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Short Essay On Transcendentalism

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Recommended: Concept of Transcendentalism by Ralph Waldo's Emerson and Henry David

There are many schools of thought that look for a connection between nature and God. One school that deals with this matter rather strongly is Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism was started by Ralph Waldo Emerson and later acquired Henry David Thoreau who helped contribute in writing and action to the transcendental movement. The theories put forth by this movement focused strongly on the individuality of the person, not conforming to government or organized religion, and, of course, the unity of man and God through nature. These ideas came forth from the four readings presented in class, but the unifying factor between them was their urging to become one with nature so that man can know truth. Even with transcendentalism gone, the idea …show more content…

Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience after being jailed for one night due to not paying a poll tax. This inspired him to write about all of the pitfalls of government and how man must be freed. Thoreau strongly believes that the government possesses too much power and “can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong” (Thoreau1 392). As is stated, Thoreau believed the government decided right and wrong when the people already possess the knowledge from the divine to know what they ought to do. The government is removing the link between man and the divine. Another aspect that angered Thoreau was the fact that “Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them” (393). This again goes along with the belief that man has the ability to know what is just, given by God, and does not need a government to decide for them how to live, especially when those ways are not true. In summation, Thoreau wants the government to lose the power it holds over the people so they can practice the morality and justice they know to be true due to man's connection with the

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