What Was The Five I's Of Transcendentalism

The early romantics of America.

The five I’s of Romanticism and Transcendentalism are sculpted by each of the eight arthurs but the dark Romantics -Except for Poe- avoided using idealism, which was largely used by the Transidentist. Looking at the early romantic writers we see that they all have one thing in common. Sharing the same characteristics of transcendentalism.

There are five parts -otherwise known as the five I’s- to Trandentalism. Innocence of youth, imagination, inspiration by nature, intuition, and individualism. But what does it all mean? And what does it have to do with Romanticism? In the early ages of American writing there were several authors who sought to change, inspire or influence American society. Authors such as Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Washington Irving, and even Edgar Allen

Poe.

To define Romanticism it means to emphasize inspire, and change the primacy of the individual. At the time of these writers America was just beginning and shaping society. There was racism, sexism and segregation. But these writers with many other great leaders in America knew what was right and wanted to make a difference, like many great leaders they help influence others what was right.

Beginning with the first I, Innocence of youth. Innocence of youth is important to these writers because they see it as the youth not yet corrupted by the evil of the world they live in. they believe that they could be the change to American society that they were looking for. But the imagination is just as important. Romantic writers Believed that imagination was just as important and brought open minds and creative thinking into the world! Then inspiration by nature is one of the biggest ones. Many writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson believed that nature was one way of being closer to God. No matter what God you believe in. It was one way to escape

from society and the cruel judgement of others. And this is often when the term “Transcendentalism” comes in play, refering that you “transcend” your spirit to God. The next I is intuition which means to listen carefully and doing something without thinking. Romantic writers often encouraged readers to follow their guts or their hunches. Often too many times we second guess our self shutting down so many opportunities. The last and final I is individualism, which self explanatory on its own. To be yourself and not move with society on its own and follow a set of morals that society follows but rather your own. To be unique and different and stand out from others and not be afraid. Looking at the story of Young Goodman Brown we can see many examples of individualism, showing and expressing the feelings of one man throughout the whole story. “When the minister spoke from the pulpit with power and fervid eloquence, and, with his hand on the open Bible, of the sacred truths of our religion, and of saint- like lives and triumphant deaths, and and of future bliss or misery unutterable, then did Goodman Brown turn pale, dreading lest the roof should thunder down upon the gray blasphemer and his hearers.” Pg 14.
When viewing the society of the times of these men, we could see why they wanted to bring change and influence to America. At the time it was a dark, cruel world that we lived in, filled with hate and disgust. But there was something that these writers saw and knew that they could change for our future, in the young youth of Americans. Like the innocence, imagination, inspiration of nature, intuition, and our own individualism, that they knew could help our country. No we still have not wiped out hate, racism, sexism and evil from the world. But it's because of these writers, why we’re one step closer to doing so.