Transcendentalism, By Ralph Waldo Emerson - 2157 Words

Re-striking the Balance In a constantly updating world, eventually cultural diffusion causes changes to a society s views and practices over a period of time. With many religious pressures in Europe and the constant switch between Catholicism and Protestantism, a group called the Puritans moved to America to start life anew. The Puritan lifestyle took hold of America’s New England colonies and became a theocracy of how people lived their lives. People lived by the Puritan interpretation of the New Testament with harsh forms of punishment for the violation of even the most simple sins. Because of this restricting lifestyle and new ideas like the Enlightenment which caused intellectual reforms, people started to break away from the extreme Puritan philosophy. Another movement occurring in America called Transcendentalism, on the other side of the spectrum of Puritanism, started with writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, specifically with his essay â€Å"Nature†. Emerson depicts the prime example of the br eaking away from strict religion to Transcendentalism. In America, Emerson was a priest who had been ridiculed and had traveled to Europe to find himself. After meeting up with writers of the Romanticism movement, he fell in love with it and brought it back to America under the name of Transcendentalism. Puritanism and Transcendentalism have opposing philosophies which include their view on people, philosophy and God , and on nature through essays and texts by: William Bradford, AnneShow MoreRelatedRalph Waldo Emerson And Transcendentalism1649 Words   |  7 PagesRalph Waldo Emerson is a transcendentalist in my eyes because of his consistent promotion of free thought, personal insight, and individuality. Transcendentalism is the combination of the beliefs of nonconformity, self-reliance, free thought, confidence, and importance of nature. When I looked further into its meaning I came to realize it encompasses the growth and renewal of the individual, revolt against conformity, an d basically promotes all sorts of reformation. Transcendentalism is really justRead More Transcendentalism and Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay examples2334 Words   |  10 PagesTranscendentalism and Ralph Waldo Emerson  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transcendentalism was a literary movement that began in the beginning of the 1800’s and lasted up until the Civil War. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a man whose views on life and the universe were intriguing and influential. Emerson, along with other great men, helped to mold what Transcendentalism was and what it was to become. Without these men, Transcendentalism would not have been anything. Nor would these men have been anything without thisRead MoreRalph Waldo Emerson And Emersons Theory Of Transcendentalism865 Words   |  4 Pagesefforts and abilities. Self-reliance is part of a movement called transcendentalism led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other famous figures in history such as Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson. Emerson discusses society, and individuals, and how they relate to the idea of self-reliance. He also recounts the business, religious, government, and family implications of this concept. Through his use of vivid languag e, Emerson develops his unique world view and explains the theory of self-relianceRead MoreTranscendentalism : Henry David Thoreau And Ralph Waldo Emerson847 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendentalism relates to freedom in several ways. Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two transcendentalists that have different views on freedom. Our project, representing freedom, shows a person how to live his or her life in a way of freedom shown by Emerson and Thoreau. Together, we did research on the transcendentalists: Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. We studiedRead MoreTranscendentalism And Ralph Waldo Emerson And Henry David Thoreau807 Words   |  4 Pagesthroughout history, but none quite like that of Transcendentalism. This movement embodies the idea that spiritual growth can be achieved through personal journey instead of conflicting with organized religion. By the time of the movement’s onset, newly gained religious freedom in the United States allowed for new ideas and beliefs to prosper freely. At the heart of this movement was Transcendentalism philosophy famous ambassadors, Ralph Waldo Emerson and apprentice Henry David Thoreau. These men believedRead MoreTranscendentalism : Ralph Waldo Emerson And Henry David Thoreau967 Words   |  4 PagesRalph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two of the most inspiring and accomplished writers to ever walk upon this Earth. They dared to question how people lived and ho w people should live. They were light years ahead of their time with their transcendentalist ideas. Transcendentalism can be defined by this quote, â€Å"People... have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that transcends... what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel†(History). This is a perfect explanation forRead More Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau as Fathers of Transcendentalism730 Words   |  3 PagesRalph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau as Fathers of Transcendentalism Transcendentalism was a movement in writing that took place in the mid-nineteenth century. It formed in the early to mid nineteenth century and reached it climax around 1850 during an era commonly referred to as the American Renaissance, America’s Golden Day, or the Flowering of New England. The basic tenets of Transcendentalism involve the relationships between one’s self and the world at large. First, the searchRead MoreRalph Waldo Emersons Connection To Transcendentalism1223 Words   |  5 PagesI have chosen to write about a Massachusetts-born American poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson who was part of the Transcendentalist movement which geared philosophical thinking that involved viewing women as equal. Philip F. Gura, Transcendentalism and Social Reform, History Now, assessed May 14, 2017, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/first-age-reform/essays/transcendentalism-and-social-reform. Emerson s support for women s suffrage prompted him to write A Reasonable Reform toRead More`` Fate `` By Ralph Waldo Emerson1441 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1806 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his book titled Nature a series of ideas that reflected the unconventional theories of a Transcendentalist. American Transcendentalism Web, Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882, Virginia Commonwealth University, accessed June 9, 2017, http://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/. Transcendentalists connected philosophy, literacy, and nature to promote a conscience or intuition that made it possible for each person to connect to the spiritualRead MoreRalph Waldo Emersons Concord Hymn819 Words   |  3 PagesIn Concord Hymn, Ralph Waldo Emerson says, â€Å"Spirit, that made those heroes dare To die, and leave their children free, Bid Time and Nature gently spare The shaft we raise to them and thee.† (Emerson n.p.) This quote perfectly explains Emerson because he loved to refer to nature and spirit in many of his famous writings. Emerson is part of the well-known literacy movement known as transcendentalism. This is when authors often referenced nature and focused on intuition and imagination. This movement