Emerson and Transcendentalism
By Matthew Cox

The writer Ralph Waldo Emerson was credited as starting the Transcendentalist movement in the early 1800’s. It grew out of Unitarian and Congregationalist Churches in New England. The first major work of the association was Emerson’s book Nature published in 1836. It taught that nature itself was a spiritual force that people needed to understand. Nature was one of the first uniquely American: books because it did not follow traditional British writing styles. Henry David Thoreau used Emerson’s works, particularly Nature, to get ideas for his writings. The American Scholar showed how educated people could understand their learning styles by watching the environment. It also emphasized free thought. Self Reliance written in 1841 asserted both individualism and taking responsibility for a person’s actions. Emerson believed that people who acted independently could make ethical choices. Ralph Waldo Emerson used his writings to spread Transcendentalist ideas.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1883) was described as the father of early 19th Century Transcendentalism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Religion). Other important Transcendentalists included Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Amos Bronson Alcott, Frederic Henry Hedge, and Theodore Parker. It was heavily influenced by English and German Romanticism, German philospohers Johann Herder and Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Scottish philospher David Hume. Transcendentalists criticized the ridged status quo of their time. They encouraged individual thinking and "an original relation to the universe" (Stanford). Emerson and Thoreau were on the forefront and explored their own individuality in nature and writing. Furthermore, they did with social experiments. In the 1840s, the Transcendentalists set up communities at Brook Farm, Fruitlands, and Walden. During the 1850's, many called for an end to slavery.

The origins of Transcendentalism came from New England Congregationalists who broke away from traditional Calvinism in two ways. First, they emphasized hard work and opposed Puritan notion of accepting one’s position in life. Secondly, Transcendentalists believed in the “unity” of God’s nature. This notion asserted that the Creator was one being and not three as in the "Trinity. In fact the word “Unitarian” was a derogatory term that the demonization adopted. Most of the Unitarians held that Jesus was not the son of God. Rather, he was a divinely superior human who taught and used special powers. A few Unitarians followed the English Unitarian minister, Joseph Priestley (1733–1804). He taught that that Jesus was human and given special authority. The American Unitarians' leading preacher, William Ellery Channing (1780–1842), denounced traditional Congregationalism as a religion which promoted fear. He insisted that Jesus saved and not punished people for sin. Channing’s sermon, "Unitarian Christianity" (1819) denounced traditional theology as "the conspiracy of ages against the liberty of Christians." It helped to define the Unitarians. Furthermore, the minister insisted that people "partake" of Christ’s Divinity in his "Likeness to God" (1828) sermon. Doing so would allow them to accomplish "a growing likeness to the Supreme Being.”

Emerson anonymously published Nature as a short book in 1836. This essay established concept of Transcendentalism as a non-traditional reverence for nature (Wikipedia). Evidence from science including zoology, botany, and geology confirmed that nature involved many intricate levels. The writer developed his ideas after visiting the Nationals Museum of Natural History in Paris. He lectured on his notions in Boston and wrote them Nature. Emerson described the natural world as an overarching spiritual being that can be understood by observing how living things interact with each other. This differed from customary notions of a Supreme Being learned by people through scripture and life’s experience.

Most literary scholars described Emerson as one of the first writers with a uniquely American literary style and vision. Other such writers included Mark Twain and Walt Whitman. Other writers at the time, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, were influenced by British writers. Nature was important because it examined America in its own environment. The English viewed nature as a collection of historical events and important people. America differed because the natural world was new to Western Civilization with no artificial meaning. America’s new perspective let Emerson see the environment in a new perspective. This let him rebuild its role in a new way. Emerson explained that his stay in the woods allowed him to understand transcendentalism. Henry David Thoreau read Nature in his last year at Harvard. It influenced his later writings, particularly Walden.

Emerson wrote a following essay, The American Scholar, following Nature. This writing established his new philosophy and literary career. He used Transcendentalist and Romantic views to assert the true American scholar’s connection to nature. It covered several key points. For example, the "One Man" concept characterized the social unity of Americans working to help each other; one part of the body was as important as the other ones. Citizens needed to see themselves as part of the social order. Working for the common good was not only important, but also essential to society. Emerson summed up this idea with "Man is not a farmer, or a professor, or an engineer, but he is all (Wikipedia)." This was a writing technique known as a metaphor. It described one thing by connecting it to something unrelated. A similar writing technique was called characterization. Such methods involved describing the background and features of a person, place, or thing.

The writer also insisted that a well-rounded scholar must follow three pursuits. Firstly, they must investigate and understand nature, including the scholar's own mind and person. Secondly, educated people must study "the mind of the Past" understand various viewpoints and "get at the truth (Wikipedia)." Thirdly, take action by interacting with the world and not withdrawing from it by becoming reclusive. These three pursuits reflected the scholar’s duty or “office” to “guide men” by showing them facts amidst appearances.”

Self-Reliance, written in 1841, also reflected Transcendentalism (Butler-Bowdon). Emerson stressed individuality and freedom of thought. He believed that Americans had the right to live as they chose and avoid conformity. When people followed their own instincts and ideas, they make moral choices. Living independently allowed people to avoid false ideas. The writer formed his ideas for Self-Reliance by looking at nature, Bible teachings, and Eastern religious texts (i.e. the Upanishads, Vedas, the Bhagavad-Gita). The writing reflected Emerson’s attitude that human nature was essentially good. Both he and Henry David Thoreau believed that people needed to understand themselves before trying to improve society or giving to “good causes.” Emerson summed up this notion as “All men plume themselves on the improvement of society, and no man improves. If we could not examine ourselves and identify our calling, we would be of little use (Butler-Bowdon).” Although Emerson stressed individuality, he believed that people should not be selfish. People benefit society by working for the common good. Generosity was the best way of giving oneself to society.

Ralph Waldo Emerson used his writings to spread Transcendentalist ideas. The movement came from Unitarians in the early 1800’s rejecting traditional Congregationalist beliefs. Nature, taught that nature was one divine being that needed to be cared for. This was credited as first major work of Transcendentalism. It helped to establish the American writing style by rejecting British forms of literature. Henry David Thoreau modeled his ideas and writing style after Emerson’s works, mostly Nature. The American Scholar emphasized how intellectuals should improve their learning styles by observing natural world. The essay showed how people must learn things for themselves. Self Reliance focused on the way the people must think and act for themselves. It also taught that individuals who think independently act generously.


Works Cited

“The American Scholar.” Wikipedia.org. 25 January 2008, 15 February 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Scholar

“Nature.” Wikipedia.org. 25 January 2008, 15 February 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_%28Emerson%29

“Self-Reliance.” 50classics.com. 2005, 15 February 2008
http://www.butler-bowdon.com/selfreliance.htm

“Transcendentalism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 6 February 2003,
15 February 2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/transcendentalism/