Transcendentalism: Henry Thoreau And Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that occurred by the mid-1800s. Transcendentalism was a result of the American pride in an emerging culture. This philosophical beliefs, which Ralph Waldo Emerson led, portrayed all the American values of hope, freedom, and independence. Transcendentalism was an optimistic movement that encourage spirituality and inner happiness over material fortunes and financial gain. They also believed in the inner goodness of humanity. Transcendentalism took an individualistic approach that stressed that people ought to be self-reliant and that truth can be found intuitively. This perspective can be seen in one of Emerson’s essays entitled Self-Reliance. This movement emphasized living a simple life and having a oneness with nature. The movement influenced many great American

The moved also was very influential on American culture.

Both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau were not only Transcendentalists, they were also were nonconformists. They both lived life by the beat of their own drums and believed in the independance of the individual will and spirit. In Emerson’s Self-Reliance he explains that people shouldn’t be ashamed of themselves for being different than others. He believes that a man should