Compare And Contrast Thoreau And Transcendentalism

Transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau The Transcendentalist movement developed in the end of the 1820s, gaining momentum throughout the 1830s through the literary efforts of Americans Emerson and Thoreau (Packer 11). The historical movement emerged from many men and women who were discontented with the limitations of traditional religion. Seeing religion’s many philosophic trappings which inhibited the growth of authentic character, these forerunners sought their inspiration through the teacher of nature. As conceptions of religion cannot be separated from the expression of politics and culture throughout history, transcendentalists enabled their writings to advocate for real liberty in one’s inner being as well as one’s state. This movement would become a definitive expression of the passion of the American spirit. The emergence of a unique American culture cannot be separated from its European roots, and while Transcendentalists were struggling against the entrapments of the “Old World” it was the fruits of European Romanticism which enabled their movement to take flight. Transcendentalism found …show more content…
Margaret Fuller had been a leader of this movement, and when she died Emerson took the reins. While he and Henry David Thoreau were friends, Emerson found Thoreau to be a bit too radical for his refined comforts. Their dynamic personality clash would symbolize one of the essential paradoxes of America-that even while two people may hold similar beliefs about freedom, the nature of their relationship may still be fraught with conflict. While both Emerson and Thoreau believed in one of the fundamental tenants of Transcendentalism (man is fundamentally good, and organized government is a corrupting force) the force of their different approaches to it would test the limits of natural brotherhood (Parker