Tran

scen

denta

lis

mTHE P

HILOSOPHY, A

UTHORS & F

AMOUS W

ORKS

The

Philoso

phy

The Origin of Transcendentalism

German Idealism

• a philosophical movement: emerged in the late 1700’s in Germany

• The belief that an item’s meaning was directly related to the perception of the individual perceiving it

• Immanuel Kant was the original philosopher

o He was the first German “Idealist”

The German philosophy was the foundation on which American Transcendentalism was built

Transcendentalism’s Beginning Emerged in the 1830s in the Boston area

It was a protest against the:

• intellectual push coming out of Harvard

• Unitarian doctrine being taught at Harvard

• corruptness of the political parties

The foundation was that the above three things (amidst others) lead to:

• a corrupted society

• a lack of purity in an individual

Transcendentalism Beliefs

Man and nature are both inherently good

Organized religion, higher education, and political mandates lessen both an individual’s and a society’s strength

Man is at its best when being self-reliant

• Man can find truth only through introspectiveness and personal experience

• Human problems can be solved through the development of individual emotions

Transcendentalism’s Spread Spread most rapidly in Concord, MA and

on Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, MA

It was not only a philosophy: it quickly became:

• A literary movement

• A “religion” (with a strong, quiet following)

• A social movement

It reached its peak in the late 1840’s

It never became the norm, nonetheless, it greatly influenced writers and thinkers

The

Author

s

The Most Famous Transcendentalist

Authors

Primarily Nonfiction Writers

Ralph Waldo Emerson (more on him later)

Henry David Thoreau (more on him later)

Primarily Fiction Writers

Nathanial Hawthorne

Herman Melville

Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women)

Primarily Poets

Walt Whitman

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Ralph W

aldo

Emer

son

1803-1882

Ralph Waldo Emerson: Biography

Born in 1803 (Boston, MA) His father was a Unitarian minister His father died in 1811: he and his 4 brothers were raised by a his

mother He suffered from temporary blindness brought on by a lung disease In 1817 Emerson began his literature & philosophy studies at Harvard He became a high school teacher, but later returned to Harvard to study

at the School of Divinity After a short career as a Unitarian pastor, he began his notorious career

as a writer and lecturer He died in 1882

Emerson’s home

Emerson’s Nature Emerson's first, and most famous, book

It expressed the main principles of the then new movement, transcendentalism

Soon after its publication, a discussion group titled “The Transcendentalist Club” formed in Concord, MA.

• This club began to publish an influential magazine, called The Dial

• The group, and the magazine, were devoted to a deeper understanding of literature and philosophy

Emerson’s Essays & Poetry Emerson’s next two books were essay

compilations

• Most focused on his faith in the moral order of the universe, as well as the divine force governing it

Emerson was also known for his poetry

• He wrote much like the Fireside Poets of the era

• Common motifs: mystical religion, his own frustrations with society, and celebrating nature

Emerson’s Influence

Emerson influenced the works of many, including (but not limited to):

• Henry David Thoreau

• Herman Melville

• Walt Whitman

• Emily Dickinson

• Louisa May Alcott

• Henry James

• Robert Frost

Emer

son’s

Most

Fam

ous W

orks

We’ll be working with a few of Emerson’s texts

on Wednesday

Be sure to bring your textbook with to class!

Tom

orrow

We’ll be starting the SOAPSTone + Theme

Assessment

1. Both pieces will connect with a transcendental belief

2. You’ll have tomorrow & part of Wednesday to complete it

3. It assesses 5 standards— AKA: it’s worth 50 points

Emer

son’s

“Nat

ure”

and “

Self-R

elia

nce”

When done with your SOAPSTone + Theme

Assessment

1. Read “Nature” (pages 364-365) and then answer the Thematic Focus question & Critical Thinking questions 1-4 (page 365)

2. Read “Self-Reliance” (pages 366-367) & answer the Thematic Focus question & Critical Thinking questions 1-4 (page 367)

Be sure to answer these questions:

• In complete sentences with detailed support/explanations

• On loose-leaf, frizz-free paper