The Elements Of Transcendentalism In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

From an early age, Hawthorne was regarded as a loner and a writer. This was originally his draw for the Brooks Farm community where he was first introduced to transcendentalism. Here he began to be influenced by the thoughts of others, and eventually even his own wife who was a transcendentalist herself. But what is transcendentalism, is it simply a belief, a practice, a religion, or a passage way to freedom? In truth, it is all of these combined. Transcendentalism is a escaped from the world and a guide into discovering one on a greater scale. First, we will observe some of their beliefs. Then we will view several of their practices. Finally, we will witness how transcendentalism influenced the historic author’s writing and the examples of this within The Scarlet Letter.
According to US History.com, “Transcendentalism is a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world …show more content…
In this instance, we will preview the first several chapter in The Scarlet Letter. The first example of transcendentalism is within the first couple sentences of the first chapter. Hawthorne writes, “A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments, and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes.(Scarlet Letter, pg.1)” Immediately, we observe the object which transcendentalism detests, uniformity and conformity under one leadership. Before the prison stands the Puritan community, all who have the same beliefs, thoughts, ideas, none different from the next. They are one community, under one leadership, with only one purpose. Transcendentalism desires to destroy conformity and embrace