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American Transcendentalist Literature 1840-1855

American Transcendentalist Literature 1840-1855. A new philosophy: Transcendentalism. Began in the 1840’s Literary Movement influenced by the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant Concentrated in New England – called the New England Renaissance

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American Transcendentalist Literature 1840-1855

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  1. American Transcendentalist Literature 1840-1855

  2. A new philosophy: Transcendentalism • Began in the 1840’s • Literary Movement influenced by the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant • Concentrated in New England – called the New England Renaissance • Reaction against intellectual and rational belief of the Unitarian Church.

  3. Transcendentalism – A definition • Human senses can know only the physical reality. • The fundamental truths of existence lay outside the reach of the senses and can only be grasped through intuition. • Attention is focused on the human spirit • Attention is also focused on the natural world and its relationship to humanity. • All forms of being God, nature, and humanity are spiritually united.

  4. Elements of Transcendentalism • Mysticism and emotional intensity • Emphasis on the Individual • Respect for Nature • Great faith in higher forms of knowledge • Live simply • Transcendental is the understanding a person gains intuitively

  5. Major Beliefs • Over-Soul: omnipresent power of goodness and truth • Basic truth of the universe lies beyond the knowledge we obtain from ourselves.

  6. Major Beliefs: • We obtain knowledge through: • Physical world - science and technology • Intuition - soul

  7. Influences on Transcendentalism • Religion - “New Puritanism” • We can experience God first hand • Everyone can experience God • Inner spiritual life is confirmed by nature • Spiritual unity of all forms of being - God/humanity/nature share universal soul.

  8. Influences • B. Literature (Romanticism) • Belief in the good of humanity. • Value of the individual • Nature demands reverence of the writer. It is a symbol. • Nature is a means to self-knowledge.

  9. Achievements of Transcendentalism • Relates all individuals to both the natural world and their own inner worlds. • New self-awareness • Long-term influence on American poetry -- development of individualism.

  10. American Transcendentalists • Ralph Waldo Emerson • Henry David Thoreau • Walt Whitman • Emily Dickinson

  11. Ralph Waldo Emerson1803 - 1882 • Father of Transcendentalism. • Told Americans they should develop their own distinctive art forms, rather than to continue to imitate European models. • Major Work: Nature

  12. Henry David Thoreau1817 - 1862 • Follower of Emerson who put the transcen-dental philosophy into practice. • Bought land near Walden Pond and lived there for two years.

  13. Henry David Thoreau • Major Works: Walden and “Civil Disobedience.” • “Civil Disobedience” profoundly influenced leaders throughout the world, including Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

  14. Walt Whitman1819 - 1892 • Co-founder of modern American poetry. • Style characterized by frank subject matter, long, rambling style. • His mission was to bring ranks, races, and civilizations together. • Major Work: Leaves of Grass.

  15. Emily Dickinson1830-1886 • Wrote nearly 1,800 poems. • Cofounder of Modern American Poetry. • The majority of her poetry was published after she died. • In 1955, she finally gained the recognition she deserved.

  16. Emily Dickinson I'm Nobody! Who Are You I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too? Then there's a pair of us--don't tell! They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog To tell your name the livelong day To an admiring bog!

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