Transcendentalism

ü Romantic movement of the I half of the 19^th century;

ü appeared in 1830;

ü romantic idealism, philosophical romanticism;

ü “to transcend” means to rise above, to pass beyond the limits.

ü called on people to view the objects in the world as small versions of the whole universe and to trust their individual intuition;

ü the main representatives: R. W. Emerson, H. D. Thoreau;

ü they preached positive life;

ü they declared:

a) God could be known through Nature and man’s soul not only in church: God is in man, so “trust thyself”;

b) Spirit or Over Soul = God;

c) Spirit is everywhere;

d) nature is a connecting link between God and man; it is a symbol of the spirit;

e) individual is the most important element in society;

f) the idea of self-reliance;

ü relying on intuition and conscience, man can:

a. transcend the limits of senses and of logic;

b. directly receive higher truth and greater knowledge;

R. W. Emerson

ü American philosopher, lecturer;

ü main works: essays

“Nature”

“The over Soul”

“Self-Reliance”

ü stressed the importance of the individual;

ü encouraged people to rely on their own judgment;

ü urged to give full reign to nature, which is basically good;

ü source of fine aphorisms.

A.D. Thoreau

ü American writer and naturalist;

ü main works: “Walden or Life in the Woods”

describes a 2-year period spent in a wooden hut in the forest

essay “Civil Disobedience”

the main ideas:

ü “that government is best which governs least”

ü people’s obligations to their own conscience take precedence over their own obligations to their government;

ü do not obey unfair laws;

ü advocate individual rights;

ü oppose social conformity;

ü the essay “Civil Disobedience” influenced M. Gandi and M.L. King.