American literature

New England Transcendentalism:

Emerson and Thoreau

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.

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.

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.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American philosopher, poet and essayist The most eloquent spokesman of New England

Transcendentalism. Works

Nature 1836 Essays: First Series 1841 Essays: Second Series “Representative Men” “English Traits” “The Conduct of Life” “The American Scholar” “The Over-Soul” “Self-Reliance” “The Transcendentalist” “The Poet”

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.

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American essayist and poet Leader of American Transcendent 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

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.”