The Transcendentalist Movement

After analyzing the humanities through the history of America from pre-history to Reconstruction, it becomes evident that Americans identified themselves as purely unique individuals with unlimited potential; however, this idea slowly become more constricted to a certain group of people as new philosophies emerged and as more people immigrated to the United States. The revolutionary Exploration era delved into the unfamiliar and the strange, as European explorers crossed the Atlantic in search for new resources and land. During this time period, few European art portrayed the fruits of these explorations, and any recorded sketches were used for informational purposes. One such example was Cannibal Scene with the Tupi Indians by Hans Staden.

The Transcendentalist movement specifically focused on the potential of the individual. A reaction to poor working conditions due to the Industrial Revolution, the Transcendentalist movement called for a return to nature and a forging of one’s own destiny. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “A Psalm of Life” mirrors these ideals. Longfellow celebrates the beauty of life and reminds his readers of what the lives of great individuals before them have showed to the world. He encourages boldly “Let us, then, be up and doing. . . Still achieving, still pursuing” (Longfellow). This is a rather American belief, as many at the time took advantage of the country’s resources and were determined to live life to the fullest. Despite the fact that all individuals were encouraged to discover themselves, this mentality did not apply to other races because they were not considered American citizens. The rise of minstrel shows supports this as it soon became a part of everyday entertainment after its premier in 1828. White comedians would dress-up in black face and portray African Americans as unintelligent and clumsy, add a racial aspect to comedy. Thus, while Americans were seen as unrestricted individuals, it is important to note that this

The entrance of Edmonia Lewis was game-changing for several reasons. Not only was she a woman but she was also half native-American and half-African American. Despite the fact that these factors would’ve otherwise limited her ability to make it as an artist, her sculptures became a wide success. Her Forever Free is particularly interesting for its social commentary and the style with which it was sculpted. A partially-clothed man stands up with pride and seems to have broken off a shackle. Beneath him, a woman seems to be praising God with her clasped hands and grateful facial expression. The ideal anatomy of the man evokes the Classical Greek ideals of attaining perfection otherwise known as arête. Like the man reminisces Classical Greek sculpture, the abolition of slavery calls to mind the ideas of liberty and democracy of Greek civilization, where slaves could have eventually earned their freedom. Through this one seemingly insignificant work, Lewis gives American freedom a new meaning, which will have a permanent meaning for decades to come. With the success of these artists, the unique aspect of American culture took on a new meaning as it started gathering influence from minorities, painting a more accurate portrait of the true identity of an American, which no longer had a specific race attached to its