Transcendentalists American Literature. Remember… Romantics & Transcendentalists = Romantics & Transcendentalists = Emos Emos –Romantics were darker and.

TranscendentalistsTranscendentalists

American LiteratureAmerican Literature

Remember…Remember…

• Romantics & Transcendentalists =Romantics & Transcendentalists =

• Emos Emos – Romantics were darker and more Romantics were darker and more

emotionalemotional

• and Hippiesand Hippies– Transcendentalists focused on positive Transcendentalists focused on positive

actions and creating changeactions and creating change

Beginnings – Romantics & Beginnings – Romantics & TranscendentalistsTranscendentalists

• Both grew out of a reaction to the Both grew out of a reaction to the strict, Puritanical code at the strict, Puritanical code at the foundation of American literature and foundation of American literature and society.society.

• By the mid 1830’s, the Puritan rules By the mid 1830’s, the Puritan rules and themes were considered and themes were considered outdated and repressive. outdated and repressive.

Beginnings Cont.Beginnings Cont.• Transcendental movement Transcendental movement

began a few years after the began a few years after the RomanticRomantic

• Both groups chose to write Both groups chose to write anti-Puritan themes anti-Puritan themes

• Both chose to ignore topics Both chose to ignore topics like strict religion, morals like strict religion, morals and the issue of guilt and the issue of guilt

• Each group chose very Each group chose very different ways of doing different ways of doing this.this.

HippiesHippies• The Transcendentalists’ The Transcendentalists’

main topic was “self main topic was “self reliance”.reliance”.

• While the Romantics While the Romantics wrote mainly to entertainwrote mainly to entertain– love poems or horror love poems or horror

storiesstories

• the Transcendentalists the Transcendentalists wrote to effect changewrote to effect change– motivational packets and motivational packets and

political pieces.political pieces.

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

Self reliance/intuition Self reliance/intuition • Understanding comes Understanding comes

from within individual, from within individual, rather than being learned.rather than being learned.

• Individual capable of Individual capable of making own decisions making own decisions without the help/guidance without the help/guidance of society.of society.

• Emerson’s famous “Self Emerson’s famous “Self Reliance” emphasized the Reliance” emphasized the importance of trusting importance of trusting your instinct.your instinct.

Importance of NatureImportance of Nature• Two aspects:Two aspects:

– the earth the earth – human naturehuman nature

• In both aspects, nature In both aspects, nature was considered the was considered the ultimate guide and ultimate guide and sustainer. (cont. next slide)sustainer. (cont. next slide)

Importance of Nature (cont.)Importance of Nature (cont.)

• Transcendentalists found Transcendentalists found the divine in nature. the divine in nature.

• Unlike Puritans, didn’t Unlike Puritans, didn’t need church need church

• viewed the earth/nature viewed the earth/nature as a spiritual place.as a spiritual place.

• Thoreau’s famous Thoreau’s famous Walden Walden idealizes nature idealizes nature and water.and water.

Free thought & Free thought & expressionexpression

• society should not silence the individual society should not silence the individual

• each person should be free to express each person should be free to express him/herself without fear.him/herself without fear.

• Transcendentalists did not all agree with Transcendentalists did not all agree with each other, and thought these conflicting each other, and thought these conflicting opinions made them stronger. opinions made them stronger.

The individual is The individual is important/non-conformityimportant/non-conformity

• individual conscience individual conscience more important as guide more important as guide than the law, government than the law, government and community.and community.

• Thoreau refused to pay Thoreau refused to pay poll tax to protest poll tax to protest slavery; Emily Dickinson slavery; Emily Dickinson wore only whitewore only white

ConfidenceConfidence

• individual should rely on his/her own individual should rely on his/her own knowledge knowledge

• rather than living by society’s norms and rather than living by society’s norms and just “going with the flow”. just “going with the flow”.

• Americans could form their own identity Americans could form their own identity and didn’t need to imitate Europeansand didn’t need to imitate Europeans