The American The American Transcendental PeriodTranscendental Period

Mrs. Dibble’s ClassMrs. Dibble’s Class

• ““The only way to have a friend is to be The only way to have a friend is to be one,” – Emersonone,” – Emerson

• ““To be great is to be misunderstood,” – To be great is to be misunderstood,” – EmersonEmerson

• ““Life only avails, not the having lived,” – Life only avails, not the having lived,” – EmersonEmerson

• ““That government is best which governs not That government is best which governs not at all,” – Thoreauat all,” – Thoreau

• ““If a man does not keep pace with his If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured music which he hears, however measured or far away,” – Thoreauor far away,” – Thoreau

• ““The mass of men lead lives of quiet The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation,” - Thoreaudesperation,” - Thoreau

Characteristics:Characteristics:A Transcendental View of the A Transcendental View of the

WorldWorld • Everything in the world, including human beings, Everything in the world, including human beings,

is a reflection of the Divine Soulis a reflection of the Divine Soul• The physical facts of the natural world are a The physical facts of the natural world are a

doorway to the spiritual or ideal worlddoorway to the spiritual or ideal world• People can use their intuition to behold God’s People can use their intuition to behold God’s

spirit revealed in Nature or in their own soulsspirit revealed in Nature or in their own souls• Self-reliance and individualism must outweigh Self-reliance and individualism must outweigh

external authority and blind conformity to custom external authority and blind conformity to custom and traditionand tradition

• Spontaneous feelings and intuitions are superior Spontaneous feelings and intuitions are superior to deliberate intellectualism and rationalityto deliberate intellectualism and rationality

Part of the Romantic Period – Part of the Romantic Period – 1800-1850 1800-1850

• A reaction to a too rational Unitarian A reaction to a too rational Unitarian religious movementreligious movement

• Consider all characteristics of Consider all characteristics of Romanticism and remember that no Romanticism and remember that no movement “just happened” - also movement “just happened” - also remember that Romanticism was also remember that Romanticism was also going on in Europegoing on in Europe

• Nature is always going to be keyNature is always going to be key

The Transcendental A-List The Transcendental A-List – the members of the – the members of the

Transcendental Club in Boston Transcendental Club in Boston • Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

• Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

• Margaret FullerMargaret Fuller

• Theodore ParkerTheodore Parker

• Bronson AlcottBronson Alcott

• William Ellery ChanningWilliam Ellery Channing

• George RipleyGeorge Ripley

• Elizabeth Palmer PeabodyElizabeth Palmer Peabody

Ralph Waldo Emerson – 1803-Ralph Waldo Emerson – 1803-1882 1882

• Born in Boston in 1803 to a family Born in Boston in 1803 to a family that was cultured but poorthat was cultured but poor

• Dad died when he was eight, but Dad died when he was eight, but Mom took in boarders to make Mom took in boarders to make moneymoney

• Family decided he would follow the Family decided he would follow the eight generations of Emersons before eight generations of Emersons before him – he would be a minister. He him – he would be a minister. He reluctantly obeyed.reluctantly obeyed.

Cont. Cont. • Entered Harvard at fourteenEntered Harvard at fourteen• An indifferent student , read widely An indifferent student , read widely

(philosophy and religion)(philosophy and religion)• With hesitance, became a ministerWith hesitance, became a minister• Married his love – 17 year old Ellen Married his love – 17 year old Ellen

Tucker who was already sick with T.B.Tucker who was already sick with T.B.• When she died, his skepticism in When she died, his skepticism in

religion increased, he quit the church, religion increased, he quit the church, went to Europe, and observed life.went to Europe, and observed life.

Cont. Cont. • Came back to US in 1833, remarried, and Came back to US in 1833, remarried, and

supplemented his income by lecturing – supplemented his income by lecturing – “Let us unfetter ourselves of our historical “Let us unfetter ourselves of our historical associations and find a pure standard in the associations and find a pure standard in the idea of man.”idea of man.”

• Believed individual souls were part of Believed individual souls were part of something bigger – the Over-Soulsomething bigger – the Over-Soul

• Due to his growing fame, Concord, Mass. Due to his growing fame, Concord, Mass. became a Mecca for intellectuals who became a Mecca for intellectuals who considered Emerson their guru. considered Emerson their guru.

• Although his lectures are optimist, the Although his lectures are optimist, the death of his five year old son, Waldo, death of his five year old son, Waldo, caused him to fall into depression and later caused him to fall into depression and later he started to lose his memoryhe started to lose his memory

Most Noted WorksMost Noted Works

• NatureNature– “…“…the currents of the Universal Being circulate the currents of the Universal Being circulate

through me, I am part and parcel of God.”through me, I am part and parcel of God.”– ““If the single man plant himself indomitably on If the single man plant himself indomitably on

his instincts, and there abide, the huge world his instincts, and there abide, the huge world will come round to him.”will come round to him.”

• Self-RelianceSelf-Reliance– ““To be great is to be misunderstood.”To be great is to be misunderstood.”– ““There is a time in every man’s education There is a time in every man’s education

when he arrives at the conviction that envy is when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide.”ignorance; that imitation is suicide.”

Henry David Thoreau – 1817-Henry David Thoreau – 1817-18621862• Born in Concord; dad was a pencil-Born in Concord; dad was a pencil-

maker; mom took in boarders; he spent maker; mom took in boarders; he spent his free time in the woods, often with a his free time in the woods, often with a fishing pole, seldom with a gun.fishing pole, seldom with a gun.

• Went to Harvard; was eccentric (it was Went to Harvard; was eccentric (it was required to wear a black coat to chapel, required to wear a black coat to chapel, so he wore a green one). so he wore a green one).

• Got mediocre grades but read lots and Got mediocre grades but read lots and was into the ideas of transcendentalismwas into the ideas of transcendentalism

On Walden PondOn Walden Pond• Emerson offered Thoreau some of his land on Emerson offered Thoreau some of his land on

Walden Pond and that is where he went to find a Walden Pond and that is where he went to find a simple life.simple life.

• Thoreau’s most famous work – Thoreau’s most famous work – WaldenWalden – spoke of his – spoke of his view that man’s most “vital facts of life” lay literally view that man’s most “vital facts of life” lay literally in their own back yards. in their own back yards.

• He protested the Mexican War, which he saw as an He protested the Mexican War, which he saw as an attempt to extend American slaveholding territory, attempt to extend American slaveholding territory, Thoreau refused to pay taxes.Thoreau refused to pay taxes.

• He helped escaped slaves make it to Canada and He helped escaped slaves make it to Canada and was a supporter of John Brown, the radical was a supporter of John Brown, the radical abolitionist who staged a raid at Harper’s Ferry.abolitionist who staged a raid at Harper’s Ferry.

• His essay “Resistance to Civil Government” later His essay “Resistance to Civil Government” later inspired Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. The inspired Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Salvadorian people transformed his ideas into their Salvadorian people transformed his ideas into their pursuit of civil rights.pursuit of civil rights.

• Opponents of the Vietnam War adapted his idea’s on Opponents of the Vietnam War adapted his idea’s on Civil disobedience when they burned draft cards, Civil disobedience when they burned draft cards, staged sit-ins, and demonstrated non-violentlystaged sit-ins, and demonstrated non-violently

Cont. Cont.

• ““I went to the woods because I I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”discover that I had not lived.”

• ““The government is best which The government is best which governs not at all.”governs not at all.”

Others with Transcendental Others with Transcendental Ideas…Ideas…

• Harriet Beecher Stowe – Harriet Beecher Stowe – Uncle Tom’s Uncle Tom’s CabinCabin

• Louisa May Alcott – Louisa May Alcott – Little WomenLittle Women

• Walt Whitman - poetWalt Whitman - poet

• Emily Dickinson - poetEmily Dickinson - poet

Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe• Uncle Tom’s CabinUncle Tom’s Cabin was the most was the most

influential book of the 19influential book of the 19thth century. It century. It was the first book to sell a million copies was the first book to sell a million copies and touched readers across the globe.and touched readers across the globe.

• Uncle Tom’s CabinUncle Tom’s Cabin is one of the most is one of the most effective documents in American effective documents in American literature and helped fuel the Civil Warliterature and helped fuel the Civil War

• Stowe was the most famous American Stowe was the most famous American woman of her day.woman of her day.

Louisa May AlcottLouisa May Alcott

• Her dad had been friends Her dad had been friends with Emersonwith Emerson

• Worked, like Whitman, as Worked, like Whitman, as a nurse during the Civil a nurse during the Civil War. There, she War. There, she contracted typhoid, from contracted typhoid, from which she never which she never completely recoveredcompletely recovered

Walt Whitman 1819-1892Walt Whitman 1819-1892• Whitman created new poetic forms and Whitman created new poetic forms and

subjects to fashion a distinctly American subjects to fashion a distinctly American type of poetic expressiontype of poetic expression

• He rejected conventional themes, He rejected conventional themes, traditional literary references, allusions, traditional literary references, allusions, and rhyme – all the accepted customs of and rhyme – all the accepted customs of the 19the 19thth century century

• He used long lines to capture the rhythms He used long lines to capture the rhythms of natural speech, free verse, and of natural speech, free verse, and vocabulary drawn from everyday speech.vocabulary drawn from everyday speech.

Cont. Cont. • ““I Hear America Singing” – I Hear America Singing” –

catalog poemcatalog poem

• Song of MyselfSong of Myself – – empathized with all people empathized with all people (black, Indian, women). (black, Indian, women). Didn’t care about race or Didn’t care about race or sexual orientation.sexual orientation.

• ““O Captain, My Captain” – a O Captain, My Captain” – a tribute to the fallen Lincoln tribute to the fallen Lincoln

Emily Dickinson- 1830-1886Emily Dickinson- 1830-1886

““Success is counted Success is counted sweetestsweetest

By those who ne’er By those who ne’er succeed.succeed.

To comprehend a nectarTo comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need.Requires sorest need.

Cont.Cont.

• An agoraphobic – afraid of open An agoraphobic – afraid of open spaces – from age 23 until her death spaces – from age 23 until her death 33 years later – dressed only in white 33 years later – dressed only in white and never left her house (rarely her and never left her house (rarely her room). room).

• Wrote nearly 2,000 poems in her Wrote nearly 2,000 poems in her lifetime, but published only seven – lifetime, but published only seven – each anonomouslyeach anonomously

• Her poems were published Her poems were published posthumously, by her sister Laviniaposthumously, by her sister Lavinia

Her poems were different…Her poems were different…• They looked different – where were the They looked different – where were the

sentences, the commas, semi-colons, the sentences, the commas, semi-colons, the periods? Why all the dashes????periods? Why all the dashes????

• Her poems didn’t rhyme – used slant Her poems didn’t rhyme – used slant rhymerhyme

• Her figures of speech were too striking for Her figures of speech were too striking for the day the day

• Her ideas were too radical – she didn’t Her ideas were too radical – she didn’t stick with warm and fuzzy topics. Favored stick with warm and fuzzy topics. Favored startling images and outlooks. Paved the startling images and outlooks. Paved the way for the Imagists of the 20way for the Imagists of the 20thth century. century.

Five Main Themes Five Main Themes

• LOVELOVE

• NATURENATURE

• FRIENDSHIPFRIENDSHIP

• DEATH DEATH

• IMMORTALITYIMMORTALITY

Considered one of the founders of Considered one of the founders of Modern American Poetry Modern American Poetry