Assignment #5: Transcendentalism !TRANSCENDENTALISM is a long word describing a simple idea. That is: “Individuals have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that 'transcends" what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel.” It is a state of mind and a form of spirituality. While Transcendentalists do not reject an afterlife, the emphasis is placed upon this life—on today and now. Note: Additional specifics about Transcendentalism will follow. !First, I would like you to learn something about a few of the most well known

transcendentalists including: !Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller. !These 3 individuals have strong ties to New England and to this area in particular.

If you have ever climbed Mt. Monadnock, you will see what I mean.

If you are traveling through Concord, MA, take the opportunity to visit the site of Thoreau’s Walden Pond (left). !!Locally, visit the lobby of Bank of America on our very own Central Square in Keene to view a special mural.

!The Transcendental Movement Transcendentalism has roots in Puritanism, Quakerism, Unitarianism and Romanticism. !“ To Puritanism it owed its pervasive morality and the 'doctrine of divine light." It is also similar to the Quaker "inner light." However, both these concepts assume acts of God, whereas intuition is an act of an individual. In Unitarianism, deity was reduced to a kind of immanent principle in every person — an individual (not a ‘god’) was the true source of moral light. To Romanticism it owed the concept of nature as a living mystery and not a clockwork universe (deism) which is fixed and permanent.” !“As a group, the transcendentalists led the celebration of the American experiment as one of individualism and self-reliance. They took progressive stands on women's rights, abolition, reform, and education. They criticized government, organized religion, laws, social institutions, and creeping industrialization. They created an American "state of mind" in which imagination was better than reason, creativity was better than theory, and action was better than contemplation. And they had faith that all would be well because humans could transcend limits and reach astonishing heights.” !Although Transcendentalists pride themselves in individual thought and were known to frequently disagree, the following tenants are unanimously agreed upon.

A subtle chain of countless rings The next unto the farthest brings;

The eye reads omens where it goes, And speaks all languages the rose; And, striving to be man, the worm

Mounts through all the spires of form. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature, 1836

!Basic Tenets (Principles) of American Transcendentalism !!1. Transcendentalism is a form of idealism. 2. The transcendentalist "transcends" or rises above the lower animalistic impulses of life (animal drives) and moves from the rational to a spiritual realm. 3. The human soul is part of the Oversoul or universal spirit (or "float" for Whitman) to which it and other souls return at death. 4. Therefore, every individual is to be respected because everyone has a portion of that Oversoul (God). 5. This Oversoul or Life Force or God can be found everywhere — travel to holy places is, therefore, not necessary. 6. God can be found in both nature and human nature (Nature, Emerson stated, has spiritual manifestations). 7. Jesus also had part of God in himself — he was divine as everyone is divine — except in that he lived an exemplary and transcendental life and made the best use of that Power which is within each one. 8. "Miracle is monster." The miracles of the Bible are not to be regarded as important as they were to the people of the past. Miracles are all about us — the whole world is a miracle and the smallest creature is one. "A mouse is a miracle enough to stagger quintillions of infidels." - Whitman 9. More important than a concern about the afterlife, should be a concern for this life — "the one thing in the world of value is the active soul." - Emerson 10. Death is never to be feared, for at death the soul merely passes to the oversoul. 11. Emphasis should be placed on the here and now. "Give me one world at a time." - Thoreau 12. Evil is a negative — merely an absence of good. Light is more powerful than darkness because one ray of light penetrates the dark. In other words, there is no belief in the existence of Satan as an active entity forcing humans to commit immorality. Humans are good and if they do immoral acts they do so out of ignorance and by not thinking. 13. Power is to be obtained by defying fate or predestination, which seem to work against humans, by exercising one's own spiritual and moral strength. Emphasis on self-reliance.

14. Hence, the emphasis is placed on a human thinking. 15. The transcendentalists see the necessity of examples of great leaders, writers, philosophers, and others, to show what an individual can become through thinking and action. 16. It is foolish to worry about consistency, because what an intelligent person believes tomorrow, if he/she trusts oneself, tomorrow may be completely different from what that person thinks and believes today. "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." - Emerson 17. The unity of life and universe must be realized. There is a relationship between all things. 18. One must have faith in intuition, for no church or creed can communicate truth. 19. Reform must not be emphasized — true reform comes from within.” !Reasons for the Rise of American Transcendentalism !There was no one precise "cause" for the beginning of Transcendentalism. According to Paul Boller, “Chance, coincidence and several independent events, thoughts and tendencies seemed to have converged in the 1830s in New England. Some of these were: !1. The steady erosion of Calvinism. (Hannah, look up this term) 2. The progressive secularization of modern thought under the impact of science and technology. 3. The emergence of a Unitarian intelligentsia with the means, leisure, and training to pursue literature and scholarship. 4. The increasing insipidity and irrelevance of liberal religion to questing young minds — lack of involvement in women's rights and abolitionism. 5. The intrusion of the machine into the New England garden and the disruption of the old order by the burgeoning industrialism. 6. The impact of European ideas on Americans traveling abroad. 7. The appearance of talented and energetic young people like Emerson, Fuller, and Thoreau on the scene. 8. The imperatives of logic itself for those who take ideas seriously — the impossibility, for instance, of accepting modern science without revising traditional religious views.” !While the roots of The Transcendental Movement remain unclear and as a movement has faded into the past, there is no doubt that this movement and those involved were instrumental in the creative endeavors of many writers, poets and artists that followed. Transcendentalism has remained a respected literary movement and the following writers from New England are the building blocks which form today’s American Literature.

!1. Ralph Waldo Emerson !After you have read a brief biography about Ralph Waldo Emerson at http://www.biography.com/people/ralph-waldo-emerson-9287153 , prepare to relax while viewing the following 7 minute video depicting

Emerson’s poetry from his book entitled ‘Nature’. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

7 Minute Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiF0r1HOaAw !!!!!Note: For additional information on Emerson and access to his full set of ‘works’ visit the following sites. !http://www.rwe.org/component/content/section/5.html !http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/emerson.html

! !!!2. Henry David Thoreau !Take a Virtual Tour of Thoreau’s Walden Pond in Concord, MA. http://thoreau.eserver.org/capecd00.html !Next, take a one minute walk through his cabin on Walden Pond. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phi-UH14oPU !

!Writings of Thoreau (the Cape Cod Stories are the most humorous) !The Thoreau Reader http://thoreau.eserver.org Thoreau’s Cape Cod Stories http://thoreau.eserver.org/capecd00.html !Biographical Information http://www.biography.com/people/henry-david-thoreau-9506784 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/thoreau.html

!Hey Hannah, what do you think about this quote by Thoreau?

3. Margaret Fuller !Use the following sites to learn about Margaret Fuller. !http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/fuller.html !http://transcendentalism-legacy.tamu.edu/authors/fuller/ !http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/margaret_fuller.htm !

Margaret Fuller was America's first true feminist. She published America's first widely read feminist tract entitled "Woman in the Nineteenth Century" in 1845. !It has been said that,” Fuller confused, unsettled and quite simply scared many of the men she met. “ Edgar Allan Poe divided

humanity into three classes: men, women and Margaret Fuller. !A few Quotations of Fuller’s: !“Very early, I knew that the only object in life was to grow.”!“ I accept the universe!”!“The especial genius of women I believe to be electrical in movement, intuitive in function, spiritual in tendency.”

Next, read an excerpt from Fuller’s most famous work, ‘Woman in the Nineteenth Century’. !“Much has been written about woman's keeping within her sphere, which is defined as the domestic sphere. As a little girl she is to learn the lighter family duties, while she acquires that limited acquaintance with the realm of literature and science that will enable her to superintend the instruction of children in their earliest years. !It is not generally proposed that she should be sufficiently instructed and developed to understand the pursuits or aims of her future husband; she is not to be a help-meet to him in the way of companionship and counsel, except in the care of his house and children. !Her youth is to be passed partly in learning to keep house and the use of the needle, partly in the social circle, where her manners may be formed, ornamental accomplishments perfected and displayed, and the husband found who shall give her the domestic sphere for which she is exclusively to be prepared. !Were the destiny of Woman thus exactly marked out; did she invariably retain the shelter of a parent's or guardian's roof till she married; did marriage give her a sure home and protector; were she never liable to remain a widow, or, if so, sure of finding immediate protection of a brother or new husband, so that she might never be forced to stand alone one moment; and were her mind given for this world only, with no faculties capable of eternal growth and infinite improvement; we would still demand for her a far wider and more generous culture, than is proposed by those who so anxiously define her sphere. !!!!!Fuller, S. Margaret. Woman in the Nineteenth Century. New York: Greeley & McElrath, 160 Nassau Street, 1845. !Hannah, how would you have liked being a woman in the Nineteenth Century? I know I would not have enjoyed it one bit! !!

Walt Whitman !I am including Walt Whitman here because Whitman participated in the shift from Transcendentalism toward Realism. His works represent both movements (although we will learn more about him as part of the Realism Movement). Born on the 31st of May, 1819 in Long Island, New York, US. Whitman was an essayist, poet and journalist, and a volunteer nurse during the American Civil War (1861–65).

Walt Whitman, being one of the most influential American poets, is often referred to as "the father of the free verse”. View ‘An Introduction to Walt Whitman’ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmXI4qjCpls !

Learn more aboutWalt Whitman at the following 2 sites http://www.biography.com/people/walt-whitman-9530126 http://www.whitmanarchive.org !!In 1855, Walt Whitman published — at his own expense — the first edition of Leaves of Grass, a volume of twelve poems. !Displaying the influence of Transcendentalism, Whitman’s writing, distinguished by a dynamic and innovative free verse style, once condemned as “immoral”, continues to be hailed as one of the greatest poetic works in history. !!

For more information about Whitman, listen to this 1 hour audio from WNYC about Walt Whitman—his life and works. http://www.wnyc.org/story/70749-walt-whitman-song-of-myself/

!Your Final Task for this Assignment (#5). !You may have noticed as you’ve been learning about Transcendentalism and a few of the most well known Transcendentalist figures (Emerson, Thoreau, Fuller, and in part Whitman), much of what they’ve left behind consists of quotes—some you may have even heard throughout your life. !!

Using the information from the websites you have visited (and any others of your choosing), you will create a digital poster depicting some of your favorite quotes from the 4 authors you have studied (above) and a bit of biographical information (complete with images) about each of these authors. Also, please include as many artifacts associated with the Transcendental Movement in American literature as possible. !Above, is a sample of a digital poster someone else created using the free program, Glogster. !Glogster is a fun, easy to use program

with endless possibilities. I think you’ll enjoy using it! !Note: You will receive additional information about how to use Glogster after you finish your study of this Transcendental movement. !