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Introduction to Transcendentalism

Introduction to Transcendentalism. What is Transcendentalism?. Transcendentalism: Is a spiritual belief system Was a philosophical movement Was a literary movement Began in the 1830s in Concord, Massachusetts

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Introduction to Transcendentalism

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  1. Introduction to Transcendentalism

  2. What is Transcendentalism? • Transcendentalism: • Is a spiritual belief system • Was a philosophical movement • Was a literary movement • Began in the 1830s in Concord, Massachusetts • Is considered the first truly “American” philosophical and literary movement

  3. The Basic Premises of Transcendentalism • Belief that an individual is the spiritual center of the universe • So… within each individual lie the clues to nature and history • All knowledge begins with self-knowledge. • Nature is a living mystery full of signs • Nature is symbolic and spiritual • One must have faith in intuition, for no church or traditional creed can communicate truth.

  4. Four Categories • We will focus on and study Transcendentalist principles that fall in four categories: • To Thine Own Self Be True • Au Natural • “Fight” for Your Rights • Welcome to the Dark Side

  5. To Thine Own Self Be True… • Text: “Self-Reliance” • Author: Ralph Waldo Emerson • Philosopher, poet, preacher, and essayist • Known for his use of aphorisms in his writing

  6. To Thine Own Self Be True:“Self-Reliance” Principles • Determine Truth for Yourself- Only accept those traditions which appear to be true; reject the rest. • Know Thyself- Become a person of principle and then live by those principles, even if the majority of society doesn’t agree. • Be Yourself- Exercise the self-discipline necessary to study oneself in relation to nature.

  7. Au Natural • Text: “Walden” • Author: Henry David Thoreau • Essayist & teacher • He lived in isolation on Walden Pond for two years to learn from Nature…

  8. Au Natural: “Walden” Principles • God as Nature- God is in man and in all living things. • Contemplation of Divine Nature and Nature- It is best to live as close to nature as possible, for there a person can most successfully contemplate his/her reason for being. • Time and Personal Growth- Work (for money) only enough to fulfill basic needs. Dedicate the rest of your time to personal growth. • Physical and Mental Work- People should be both physically and intellectually active throughout life.

  9. “Fight” For Your Rights… • Text: “Civil Disobedience” • Author: Henry David Thoreau • Wrote this essay while in jail for refusing to pay taxes that funded a war that he didn’t believe in.

  10. “Fight” For Your Rights:“Civil Disobedience” Principles • Least Government Best- Have to courage to practice some form of non-violent protest if a law violates your principles, even if you must suffer the consequences. • Four Tenants of Civil Disobedience- • You must know the law • You must appeal to a higher law (morality, God…) • You must know the consequences for violating the law • You must choose to suffer the consequences

  11. Welcome to the Dark Side…American Gothic Movement • Text: “The Masque of the Red Death” • Author: Edgar Allan Poe • Text: “The Devil and Tom Walker” • Author: Washington Irving

  12. Welcome to the Dark Side… American Gothic Principles • Romantic and Transcendental writers opened the door to imagination and intuition, abandoning all allegiance to reason. • For many people, this freedom was represented by ideas that were dark or supernatural, representing the insane. • Transcendentalism celebrates the individual as a source of hope, beauty, and greater knowledge… • …instead of focusing on the beauty of nature and the individual, Gothic writers focused on the dark, evil possibilities (both in nature and in human behavior)

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