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Emerson

Emerson. Transcendentalism. Background. The death of Emerson’s wife caused him to have a spiritual crisis. He traveled to Europe to visit great philosophers of the day to find what he so desperately needed – mental and spiritual acuity.

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Emerson

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  1. Emerson Transcendentalism

  2. Background • The death of Emerson’s wife caused him to have a spiritual crisis. • He traveled to Europe to visit great philosophers of the day to find what he so desperately needed – mental and spiritual acuity. • “…the human mind is so powerful it can unlock any mystery, from the intricacies of nature to the wonder of God.”

  3. Transcendentalism only lasted 10 years…why do you suppose it was so short-lived? • Emerson’s belief in nonviolent civil disobedience has affected many throughout history…name some and explain how they upheld this belief.

  4. NONCONFORMITY • ADVANTAGES • DISADVANTAGES

  5. Nature • In this excerpt from his book Nature, Emerson expresses his belief that the meaning of existence can be found by exploring the natural world. • He describes how, through his exploration of nature, he has discovered that he is spiritually connected with the universe, with God, and with every living thing.

  6. “I become a transparent eyeball” • Why is this such a jarring image? • What does Emerson mean? • Emerson means that he sees everything; the metaphor suggests the poet is like a single, huge eye.

  7. “The greatest delight which the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. I am not alone and unacknowledged. They nod to me, and I to them.” • What does Emerson experience when in the woods? • Speculate as to why he feels this way?

  8. “Yet it is certain that the power to produce this delight does not reside in nature, but in man, or in a harmony of both.” • According to Emerson, from where does the power to produce “this delight” come? • The power comes from human beings, not nature, or from a combination of both.

  9. Do you agree or disagree with this statement about a harmony between human beings and nature? Explain.

  10. Concord Hymn • In “Concord Hymn,” Emerson praises the bravery of the minutemen who fought at Lexington and Concord. The poem conveys the message that people who make great sacrifices for noble causes such as freedom will never be forgotten.

  11. What event took place by the “rude bridge”? • Americans fell to British guns. • What does the poet mean by the image of “the shot heard round the world”? • It heralded the founding of a new nation.

  12. How does the poem’s organization reflect a sense of the passage of time? • It acknowledges that the events are long past but that people today still revere them. • In the last stanza, whom does the poet address directly? • He addresses a “Spirit.”

  13. It assumes that this spirit created the brave and nonconforming indivduals who fought at Concord and Lexington. • In what way does this direct address reflect Transcendentalist beliefs in an Over-Soul?

  14. What aspects of this poem highlight Transcendental beliefs?

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