Trancendental Influences in the works of Emerson and Thoreau
The American Heritage Dictionary defines transcendentalism as “The belief or doctrine that knowledge of reality is derived from intuitive sources rather than objective.” A more concise definition of transcendentalism would be a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual over the material and scientific. Writers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were both celebrated transcendentalists. Emerson concentrated his theories in his poetry and numerous essays like “Nature” and “Self Reliance”, where as Thoreau threw himself into his philosophies as is reflected in Walden. The transcendental influences of Emerson and Thoreau are revealed through their views on nature, government, and individualism. Through nature, Emerson and Thoreau’s transcendental qualities were exposed. Both writers emersed themselves in nature; Emerson through his writing, Thoreau, literally. Emerson came up with and wrote down ideas as to how man should learn from nature. In his view nature was something to be worshipped as a divine entity. Emerson’s philosophy focused on “a God who imposed a pattern on event” (Cayton 58) as is shown in the cycles of nature. It was his belief that we should “regard nature as a phenomenon, not a substance;
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1283
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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