1. American Literature New England Transcendentalism: Emerson and Thoreau

2. General Introduction of New England Transcendentalism  It is the summit of American Romanticism  Leaders: Emerson and Thoreau  Club: Transcendentalist Club  Manifesto: Nature in 1836 by Emerson. (It is regarded as the Bible of New England Transcendentalism.)  Their journal: The Dial  Sources: German Idealism, German Transcendentalism and American Puritanism.

3. Core Beliefs of American Transcendentalism  Among transcendentalists' core beliefs was an ideal spiritual state that 'transcends' the physical and empirical and is only realized through the individual's intuition, rather than through the doctrines of established religions. The transcendentalists desired to ground their religion and philosophy in transcendental principles: principles not based on sensuous experience, but deriving from the inner, spiritual or mental essence of the human.

4. 超验主义  超验主义 (transcendentalism) 的核心观点是主张人能超 越感觉和理性而直接认识真理，认为人类世界的一切都是宇 宙的一个缩影 --“ 世界将其自身缩小成为一滴露水 ” （爱默生 语）。超验主义者强调万物本质上的统一，万物皆受 “ 超灵 ” 制约，而人类灵魂与 “ 超灵 ” 一致。这种对人之神圣的肯定使 超验主义者蔑视外部的权威与传统，依赖自己的直接经验。 “ 相信你自己 ” 这句爱默生的名言，成为超验主义者的座右铭 。这种超验主义观点强调人的主观能动性，有助于打破加尔 文教的 “ 人性恶 ” 、 “ 命定论 ” 等教条的束缚，为热情奔放，抒 发个性的浪漫主义文学奠定了思想基础。

5. Auguries of Innocence by William Blake (1757-1827)  To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour.

6. Sources of American Transcendentalism  1. the romantic literature of Europe  2. neo-Platonism  3. German idealistic philosophy  4. Oriental mysticism

7. American Puritanism and American Transcendentalism  The dual heritage of American Puritanism on American Transcendentalism: 1. the inward communication of the soul with God and divine symbolism of nature 2. Puritan principle of self-culture and self- improvement on the transcendentalists’ emphasis on the individual.

8. Major ideas of New England Transcendentalism  Placing emphasis on spirit or Over-soul, as the most important thing in the universe. --- a new way of looking at the world  Stressing the importance of individual (self-reliance) --- a new way of looking at man  Offering a fresh perception of the nature as symbolic of the Spirit or God.  “The Universe is composed of Nature and the Soul.” “Spirit is present everywhere.” The individual soul communed with the Over-soul and was therefore divine.

9. Influence of New England Transcendentalism  An important influence to American literature.  It inspired a new generation of famous authors as Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Whitman and Dickinson.  It inspired one of America’s most prolific literary periods in its history.

10. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)  American philosopher, poet and essayist  The most eloquent spokesman of New England Transcendentalism.  Works  Nature 1836  Essays: First Series1841  Essays: Second Series  “Representative Men”  “English Traits”  “The Conduct of Life”  “The American Scholar”  “The Over-Soul”  “Self-Reliance”  “The Transcendentalist”  “The Poet”

11. Emerson  During his lifetime he was considered one of the two or three best writers in America, and certainly the most influential among his contemporaries.  His influence extended beyond his own century.  His essay “The Poet” marked the birth of true American poetry and true American poets such as Whitman and Emily Dickinson.  His “The American Scholar” has been regarded (first by Oliver Wendell Holmes) as “America’s Declaration of Intellectual Independence.”  His reputation has fallen somewhat in the present century.

12. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)  American essayist and poet  Leader of American Transcendentalism  Works  Walden, or Life in the Woods  Civil Disobedience  Life Without Principle  A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers  The Maine Woods  Cape Cod  A Plea for Captain John Brown  Slavery in Massachusetts

13. Evaluation  His influence goes beyond America.  Thoreau’s masterpiece, Walden, is a great Transcendentalist work that came out of the period under discussion.  Thoreau has been regarded as a prophet of individualism in American literature. He was very critical of modern civilization. “Civilized man is the salve of matter.”