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American Romanticism And Anti Transcendentalism

825 Words4 Pages

The American Romanticism period was an influential time for American literature that took place between 1820 and 1865. This time period shaped the way that many people wrote for years since then. There are two different types on literature from the American Romanticism period, Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism literature. Transcendentalism literature emphasized living a simple life, celebrating the truth found in nature, personal evolution, and the imagination. Anti- Transcendentalism also had the theme of nature rooted in it, but also individualism, mysterious forces, the deep and dark abilities of humans, and sin. The Anti- Transcendentalist movement emerged in response to not all romantics being optimistic or having faith …show more content…

“Freebird” as a song is about a man who leaves a woman out of not wanting to settle down just yet. The lyrics “But if I stay with you girl, thing just couldn’t be the same” captures this meaning by showing that by staying with the girl, he could not be himself. The line “And this bird you cannot change” shows that the man would not be able to change himself to settle down and is therefore needs his freedom. “Freebird” relates to American Romanticism due to the theme of freedom and self-reliance, as seen in not wanting to settle down and losing themselves in the process. This is like Emerson’s essay Friendship. Friendship talks about the need for space for oneself and being sincere. The lyrics of “Freebird” are similar because the man needs his space, and he is being honest on why he cannot stay with the woman. Through the meanings of the lyrics in “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the listener can be a connection to the American Romanticism period of …show more content…

Aerosmith wrote “Dream On” to have the meaning to continue to live one’s life to the fullest even if you do not have control over everything. The listener can inference this from the phrase “Dream on until your dream comes true”, which has the connotation of doing what you want to feel success in life. The line “Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away” shows the unpredictability of death and not having control, but it is worded in a way that has acceptance. “Dream On” relates to American Romanticism due to the theme of optimism, freedom to do what makes you feel good, and the self-reliance to make your dream come true. It specifically can relate to Emerson’s essay of Self-Reliance through the idea of doing what you do to make yourself happy, being your own personal and writing your own story. The song “Dream On” by Aerosmith portrays the American Romanticism period by using the theme of doing what makes you happy and

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The “American Dream” in this case is symbolic for self-advancement and materialism. He chooses to use this phrasing instead of elaborately describing the climb of the corporate latter or the effects of spending more time at work than with family. Rector’s bridge says, “Are we just running in the dark or living,” which is one of the most evident examples of symbolism in this song. This is his way of saying live with purpose, don’t just conform to society, create your own opinions, and do not be afraid to be different. Unlike prose, he does not have a paragraph to describe his opinions, so he has to be deliberately with every word choice and concise.

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491 Words | 2 Pages

Nature plays an important role in the transcendentalists’ writings, since they believe nature has a sort of magic to it. As mentioned before, in the essay Nature, Emerson talks about an “occult relation” he has with nature. He says that when he is in nature he “casts off his years” and he uses a metaphor to compare himself to a “transparent eyeball”. In Walden, nature is seen as a place one can escape from materialistic society. On the other hand, in the anti-transcendentalists’ writings, there is by no means an idea that nature is a divine, magical place.

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538 Words | 3 Pages

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678 Words | 3 Pages

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635 Words | 3 Pages

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840 Words | 4 Pages

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571 Words | 3 Pages

What were transcendentalists’ beliefs on the individual and how the individual fit into the society? One of the key characteristics of transcendentalism was the belief that the purity of individuals was corrupted by the society and other social institutions such as political parties and organized religion. Hence, the central guiding theory in transcendentalism is the idea that people are at their best when they are independent and self reliant. Transcendentalists held the belief that intuitions surpassed reason as a guide to the truth this led them to their “conception of the sanctity of the individual and that individual’s freedom to make choices guided by intuitional knowledge” (p.1278). Whereas transcendentalists believed in the necessity of individuality, they also held the view that every human being possessed an element or piece of the Over-Soul enabling him or her to communicate with his or her creator through nature that united all people since the Over-Soul is one; hence, making all people a united entity.

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914 Words | 4 Pages

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624 Words | 3 Pages

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1375 Words | 6 Pages

American Transcendentalism was highly inspired by Romanticism, and therefore they have many similarities. However, there are some differences, especially in their ideas of religion and God. The American Transcendentalist period took place in the mid 19th century. It began around 1836 and lasted to roughly 1860. Romanticism occurred much earlier, around the end of the 18th century, but was mostly dominant around 1840.

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700 Words | 3 Pages

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1215 Words | 5 Pages

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