Ralph Waldo Emerson: One Leader Of The Transcendentalist Movement

During the early to mid-nineteenth century, the Transcendentalist movement began in America. Transcendentalism was when people gained knowledge about themselves and the world around them through human insight and vision rather than from rationale or perception. Those who were part of the movement accepted ideas as a way of life and understanding, not as spiritual or religious beliefs. Ralph Waldo Emerson was credited as a leader of the movement and wrote Nature during this period of time. Emerson, the “first American thinker,” was just one leader of the Transcendentalist movement. Emerson describes how nature is often taken for granted and how no one quite notices all of it. Emerson states that everything in nature is connected but is hidden from most of society because they only view the surface and fail to see the truth. He discusses that religion and ethics degrade culture and reveal a dependence on spirit; Emerson also explains that not everyone can see the connection between dependence and …show more content…
In the Anthology of American Literature, Emerson was revealed to have played a significant role in the development of Transcendentalism. The anthology states, “Emerson’s perceptions of man and nature as symbols of universal truth encourage the development of the symbolist movement in American writing” (Emerson 1011). As Emerson was a leader on the movement, he also guided many of the people’s thoughts and feelings. As people read his essay, Emerson sways them to be mostly more independent. Emerson led the people away from their religion because he thought it hindered their views on the world. He persuades people to gain knowledge of themselves using insight and human vision rather than religious perceptions. He desires for the public to accept ideas as life, not as religion, which was a popular way of thinking in his