Self-Reliance And Transcendentalism

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Recommended: Emerson's opinion on nature and self

The first quote from Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” “Envy is ignorance; imitation is suicide” ridicules jealousy by addressing the root of envy: jealousy of someone creates an imbecile assumption that that other person’s life is better than theirs or that the other person does not experience troubles. This represents one of the Transcendentalist themes of being yourself and not conforming to societal expectations. The second part of the quote suggests that when people attempt to conform to society they are essentially killing themselves by killing their individual thoughts and they are embracing thoughts and actions that are not their own. "To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, -- that is genius.” is another quote from “Self-Reliance” that continues to prove Emerson’s point that to believe in one’s self and being an individual is genius while the antithesis is to envy.
Continuing the theme of trusting one’s self and individuality the quote “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds” furthers Emerson’s ideas. First a hobgoblin are fanciful …show more content…

Although fear of change may be inherent in human nature showing it may take longer for mankind to accept innovative or enlightened ideas and inventions showing that those who created these ideas and inventions at their time most likely was seen to be insane or a heretic. These great people were ahead of their time therefore misunderstood. While this may be an interpretation of this quote, in the context of the essay “Self-Reliance” it becomes apparent that Emerson is advocating for more than what is on the surface. This quote is the heart of Transcendentalism. Using the theme of individuality to follow one’s heart and a nonconformist ideology there is a possibility of contradiction of actions and thoughts which creates a fog of

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