Transcendentalism

1
Transcendentalism

• Nineteenth Century
• American Literary Movement

2
Definition

• Nineteenth Century American Transcendentalism is
  not a religion it is a pragmatic philosophy, a
  state of mind, and a form of spirituality.
• It is not a religion because it does not adhere
  to the three concepts common in all religions
• a belief in a God
• a belief in an afterlife (dualism)
• ca belief that this life has consequences on the
  next (if you're good in this life, you go to
  heaven in the next, etc.).
• Transcendentalism is monist it does not reject
  an afterlife, but its emphasis is on this life.

3

• Emerson
• Father of the movement
• Most famous book is Nature
• Thoreau
• Searched for the Ultimate truth
• Lived on Walden pond by himself after reading
  Nature
• Whitman
• Wrote Leaves of Grass
• Influenced greatly by Emerson

4
Whitman

• Spiritual hunger in New England
• The divine spirit is found in the self and nature
• The smallest part of nature is a model for life
• These beliefs were in response to religion
• Emerson We will walk on our own feet we will
  work with our own hands we will speak our own
  minds...A nation of men will for the first time
  exist, because each believes himself inspired by
  the Divine Soul which also inspires all men.