1. Transcending Romanticism The Transcendentalist Movement American Literature

2. If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking. - George S. Patton

3. What is the meaning of transcend?  To rise above or go beyond  Overpass  Exceed

4. Fundamentals  Transcendental refers to the idea that in determining the ultimate reality of God, the universe, the self, and other important matters, one must transcend, or go beyond, everyday human experience in the physical world.  The vehicle to help a person transcend is NATURE!!!

5. Fundamentals  A group of new ideas in literature, religion, culture, and philosophy that emerged in New England in the early-to mid-19th century (1830s and 1840s)  A philosophical idea, not a religious one  Roots in Puritan ideas  Leader – Ralph Waldo Emerson (idea man – father of Transcendentalism) Henry David Thoreau (action man) – Emerson’s protégée

6. Elements of Transcendentalism 1. Strong emphasis on individualism 2. Believed democratically—every man and woman could rise above (transcend) the material world 3. Knowledge came through free intuition rather than logic 4. Nature—important role—was alive with spirit; the human mind could read nature and find truths in it 5. Material success was a source of corruption 6. Transcendentalists wanted to reform society and create a utopia 7. Believed in an “Oversoul” which viewed God, man, and nature as sharers in a universal soul - even the smallest element of nature was a microcosm of the universe containing all its laws and meaning 8. Tone—optimistic

7. Ralph Waldo Emerson  Minister, lecturer, essayist, poet  Felt that the human mind was the most important force in the universe  Said that every being was a part of the mind of God

8. The Over-Soul  Emerson’s concept  God, man, and nature are united in a shared soul— the Over-soul.  All beings are united in a universal spirit after death.  Every being is part of the mind of God.

9. Ralph Waldo Emerson  Ideas considered blasphemous, called a heretic  Very optimistic  Created Brook Farm – a utopia

10. Works of Emerson  Nature 95-page book Expresses his belief that the meaning of existence can be found by exploring the natural world.  “Self-Reliance” Essay Urges people to think and act independently and not to conform to ideas and behaviors dictated by society.

11. Henry David Thoreau  Writer, Naturalist, Teacher, Lecturer, Surveyor  Actively puts into practice the tenets of Transcendentalism  Path to a better humanity through the soul of the individual  All humans have potential to be truth seekers  Can effect social change  Died at 44 of TB

12. Henry David Thoreau  Promoted non-violent civil disobedience  Inspired MLK and Gandhi  Spent 1 night in jail to protest poll tax in protest of slavery  Against the Mexican War  Urged people to resist government policies with which they disagree

13. Works of Thoreau  Walden records his experiences living alone at Walden Pond A blend of natural observation, social criticism, and philosophical insight Regarded as supreme work of Transcendentalist literature  “Civil Disobedience” Defined as the deliberate and public refusal to obey laws that violate one’s personal principles Questions the government’s right to tell him what to do

14. “I went to live in the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life.” - Henry David Thoreau

15.  Walt Whitman His most transcendental poems are probably found in "Song of Myself" because of its vision of the self and its relationship to the universe. Whitman even sent a copy of his collection, “Leaves of Grass” to Emerson and had known personal contact with Thoreau as well. Writers inspired by Transcendentalism

16.  Emily Dickinson Is one of the most widely-read and well-known American poets. In 1850 her friend Benjamin Newton gave her Emerson's first collection of poems. Lived much of her life as a recluse which had a great effect on her ability to keep her style unique and nonconformist. Though she was not a self-prescribed transcendentalist, much of her work reflects their core beliefs. Writers inspired by Transcendentalism