” Emerson advocated for this throughout the essay with statements such as, “ Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” Your conformity explains nothing.”…

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    This suggests that she cannot be a real person without her own consciousness to give life to…

    • 1963 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Transcendentalism was a religious, philosophical, and literary movement that began to express itself in the early 1800s. Transcendentalism is the belief that man, by observing nature and examining self, can better his humanity and become one with God (Goodman). Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two strongly influential transcendentalists whose philosophies continue to provide significant message and meaning. Emerson, as a notorious writer, lecturer, and editor of the transcendental period, was dominant among the transcendentalists. Henry David Thoreau is remembered for his philosophical and naturalist writings, in which he studied under poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.…

    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    She was also very intrigued with the work of nature and what it gives in return. Margaret Fuller has been created into an astounding transcendentalist…

    • 1256 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Late in the 1830’s a movement began to express itself in New England. This literary movement had a strong belief in religion and philosophical beliefs. The transcendentalists believe that one should be happy in their own well doing without taking into consideration money or the popular belief of others. I see myself as transcendental in my current choice for a part time job. Yes I could be working fast food, hotel cleaning or at a grocery store…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism is an idealistic approach to identity, nature, humanity, and divinity. The themes derived from Emerson and Thoreau center on this transcendental view of self-reliance and nature. In Thoreau’s Walden, he uses key points Emerson shows in Self-Reliance. The two men carry a great influential impact on society showing ideas of non-conformity, infancy, identity, the meaning of self-reliance, and an overall connection to nature. Emerson and Thoreau teach what purpose nature has to several aspects widely known in society.…

    • 2499 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism is a rejection of the past, which only teaches conformity. To be “real men,” Emerson argued,” we must be and act as individuals.”…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism is described a person who finds satisfaction in solitude and nature. It was a nineteenth century movement in which mean people joined. In the book Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless is a transcendentalist, from the modern age, which means he enjoys the simplicity of life and deliberate living or living life with intentions. McCandless goes into the wild with the aspiration of finding himself through nature. In the eyes of a transcendentalist, they believe that natures role in life is important.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Transcendentalism Unit Assessment 1. In Emerson’s Nature, he uses figurative language to personify Nature and make comparisons between his view of nature and society’s view of nature. Emerson uses vivid language: “I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me” (1), to explain that he is among nature in his solitude. The effect of this statement develops a point that even though he is alone, Nature surrounds him with its beauty.…

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism refers to a literary and philosophical movement that developed in the United States. Basically, " to transcend" means " to go beyond human's limits and society, not physically but mentally. It was believed in order to comprehend the divine, God, and the universe one must transcend or go beyond the physical and emotional description of normal human thought. Transcendentalism focus on being one with nature, explore the greatness within each individual and express free ideas against social prejudice. Henry David Thoreau, Raph Waldo Emerson, and Walt Whitman were great transcendentalist of their time, whose influence still remain in modern days.…

    • 887 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Transcendentalism is a philosophy that goes against conformity and challenges one’s own thought process rather than strict scientific thought. In the movie Dead Poets Society, boys in an all-boys preparatory school are inspired by their teacher, Mr. Keating, to think independently rather as to study what is given to them. These boys become interested in the art of poetry and reassemble the “Dead Poets Society”; a society dedicated to the transcendentalist ideals of literary geniuses such as Walt Whitman and David Henry Thoreau. These ideals and literary pieces cause some of the boys like Neal Perry, Charlie Dalton, and Knox Overstreet to become transcendentalists and exercise non-conformity in their lives.…

    • 392 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays