Transcendentalism Overview

What is transcendentalism?

    
        Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement based upon ideas of Romanticism, Platonism and many others. It explains the influence of society and the tranquility of the natural world. The main beliefs of transcendentalism are the quest for truth, individualism, connection to nature, dislike of materialism, intuition and self-reliance.




   Emerson, the leader of the transcendentalist movement, wrote the essay, Nature, which included the main ideas and philosophical points of transcendentalism.









   Another leader in transcendentalism was Henry David Thoreau, who isolated himself from society and wrote about all of his experiences.




    Together, these men transformed the beliefs of the natural world, including that god can be found in all living things and that materialism is going to ruin society.

Emerson

   Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist,  who led the Transcendentalist movement wrote an historical essay called "Nature". In this essay he explained how society is harmful and if people go into solitude or nature they shall find peace. "To go into solitude a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society." He believes that removing yourself from materialistic items and being self-reliant is very important.  He also wrote Self-Reliance which speaks about being independent and doing things for yourself. In Self-Reliance he explains, "We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of the divine idea which each of us represents." This explains how everyone is so afraid of being different that we are missing vital information from us all. Emerson was a very important philosopher that opened the door for many other transcendentalists to come. 

Thoreau

   Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, historian, and leading transcendentalist. He was a student of Emerson and believed in many of his philosophical points. Throughout his experiences he wrote Walden and Civil Disobedience. In Walden he writes, " I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear, nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary." This explains how he went into solitude to not live life the way technology made it but for what it really was. He wanted to go into solitude to let his mind be free. Also in Civil Disobedience he tells about his time in jail and his thoughts on the government before and after. When he said, "I heartily accept the motto, 'The government is best which governs least'." He says this because he believes that the government is too controlling and should instead be about individuals being in charge of their own lives. Thoreau practiced many of Emerson's philosophies such as retiring himself from society and living on his own without influence and modern materialistic items. He simplified his life to find god in nature. Thoreau put many transcendental beliefs into action and changed the movement greatly. 

Civil Obedience by Thoreau

     Civil Disobedience, written by Henry David Thoreau, in 1849, tells about Thoreau's experiences in jail after not paying his poll-tax. He speaks on behalf of most Americans on the thoughts of the government. In this documentary he speaks about his thoughts on the government before going to jail, experiences in jail, and thoughts after.
     Before he went to jail he believed that there was good to what the government was doing. He said, "Let every man make known what kind of government could command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it." This says that if people respect what the government is doing then they will follow it and abide by their rules. 
     During Thoreau's jail time he started to question the government and started to resist it more. When he said, "I could not help being struck with the foolishness of that institution which treated me as if I were mere flesh and blood and bones, to be locked up." They treated cell mates as inanimate creatures instead of real humans just like them. 
     Also, after Henry's visit to jail he was appalled by the government and did not want to concede to any of their wishes. Thoreau says that, "There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power." He is explaining that the State will never be free until the people inside it are free from the government. 
     Thoreau's written experiences in jail educated and influenced a lot of people. Civil Disobedience included many transcendental points which effected the philosophy greatly. 

Avatar Connection

     This is an example of transcendentalism because it shows how they rely on nature and believe nature is very important. They believe that an "energy" or god is in all living things. In Emerson's essay, Nature, he states that, "Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit." (Emerson, 180) The Na'vi believed in this greatly and when the people tried to destroy it they fought back. Emerson also says that, " In the tranquil landscape, man beholds somewhat as beautiful as his own nature." (Emerson, 181)This is true to Avatar because the Na'vi i very majestic and so is their community, and there is a lot that is unknown of them.

'Speed Painter'

      This follows transcendental ideas because the painter goes through what we thought was something structured and what we have learned before but put us into transcendental ideas of our own. Since he was drawing the image upside-down we were unable to see the real image because our brains were being blocked from looking at it any other way. In Self-Reliance by Emerson, he says that, "The power which resides in him is new in nature." The painter connects to this theory through the belief that anything can happen as long as you open up your brain to it.

U2 - Beautiful Day

     This includes many transcendental ideas including going into nature to find yourself. It tells not to focus on materialistic items and focus more on what you have already. It describes how great simplicity is and sometime all it takes is a beautiful day. In, Walden by Thoreau his main point is to simplify. Everyone need to simplify their life and slow down. This song has a great message with many important points.