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Thoreau Transcendentalism

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Transcendence

“My time in the woods is time spent with a tutor on how to live” (Chris Matakas; My Mastery). Transcendentalism is defined as the idea that someone can isolate themselves from the world in nature in order to grow as a person and develop a sound mind. There are two very famous transcendentalists who are known for their works on and lifestyle of transcendentalism. They are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. There are quite a few similarities between the two in several aspects. For example, they lived similar lives in similar places and wrote about very alike things.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston in 1803. When his father died when he was seven, Emerson went to live with his aunt who encouraged his independent thinking. He was constantly coming up with ideas and changing his views on the world throughout his life. He had a way with words and was well-spoken which is why he is one of the most quoted writers in American Literature. Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord in 1817. As a child he was very independent and strong-willed. In 1841, he moved in with Emerson, who fascinated Thoreau with his transcendentalist ideas. As a result, this led to him going to live at Walden Pond …show more content…

They also talk about solidarity and freedom of oneself along with soundness of mind in their works. Such an example can be seen in Walden where Thoreau says: “As long as possible live free and uncommitted” (Thoreau, Walden). That statement perfectly words that idea of being free and committing only to oneself. Emerson’s view from Nature explains that “Nature is a setting that fits equally well a comic or a mourning piece” (Emerson, Nature). He means nature is, in a way, the beginning and end of all things because we, as people, come from the Earth and eventually return to the Earth. Nature is everything and everything is

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