To what extent does ‘The American scholar’ reflect the values of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution?

Romantic period is an important period which had great impact in terms of literature, it also had changed the political and religious views amongst people in early ages till now. Romantic period lasted approximately from 1800 till late 1850. It is during this time when industrial revolution and human mind were changing drastically. Romantic period in terms of literature is reaction against the Age of Enlightenment. Though America became independent in 1776 it was still controlled by the British politically. Colleges, schools and churches had to follow the strict laws regulated by the British government and Americans were asked to pay tax to the government. It was during this time when scholars started to revolt against the British government and people started reasoning. One such man who influenced Romantic Period would be Ralph Waldo Emerson. He influenced scholars and people in America with his literary work and was named Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism ideology was against the political and religious parties which were corrupt. Emerson tried to create a new society where people were not governed by other and believed that individual can be tamed by oneself if one is truly self-reliant and independent. On the other, transcendentalism was a movement for freedom. Emerson’s work such as The American Scholar has great impact on the declaration of independence. The article American Scholar was a speech delivered by Emerson at Cambridge in 1837 during Romantic period. In his article he talks about self reliance and independence focusing on three main ideas; nature, books and action.

Writers during Romantic period were concerned and connected with nature, Emerson was also one among. His work “The American Scholar” has been written...

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... and those the scholar influences, to an awareness that he or she is a member of a universal community and that the community is in fact one interconnected essence, a true democracy.” (Otto, n.d.).

Works Cited

Otto,Eric C.(1998, January 13). Misdirected American democracy: Emerson’s solution in the “ American Scholar” Ampersand. Retrieved from http://itech.fgcu.edu/&/issues/vol1/issue2/emerson.htm

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "The American Scholar." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. 2nd. ed. Vol I. Lexington: Heath, 1994. 1529-1541. Retrieved from http://itech.fgcu.edu/&/issues/vol1/issues/emerson.htm

Jamie. (2010, July 14). The American Scholar: A Declaration of Intellectual Independence. Self made scholar. Retrieved from http://selfmadescholar.com/b/2010/07/14/the-american-scholar-a-declaration-of-intellectual-independence/