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Comparing Transcendentalism In Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

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Morals often give a sneak peek at one’s outlook on life. Transcendentalism has become antagonized for its “unrealistic” outlooks on life. Today, more than ever, the Transcendental notion of the physical facts of the natural world being a doorway to the spiritual or ideal world is necessary especially due to the fast, modern lifestyle.
Transcendentalism had become more popular in the 19th century. Two writers, specifically, took on this form of idealism in order to escape the difficult times faced in the 19th century: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Ralph Waldo Emerson focused on the personal nature of spirituality. Emerson became a central figure of Transcendentalism. He believed that the physical facts of the natural world are …show more content…

Daily, we are engrossed with the stress of work, and our families. A student wishes to depart from his/her sleepless nights. Stress overcomes the student and it feels as if they’ll never be able to escape the endless circle of the pile of “to-do’s.” A man becomes overcome with the fear of being laid off because he won’t be able to provide for his family. That stress will engorge and it feels that the weight on his shoulders becomes overbearing. Many wish to escape the natural world. Emerson introduces the idea of just that. Most resent this idea of Transcendentalism considering that only in a perfect world would someone be able to disappear from society. However, this idea should be accepted since Emerson’s idea continues its …show more content…

Indeed, Ralph Waldo Emerson had done exactly that in order to live in the woods. Expecting his audience to do just that presents an unrealistic and demanding proposal. However, Transcendentalists seem to have the extreme perspective; justifying the link between Transcendentalism and idealism. Nothing can be perfect. While Ralph Waldo Emerson may be trying to persuade us into living a life the way man was meant to live it, he also has another message for the audience. “Nature”, in its poetic essence, describes a metaphor which emphasizes solitude. Humor yourself. Get to know

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"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”- Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that revolves around self-reliance and independence, commonly in nature, a Transcendentalist wants to find the true meaning in life. I believe that Chris McCandless was a Transcendentalist because he was able to leave his whole life behind and take on a minimalist lifestyle while having a strong relationship with god. However, I believe that I am not a Transcendentalist, but simply an adventurer.

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Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two well known transcendentalist authors who significantly

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