term 3 English test

transcendentalism characteristics

optimistic, focusing on self-improvement and spiritual enlightenment through nature and intuition

a.  Emphasized living a simple life

b. Stressed a close relationship with nature

c.  Celebrated emotions and the imagination

d. Stressed individualism and self-reliance

e.  Believe intuition can lead to knowledge

f.  Believed in inherent goodness in people

g. Encouraged spiritual well-being over financial well-being

transcendentalism guiding principles

People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that "transcends" or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel.

how did transcendentalism begin

Transcendentalism began as a reform movement in the Unitarian church that focused on God’s presence in the individual and emphasized intuition. In earlier centuries, people had looked to reason or to God for answers. As a result, the literary movement known as Transcendentalism (a subgenre of Romanticism) was established.

2 interpretations of transcendentalism

• An ideal spiritual state that “transcends” the physical and the logical

• A collection of eclectic ideas about literature, philosophy, religion, social reform, and the general state of American culture

romanticism

• Nature is wild, mysterious, and sometimes dark or threatening. It can inspire awe but also represent chaos or destruction.

• Often critical of society, seeing it as corrupt, oppressive, or limiting to human expression.

• Emphasizes deep emotions, imagination, and the beauty of the individual experience, including dark and irrational feelings.

• Often focused on the supernatural, the mysterious, and the unknown, exploring themes of fate and human limitations.

• Celebrates the individual as unique, passionate, and sometimes rebellious, often struggling against greater forces.

transcendentalism

• Nature is pure, divine, and a direct path to spiritual truth. It reflects a higher power and helps individuals connect to their inner selves.

• Encourages individuals to rise above society’s rules and find truth through personal experience and self-reliance.

• Values intuition and inner wisdom but sees it as a way to connect to a universal spiritual truth, not just personal expression.

• Encourages self-reliance and personal growth but believes individuals can achieve a higher state of understanding by connecting with nature and the divine.

romanticism historical context

• America was experiencing great growth.

• 1803: The Louisiana Purchase doubled the country’s size.

• 1812: Industrial Revolution began and the factory system changed the way of life for many Americans.  Romantic writing reacted to the negative effects of industrialization (fast-paced lifestyle, commercialism) by turning to nature and the individual to emphasize a simpler lifestyle. 

• Shift in the early 1800s from Nationalism towards Sectionalism.

romanticism tenets

• Authors looked to nature for inspiration.

• Authors valued the individual in their writing.

• Authors valued emotion and the imagination in their writing.

Authors sometimes explore the supernatural in their work.

dark romanticism tenets

• Did not believe in the innate goodness of people.

• Explored the human capacity for evil.

• Probed the inner life of characters.

• Explored characters’ motivations.

• Agreed with Romantic emphasis on emotion, nature, and the individual.

• Included elements of fantasy and the supernatural in their works.

• Nathaniel hawthorne is writer

transcendentalism tenets

• Truth Beyond Logic – Some truths exist beyond what we can see, hear, or logically explain. Instead of relying only on facts and experience, people can discover deeper truths by trusting their instincts and intuition.

• Faith in Human Goodness – People are naturally good and should have the courage to follow their own beliefs, even if others disagree. Staying true to oneself is more important than conforming to society’s expectations.

• Everything is Connected – Humans, nature, and God are all part of the same universal spirit, called the “Oversoul.” This spiritual force links all living things and goes beyond individual consciousness, meaning we are never truly separate from one another or the world around us.

transcendentalism authors

• ralph waldo emerson - His optimism appealed to audiences who lived in a period of economic downturns and conflict

  • self reliance - man is connected to nature, man’s greatest epiphanies occur in nature, man must strip himself of reliance on technology and society

  • nature - man has an innate knowledge of what is right man is born good, but society corrupts him man must be an individual; he must reject conformity

• Henry David Thoreau - Tried to put Transcendentalism into practice, Participated in the most well-known experiment of self-reliance at Walden Pond where he tried to live simply from the land and without the trappings of society, Believed that life was wasted trying to pursue wealth and material possessions

  • civil disobedience - man innately knows what is right and does not need to blindly follow laws

  • walden - live deliberately; don’t simply go through the motions, figure out what you can do without, “Simplify. Simplify.”