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Transcendentalism Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement centered in Concord and Boston, which was prominent in the intellectual and cultural life of New England from 1836 until just before the Civil War. It stresses mode of knowledge grounded in feeling and intuition; self-trust, self-reliance and self-sufficiency; a turn away from modern society; a faith in a divine “Principle”, or “Spirit”, or “Soul”. Resources Puritan heritage Foreign influence—Kant, ancient Indian and Chinese works of Confucius Features Emphasis on Spirit (Oversoul) Emphasis on individuals Taking nature as the symbol of the Spirit Brotherhood of man (equal and liberty) Significance Influence upon writers Summit of American Romanticism Independence of American literature. Representatives Ralph Waldo Emerson.. Henry David Thoreau.. Emerson—Life He was born in a clergyman’s family in New England He graduated from Harvard He was A Unitarian minister He founded a Transcendentalists’ Club and published a journal He traveled and gave lectures, quite influential.. Unitarianism Adhering to strict monotheism, they maintain that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, perhaps even a supernatural creature, but not God himself. Unitarians believe in the moral authority, but not necessarily the divinity, of Jesus. Aesthetics Poets as preachers Poets with expression of symbols As to theme, peculiar American matters Style of Emerson His essays have a casual style, characterized by a series of short, declarative sentences, not quite logically connected. His philosophical discussion is difficult to understand but uses comparisons and metaphors to make it clearly-expressed. He employs literary sources. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) He was born in a common family in New England He graduated from Harvard, but only stayed at home and helped family business He was a friend and disciple of Emerson He was active in social life and a strong sense of justice He was not