Lincoln’s Transcendental Address
In Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America, Garry Wills discusses the influence that the transcendentalist movement had on Lincolns Gettysburg Address. The transcendentalist movement was brought about from the idea of transcendentalism; everyone has equal knowledge of themselves and the world beyond that, relating to what people see, hear, touch and feel. Throughout Wills chapter, titled “The Transcendental Declaration”, Wills argues that Lincolns Gettysburg Address was mainly governed by the concept of transcendentalism.
The Declaration of Independence inaugurated the ideals of transcendentalism, which later impacted Lincolns Gettysburg Address. This Declaration represented the beliefs that America …show more content…
For example, Lincoln encountered transcendental ideas all the time with Billy Herndon, a forceful transcendentalist and a colleague of Lincoln. Herndon pushed transcendentalist readings of Theodore Parker upon Lincoln. Parker was a transcendentalist and a devout patriot who impacted Lincoln and his view on life. Herndon claimed that the man who had the largest effect on Lincoln was, Parker. They shared the same transcendental and romantic beliefs that all men were made by their creator with natural rights and equality. Both Parker and Lincoln believed in the transcendental idea: evolution. They saw human progress in almost everything, especially in the Declaration of Independence. Even when the Declaration was made, it created room for even more human progress. Parker’s belief in evolution strongly impacted Lincoln and how he viewed our world progress towards both supreme value and human freedom. Not only was Lincoln impacted by Parker and Herndon’s words, but also the words of Ralph Emerson. Emerson was an American essayist who also led the transcendentalist movement of the 19th century. Lincoln had attended several of Emerson’s lectures, where Emerson relayed the transcendentalist message. Surrounding himself with transcendental men promoted the concept for Lincoln and strongly affected his own
In Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words That Remade America, Garry Wills discusses the influence that the transcendentalist movement had on Lincolns Gettysburg Address. The transcendentalist movement was brought about from the idea of transcendentalism; everyone has equal knowledge of themselves and the world beyond that, relating to what people see, hear, touch and feel. Throughout Wills chapter, titled “The Transcendental Declaration”, Wills argues that Lincolns Gettysburg Address was mainly governed by the concept of transcendentalism.
The Declaration of Independence inaugurated the ideals of transcendentalism, which later impacted Lincolns Gettysburg Address. This Declaration represented the beliefs that America …show more content…
For example, Lincoln encountered transcendental ideas all the time with Billy Herndon, a forceful transcendentalist and a colleague of Lincoln. Herndon pushed transcendentalist readings of Theodore Parker upon Lincoln. Parker was a transcendentalist and a devout patriot who impacted Lincoln and his view on life. Herndon claimed that the man who had the largest effect on Lincoln was, Parker. They shared the same transcendental and romantic beliefs that all men were made by their creator with natural rights and equality. Both Parker and Lincoln believed in the transcendental idea: evolution. They saw human progress in almost everything, especially in the Declaration of Independence. Even when the Declaration was made, it created room for even more human progress. Parker’s belief in evolution strongly impacted Lincoln and how he viewed our world progress towards both supreme value and human freedom. Not only was Lincoln impacted by Parker and Herndon’s words, but also the words of Ralph Emerson. Emerson was an American essayist who also led the transcendentalist movement of the 19th century. Lincoln had attended several of Emerson’s lectures, where Emerson relayed the transcendentalist message. Surrounding himself with transcendental men promoted the concept for Lincoln and strongly affected his own