Transcendentalism Essay

Friedrich Schlegel, a German poet, defined romanticism as, “literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form”. Romanticism was a movement in literature that was popular during the 18th century that primarily focused on the individual through imagination, freedom and emotion; feeling was valued over emotion. Edgar Allen Poe and Longfellow are two well-known writers who incorporated romanticism in their works. The romanticism traits of imagination and awe of nature are depicted in…

Given the opportunity to dine with any two Americans from our studies this semester, my immediate choices are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Frederick Douglass. Notable figures from the nineteenth century, they stand out as men who found strength in the written word. Using their respective writings to such potent effect in challenging a nation in terms of how people thought about freedom, Emerson and Douglass could not have been more disparate in their backgrounds and approaches. Still and somehow,…

This era of philosophes and social change brought about two particular principles key in creating the United States Constitution, Transcendentalism and Democracy. One of the most famous American philosophes, playing a crucial role in creating the United States early government with the Declaration of Independence, was Thomas Jefferson, who brought some fundamental beliefs of both into account…

“If a plant cannot live according to its nature, it dies; and so a man” (Henry David Thoreau). Thoreau’s philosophy of transcendentalism comprised of three main ideas: Individual, Nature, and God. This quote illustrates how each individual is created for their own unique purpose, each finding their unique niche that will flood their souls with happiness. In the nonfictional book, Into the Wild (1997), author Jon Krakauer sheds light on Chris (Alexander Supertramp) McCandless’ life ending…

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau both teach the importance of simplicity. Thoreau does so in Walden and Emerson in Self- Reliance. Emerson focuses on nature and the significance to appreciate it without all the distractions. Thoreau uses Emerson’s ideas and focuses on how the economy and money was taking our time away from being grateful for the little things in life. They both saw the simplicity of hard work and going for what one desires in life, to appreciate nature in a more…

In this passage, Henry David Thoreau expresses his transcendentalist ideas by describing the beauty and perfection of nature and creating parallels to the human body and mind. In describing the physical changes in the environment that occur when winter eases into spring, Thoreau provides the analogy of a “waking man” to describe the pond cracking. He further goes on to question the sensitivity of the pond – and in directly questioning the sensitivity of man. Overall, this passage is…

A Deep Contrast of History and Present A Comparison of Contemporary Thought and Thoreau 's Thought Fresh air, clear mind, and a certain simplicity found nowhere else, these are items of topic when someone has just come from a mountain excursion or, simply, a camping trip. Nature has always been seen as an escape from reality and, more importantly, society. In Early American times, predominately the 1800’s, a series of writers emerged and formed what we now know as the Transcendentalist…

“The history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings” (Carson). While every living creature, whether it be a plant, animal or human being, affects the atmosphere around it in some way, only humans possess the knowledge and abilities to severely alter the environment in a way singular to their species. The human concept of nature constantly evolves depending on the state of technological progress and moral mindset people find themselves…

Although life seems as if our advances are making tasks easier, if you give an individual the proper facts and knowledge of where the ecosystem stands today life is in fact becoming more complicated. The gadgets we use on an everyday basis have the potential to sway ones opinion, but in the grand scheme of things they are aiding in the destruction of nature and our planet as we know it. The word complicated was used because with every new device being rapidly mass created, a new set back occurs…

Two authors, one born in 1812, the other in 1876. Two books, one a reflection of life in nature, the other, the tales of animal decivilization. Even though the two book topics carry strong, distinct differences, they both carry strong beliefs about the laws of nature. Henry Thoreau, the author of Walden, describes a two year stay in nature and how he developed different views on life and nature. Jack London, the author of Call of the Wild, wrote a story about how an animal goes from being a…