Emerson and Thoreau - 791 Words

An influential literary movement in the nineteenth century, transcendentalism placed an emphasis on the wonder of nature and its deep connection to the divine. As the two most prominent figures in the transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau whole-heartedly embraced these principles. In their essays â€Å"Self-Reliance† and â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, Emerson and Thoreau, respectively, argue for individuality and personal expression in different manners. In â€Å"Self-Reliance†, Emerson calls for individuals to speak their minds and resist societal conformity, while in â€Å"Civil Disobedience† Thoreau urged Americans to publicly state their opinions in order to improve their own government. Both Thoreau and Emerson†¦show more content†¦Emerson and Thoreau argue that only through self-reliance and civil disobedience can society and government be saved from corruption and incompetence. A key difference between the philosophies of Emerson and Thoreau as articulated in â€Å"Self-Reliance† and â€Å"Civil Disobedience† is their vision of how individuals should shape society and government. Emerson believes that one should only follow his own conscience and intellect not the opinions of the crowd. Emerson argues that it is not only possible to successfully defy the common practices and beliefs of society, but that â€Å"to be great is to be misunderstood† (Emerson 367). However, Thoreau believes that in a democracy the voice of the people as whole should be followed. Thoreau desires a â€Å"better government†, not anarchy devoid of the law where every individual follows his own set of rules (Thoreau 381). Although assuredly in favor of individuality, Thoreau recognizes that a democracy requires public consensus and popular support. While Emerson and Thoreau certainly have difference of opinions, they recognize the need for public discussion and discourse. Emerson declares â€Å"a foolish consistency† to be â€Å"the hobgoblin of little minds† (Emerson 367). This is shown in their essays â€Å"Self-Reliance† and â€Å"Civil Disobedience† in which they support individuality and personal expression. Despite their contrasting views of society and government, the two mostShow MoreRelatedEmerson and Thoreau831 Words   |  4 Pagestaken from Thoreau#8217;s quote, #8220;If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.#8221; Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau changed our lives. How? Well, the answer is not so simple as the statement. To understand fully how they affected our lives, we have to understand the philosophy of Emerson and Thoreau, and the relationship between the two. So let#8217;s begin with the relationship between Emerson and Thoreau. EmersonRead MoreThoreau and Emerson1674 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Thoreau and Emerson In today’s society each individual has the ability to thinks for themselves, but the inception of different ideas and thoughts has led to a population that’s dominated by the majority . We live in a society where a media, television and internet are the sources of manipulating a person’s mind. It also creates their mindset to determine how one think about themselves or and different view point on topic. In this particular essay I am going to be talking about two mainRead MoreEssay on Emerson And Thoreau811 Words   |  4 Pagestried my hardest to follow. The words were taken from Thoreauamp;#8217;s quote, amp;#8220;If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau changed our lives. How? Well, the answer is not so simple as the statement. To understand fully how they affected our lives, we have to understand the philosophy of Emerson and Thoreau, and the relationship between the two. So letamp;#8217;sRead MoreThe True Transcendentalist: Thoreau and Emerson775 Words   |  3 Pagestranscendentalism began to start two people played a major role Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, but who is truly a transcendentalist. Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston, Massachusetts on May 25, 1803. His father was a minister as well as seven of his male family members. He graduated from Harvard University at the age of eighteen. Then he taught school with his brother William for three years. Which Emerson was unhappy teaching so he decided to go and change his life.Which wasRead MoreWakefulness: Thoreau, Whitman, and Emerson1532 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"To be awake means to be alive†, and to be awake during the time of Romanticism meant one could witness literature as an intellectual achievement. Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Walt Whitman were three authors during this time that wrote about an idea that would later become the theme of many papers, discussions and lectures, Wakefulness. Though some may not have recognized the significance of these authors’ work at the time, their ideas and beliefs have captivated the minds of manyRead MoreEmerson And Thoreau : The Ideas Of Transcendentalism960 Words   |  4 Pageslife to its fullest. Two of the most influential transcendentalist writers, Emerson and Thoreau, have lived in the Concepts box and have learned the following: Living from the inside out, Contemplating one ripple in the pond, and Building a fire in the mind. Thoreau has many influential ideas of transcendentalism, although, one of his most well know ones are how people need to live from the inside out. Emerson and Thoreau, were able to see what others saw. They took the task of seeing from othersRead MoreViews On Emerson s And Thoreau2508 Words   |  11 PagesViews on Emerson ´s and Thoreau ´s Works Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are definitely two of the most influential writers in the 19th century. Thoreau was born in Concord, and Emerson in Boston. They both attended Harvard; Thoreau decided to pursue the career of teaching because of his brothers, while Emerson decided to become a Unitarian minister just like his father. These two writers lived during the transcendentalism period and both of them used this philosophy as way of living theirRead MoreThe Ideas Of Transcendentalism By Emerson And Thoreau1264 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduction of the ideas of self-dependence and spiritual guidance. Alongside these points, the complexity of our relationship with nature was explicitly explained, and the importance of stable morals was expounded. Transcendentalists, mainly led by Emerson and Thoreau, who were the literary leaders of that time, introduced a new way of thinking that implored the world around them to get in touch with their core and their sense of right an d wrong. These writers, creators, doers, and thinkers knew where theyRead MoreRalph Waldo Emerson And Thoreau975 Words   |  4 Pagesreason. A following of the heart rather than the mind. Also the setting apart from society. There are two who comes to mind; Thoreau and Emerson. Where Emerson and Thoreau were clear examples of Bright Romanticism exemplified by the inclusion of nature, a positive view of mankind, and a poetic style that broke traditional method. Ralph Waldo Emerson exemplified him being a clear examples of Bright Romanticism with his first inclusion of nature. An excerpt talking about theRead More Emerson and Thoreau Represent American Identity1511 Words   |  7 PagesCompare and contrast the way in which Emerson and Thoreau represent American Identity. â€Å"Identity means who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group which make them different from others,† (Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Third Edition). Every individual, group and country has their own identity which makes them different from others and it shows uniqueness of oneself. Reaction against the existing philosophy takes place when there is conflict in interest amongst the philosophers