“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson. The idea is at the heart of transcendentalist thought, a philosophical and literary movement that emerged in the United States in the mid-19th century. Emphasizing self-reliance, spirituality, and a connection with nature. In the depths of 17th century Puritan culture, is a woman beaconing an embodied letter on her chest, illuminating her struggles and sins in her society. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a 19th century novelist, criticized Puritan culture in The Scarlet Letter, a piece of literature, set in the unforgiving and cruel Puritan society in Massachusetts. The novel explores themes of sin, guilt, shame, individualism, …show more content…
To begin, Hester Prynne exemplifies the transcendental idea of conformity. As Hester stands alone on the scaffold, Hester declares, ‘It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!’ (Hawthorne 47). Hester Prynne's unwavering commitment to her values, even in the face of public shaming, demonstrates the transcendental ideal of non-conformity. By showing Hester’s willingness to endure her punishment and keep the secret of who the father is, she compromises her own values and rejects societal pressure. She demonstrates a strong sense of self-reliance. As a result of her nonconformism, she ends up having her child, Pearl, in which she’s deeply shamed for.Hester continues on raising Pearl on her own and on her own terms. Hawthorne states, “God, as a direct consequence of the sin which man thus punished, had given her a lovely child, whose place was on that same dishonored bosom, to connect her parent forever with the race and descent of mortals, and to be finally a blessed soul in heaven!”(Hawthorne! !). Then there is the!
Culminating a philosophical movement in the 1820s and 1830s idolizing nonconformity, autonomy, nature’s divinity, intuition over reason and intellect, and simplicity, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau thrived on Transcendentalism and its dynamic views within society. Emerson and Thoreau would be appalled by modern day society and its anti-Transcendental perspectives. While they would perhaps be welcomed by current civilization and members of society who are open to varying ideologies,
mid-nineteenth century literary movement, Transcendentalism, was born. Heavily influenced by the American democratic system, Both Transcendentalists and Romantics believed strongly in the power of the individual and expresses the dangers of conforming to society’s ideals and beliefs. Contrary to Romantics however, Transcendentalists embraced the empiricism of science. Unlike the Transcendentalist movement’s reaction against Romanticism, Transcendentalism was a reform of the Unitarian Church, designed
which began in the mid 1800s and lasted until the late 1800s. Nathaniel Hawthorne was influenced greatly by his childhood, which is what caused him to be an anti-transcendentalist, yet in his novel The Scarlet Letter there was a bridge created between anti-transcendentalism and utopian transcendentalism. The devastation of losing a parent at a young age can cause long-term effects that last into adulthood. When Hawthorne was four, his father died of yellow fever and this caused problems for him. His
perspective, knowledge, etc. Two assignments in my portfolio that provides evidence of my understanding are the American Romanticism Progress Check Revision and the Against Nature Essay Revision. These two assignments are about two different philosophical attitudes: With my understanding of American Romanticism, transcendentalism and dark romantics, I have been more aware of my surroundings, the people I surround myself with, and just every little detail in my life. In this unit, I have to say the class
his riveting life, Hawthorne wrote many works that recieved much praise and opened many eyes. Considered and American icon, his name has always been known to all. Hawthorne was an American novelist whose most famous works included the renowned Scarlet Letter (which I am reading). Born on July 4th, 1804 in Salem, Masachusetts to Nathanial Hathorne Sr. and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. Though born Nathaniel Hathorne, he later added the 'w' to hide his relation with John Hathorne, the only judge that didn't
Josh Wall American Literature Essay 2 Professor Caskey 20 July 2016 Light v dark in The Scarlet letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlett Letter, the nature of evil is a prevalent theme that is depicted throughout the novel. Hawthorne is considered by many to be one of the most significant writers during the romantic period of American literature. Many of his writings countered the ideas of Transcendentalism, which was a popular belief during his time. Trancendentalism is described as “an idealistic
The Powerful Character of Pearl in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter One of the most significant writers of the romantic period in American literature was Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne wrote stories that opposed the ideas of Transcendentalism. Since he had ancestors of Puritan belief, Hawthorne wrote many stories about Puritan New England. His most famous story is the Scarlet Letter. This novel tells of the punishment of a woman, Hester Prynne, who committed adultery and
Elizabeth Hawthorne had a deep impact on her family’s lives and more specifically on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing. She passed away just months before he wrote The Scarlet Letter, therefore, it is not much of a leap to say that she was on his mind during its creation. These examples of strong, self-reliant women may have been the catalyst that Hawthorne needed to create a heroine like Hester Prynne. A heroine who pushed
Everyone has the right to be who they want to be and to believe what they wish - individualism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the heart and soul of the individualism movement during the Transcendentalist period. Transcendentalism was an intellectual movement that expressed the belief that everyone is capable of discovering the truth on their own through intuition. Emerson used logical arguments on what he believed was the truth. Emerson was such an admired, talented writer; some even said he could
still exist; experience supercedes rational thought; a belief in a connection between God, nature, and humans; and trust in intuition. The idea of a common man’s place in society and individualism adds to the spiritual beliefs of this concept. Transcendentalism has the same values as Romanticism, but places an emphasis on a relationship with nature and the idea that transcendence is received through intuition. William Cullen Bryant shows the connection of human and nature in his poem “Thanatopsis” when