1. Transcendentalism If a man does not keep pace with his companions, it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer. - Thoreau

2. Definition An idealistic philosophy that views nature as a doorway to a mystical world holding important truths.

3. Characteristics of Transcendentalism Everything in the world, including human beings, is a reflection of the Divine Soul. The physical facts of the natural world are a doorway to the spiritual or ideal world. People can use their intuition to discover themselves.

4. Characteristics cont... Self-Reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority and blind conformity to custom and tradition. Spontaneous feeling and intuition are superior to deliberate intellectualism and rationality.

5. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) Father of Transcendentalism Popular lecturer and philosopher of his time Known for his aphorisms Self-Reliance

6. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) Emerson’s protégé “...went to the woods to live deliberately” Perfected the nature essay Walden Civil Disobedience

7. Walt Whitman (1819-1892) Developed unique American poetic form Life experiences reflected in his poetry Used poetic techniques – repetition, parallelism, & catalog Leaves of Grass “I Sit and Look Out” “I Hear America Singing”