1. Intro to transcendentalism
American Literature Unit 2

2. Who were they?
A group of writers, artists, and reformers during the 1830s and 1840s
The movement all began with one man: Ralph Waldo Emerson
(We’ll get back to him)

3. What did they believe?
The individual was at the center of the universe and more powerful than any institution (political or religious)
They believed that institutions corrupted personal freedom
Be true to yourself. Don’t let society corrupt your beliefs.
The human mind is a very powerful force

4. What did they believe? Cntd.
Man is inherently good.
Everything that is found in nature is a reflection of God
The “over-soul” – universal spirit to which all beings return after death
Capable of connecting man with nature
If you communicate with the over-soul you are capable of unlocking all of the mysteries of life

5. What did they believe? Cntd
The notion of non-conformity
Again, we see the emphasis on the individual.
They encouraged individuals to go against popular belief and form their own opinions
Why would you conform to institutions when they corrupt your inner goodness?

6. Who was Ralph Waldo Emerson?
Pastor from Boston who began wrestling with his faith due to his wife’s untimely death
During this time the Industrial Revolution was showing that machines could now replace people
Ralph Waldo Emerson did not like this notion
He believed the human mind was the most important force in the world
This thought began the Transcendentalism movement

7. Who was Henry David Thoreau?
Emerson’s most famous protégé
Thoreau wanted to put Emerson’s words into action
He went to live in the woods alone in harmony with nature and away from material objects
He lived by Walden Pond for two years and wrote a book about his experience
Author of “Civil Disobedience”

8. Henry David Thoreau… Thoreau was a fierce abolitionist
To protest slavery and the Mexican War, he refused to pay taxes and was imprisoned
Although he spent only one night in jail, the experience gave him insight into the relationship of individuals to the government.
He developed the theory of nonviolent civil disobedience

9. A Lasting Legacy Others adopted and demonstrated Thoreau’s ideas.
Mahatma Gandhi adopted this idea during India’s struggle with for independence in the 1940’s
In America, nonviolent protest served as the guiding principle for Martin Luther King Jr., during the civil rights movement.
The influence of the Transcendentalist is so woven into the fabric of American culture that we take it for granted.