Thanatopsis Transcendentalism

William Cullen Bryant’s “Thanatopsis” incorporates emotions toward nature and the freedom of imagination. The poem describes death as being apart of nature rather that death being the ending of a life. Furthermore, the deceased will become one with nature. This fits into the ideas of Romanticism by tugging at the emotions at the idea of death, but eases them by becoming apart of nature. He portrays death as being a beauty and softens the fear of death when brought into the psyche. As the poem states, “She has a voice of gladness, and a smile, and eloquence of beauty, and she glides into his darker musings, with a mild and gentle sympathy” (4-7). Earth is given human emotion and qualities for a better comprehension about the connect of nature and humans. Imagination is implemented within the quote, “The golden sun, the planets, all the infinite host of heaven are shining on the sad abodes of death through the still lapse of ages” (45-48). The reader is given a strong image of a golden sun. Bryant incorporates human emotions and imagination.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s

He personifies nature as being a woman with a personality and emotions. He plays on the role of “Mother Nature” by giving nature womanly qualities. The thought of a woman and nature creates a comforting idea about nature being a nature part of life. This creates a more efficient effect upon the reader; the reader can relate more to nature and feel more comfortable. “She has a voice of gladness, and a smile of and eloquence of beauty” (5-6). Bryant is describing nature as being delightful and full of elegance. As Bryant says, “...and she glides into his darker musing, with a mild and gentle sympathy,” (6-8) he shows that nature is sensitive to our needs and feelings and brightens them up. Bryant used nature in a form of personification to better the philosophy of