TRANSCENDENTALISM: 1840-1855 LEADERS Ralph Waldo Emerson (poetry and essays) Henry David Thoreau (mainly essays) Both were from Boston, MA They were.

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Presentation transcript:

TRANSCENDENTALISM:

LEADERS Ralph Waldo Emerson (poetry and essays) Henry David Thoreau (mainly essays) Both were from Boston, MA They were friends

Emerson He was also called “ the father of Transcendentalism” He wrote what was called the “Intellectual Declaration of Independence”

Beliefs:  Optimism: A deep faith in human potential

WHAT IS THE TRUTH? The basic truths of the universe lie beyond the knowledge we obtain from our senses.

WHAT?  Through intuition, humans can “know” the existence of their own souls and their relation to reality beyond the physical world. (Follow your heart. Follow your own beliefs.)

Nature A source of joy, exhilaration, and even religious reverence.

What did they think about people?  All individuals can experience God firsthand, not just the “elect.” People are inherently good and should be respected.

What did they think of GOD?  There is a spiritual unity of all forms of being with God, humanity, and nature sharing a universal soul (Over-Soul)

How did the Transcendentalists Differ from the Puritans? The Puritans believed in the Elect – that only a few went to Heaven. The Puritans believed that only the Minister could lead individuals to God. The Puritans believed the Church was the center of society – not Nature.

What else was happening in ? Cities, factories and farms all expanding. Movement out west aided by RR, canals, & plank roads.

Utopia was a hot topic Thoughts of utopia: Women’s rights with Susan B. Anthony (Senaca Falls Convention 1848). Push for end of slavery, reasonable work conditions (end child labor) Push for free public education in the 1850s

ANTI- TRANSCENDENTALISM:

Leaders – Herman Melville – Nathaniel Hawthorne (wrote mainly novels and short stories, using symbols to convey their themes)

Beliefs:  Darker world view than the Transcendentalists  Nature is indifferent, unforgiving, and often unexplainable

What else do they believe?  The limitations and destructive nature of the human spirit rather than the possibilities People possess the potential for both good and evil

What is the truth? The truths of existence are elusive

How can we tell Transcendentalists and Anti- Transcendentalists apart? One is optimistic and one ambivalent One is more direct while the other is more symbolic One thinks Nature is the source of truth while the other believes nature is indifferent

What are symbols? Symbol means when one thing represents something else.

What are some examples? In Moby Dick, Nature is symbolized by the Great White Whale. In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale ’ s sin is symbolized by the unknown thing under his shirt and by Pearl

WAIT! The Scarlet Letter is what? The Scarlet Letter is an example of an Anti-Transcendental work. It was written in the 1840s. However, it was about the Puritans. Hawthorne was trying to show that everyone, even the minister, has secret sins.

SO what ’ s the bottom line? Transcendentalism and Anti- transcendentalism were basically opposite ideas. Both were intellectual schools of thoughts that occurred during times of peace.

Are we going to watch any movies? Yes. We will watch a short film on Thoreau.

POPULAR POETS Longfellow & Emily Dickinson They were neither transcendentalists nor anti- transcendentalists. They wrote during the same time period as the Anti-Transcendentalists & Transcendentalists. We will discuss them in class.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE? Let ’ s begin by opening our text to page 238 and read about Emerson.