Romantism

A focus on nature and individualism.

romanticism

Celebrated emotions and imagination, rejected the strictness of the Puritan tradition and the rationality of the Age of Reason.

American Romanticism

A group of New England poets whose name comes from the tradition of a family reading around a fire, a common form of 19th century entertainment.

Fireside Poets

Everything we need to know about life can be found within ourselves, achieved through meditation, reading, writing, and the observation of nature.

Transcendentalism

Be true to one's own inner insight or instinct, trust yourself, and set high goals to improve.

Individualism & Self-Reliance

Emphasized living a simple life and pride in manual labor.

Simplistic Living

Encouraged spiritual well-being rather than financial well-being, emphasizing spiritual living but not an organized religion.

Spirituality

Belief that people, nature and God are all interconnected and can be a guide to higher understanding.

Importance of Nature

Nonconformist (n): one who does not follow generally accepted beliefs, customs or practices.

Nonconformity

Author and lecturer who wrote many essays including 'Self-Reliance' and 'Nature'.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Philosopher who lived the philosophy of Transcendentalism, spent 26 months at Walden Pond, and wrote 'Walden' and 'Civil Disobedience'.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Wrote about the dark side of human nature and created American Gothicism.

The 'Brooding Romantics'

Placed central importance on emotions and the individual, emphasized intuition and inner perception of truth.

Main Ideas of Transcendentalism

Emphasized nature's beauty, strangeness, and mystery.

Awe of Nature

Belief that intuition can lead to knowledge and be a free-thinker.

Celebration of Emotions

There is a direct connection between the universe (macrocosm) and the individual soul (microcosm).

Connection between Universe and Individual

Belief in the inherent goodness of people.

Faith in Inherent Goodness

Fireside poets were influenced by westward expansion, industrialization, and other trials/tribulations of life at the time.

Influence of Westward Expansion

Fireside poets championed the common person instead of the wealthy elite.

Common Person Advocacy

Key practices in achieving self-knowledge according to Transcendentalism.

Meditation and Nature Observation

Transcendentalism emphasized individual expression and artistic freedom.

Emphasis on Individual Expression