Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Man Thinking

Ralph Waldo Emerson: A Man Thinking

By the early 1800’s, a new sense of literary freedom was present in America. The colonial writers of the past were heavily influenced by their European roots, and the limits of technology had kept printed literature from great diversification. By the late 1700’s however, American population was exploding, the printed word had become much more accessible, and the newfound freedom from Britain created an environment perfect for the spread of new ideas. The search for a national identity and a spirit of nonconformity had entered the hearts of many Americans, such as writers David Hume, Henry David Thoreau, George Putnam, and Frederick Henry Hedge.

Led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, the progressive philosophy of Transcendentalism took shape in the 1820’s and 1830’s, and its proponents began to question the validity of religious doctrines and protested the intellectual institutions that were in place. Transcendentalism gave America the literary identity it was looking for, and Emerson was the most prominent and distinct voice among the Transcendentalists. Emerson played a major role in steering American literature away from its traditional English background, and called the American citizen to action by promoting the idea of individualism and man’s connection with nature. By challenging conformities created by society, celebrating trust in one's own mind, and designing a practical path to peace of mind through logic and reason, the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson most clearly define the ideals of Transcendentalism.

Americans in the early nineteenth century gained a great sense of pride in disobedience with the achievement of exemption from British rule, and Emerson embodied the nation’s will to think cr...

... middle of paper ...

...f American Literature: Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. 8th ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 243. Print.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Nature.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. 8th ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 214. Print.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Volume A. Ed. Nina Baym. 8th ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 269. Print.

Malachuk, Daniel S., and Alan Levine. A Political Companion to Ralph Waldo Emerson. Lexington, Ky: University Press of Kentucky, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

Miller, John P. Transcendental Learning: The Educational Legacy of Alcott, Emerson, Fuller, Peabody and Thoreau. Charlotte, N.C.: Information Age Pub, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

"Transcendentalism." Encyclopædia Britannica (2013): Research Starters. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.