Henry David Thoreau Essay

Transcendentalism is a very important fecal matter that occurred non only in literature unless in life story as thoroughly. The transcendentalist movement was a movement that was essentially the purpose of forevery ane having an over-soul. The over-soul is the thought of a relationship mingled with God, record, and man. The movement had m all different characteristics same(p) individuality, feelings organism priority over reason, the in timet that nature was divine, and that nature held loyaltys.Transcendentalists used the truenesss that they observe in the world and in nature to exchange the way society was and how great deal see themselves in the world. Although the idea of a utopia was non advantageful, the movement sparked a change in literature. Emerson and Thoreau be the two wad most associated with transcendentalism. They two wrote essays most their experiences in nature and influenced many other(a) writers to do the same (hence the transcendentalist m ovement). The transcendentalist thought is especially sp ar in Walt Whitman and Emily Dickensons work.Whitman and Dickenson twain suggest many traits of the movement, barely the most discernible trait is laissez faire. Individualism is often represent in Emerson and Thoreaus work as beingness tint. Everyone has a soul, home(a) truth is the only thing that matters, and fulfillment comes from snotty-nosed to(p) ones self. In Emersons essay Nature, he describes man as being universal and related. In the summon . . . that great nature in which we oddment . . . that Unity, that Over-Soul, in spite of appearance which every mans small-armicular being is contained and made one with all other.. . . We unrecorded in succession, in division, in cleaves, in particles. Meantime within man is the soul of the whole the wise silence the universal beauty, to which every part and particle is passablely related the immortal ONE. Emerson is maxim that all men rescue souls and t hat for each one soul is a part of an even bigger soul, the universal soul. This is basi bring forwardy face that we are all equal, that at the same time we are separated because we each realise a soul of our consume. In some other essay, self-reliance, he stated Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood?Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise nerve that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood In this, he is saying that being misunderstood is being great. This in like manner says that being misunderstood is forgetting what society says you should be or act like and doing what you loss to do in order to arrest yourself and be your own person. By not caring just round what others may commend approximately your choices and decisions, you can be your own person and set an example for others to do the same.Not only was Emerson talking about being an individual, he was als o adding a bit about your feelings being much important that reason. Thoreau also writes about individualism in his essays. In Walden, Thoreau writes about the experiences and life of his life. He writes if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to acknowledge the life which he has imagined, he will meet success unexpected in common hours. This is saying that you should live the way that you necessitate to live and that your inner truth or inner desires are all that matter.Everyone has inner truth and desires and to live the life that you privation to live then you should go for the dreams that you have forever wanted to come true. This is a pristine example of individualism because everyone has dreams and inner truths about the way that they want to live and it is in all up to them to live the way that they want to live. He also addresses individualism in another essay titled accomplished disobedience. He writes But, to come up to practica lly and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no giving medication men, I ask for, not at once no government, however at once a go against government.Let every man clear known what kind of government would look out on his complaisance, and that will be one criterion towards obtaining it In this, he is supporting lot to take a stand for the rights and respect they deserve. In a way, he is tattle people to stop ignoring the unfair government and do something about the way you feel. This is video display again how everyone has inner truth and they should do something to change the way the world is to be wear. Thoreau wanted the government to change and so he spoke about what he believed to be true.This is him showing his individualism and encouraging others to speak up as sanitary about the truth that they believed. Like Emerson and Thoreau, Whitman and Dickenson have both used individualism in their kit and boodle, but Whitman does a better lineage at portraying it. In Whitmans poem Song of Myself, Whitman writes about everyone being equal and having equal opportunities. He states I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise, regardless of others, ever respectful of others, maternal as well as paternal, a child as well as a man, textileed with the stuff that is course, and stuffed with the stuff that is fine In this abduce he is comparing total opposites to each other. This is a way of showing how even the opposites are the same. Regardless of others, ever regardful of others direction that others mean null to you, so far others mean everything to you. Its contradicting, but in a way that says although others mean nothing to you, they affect you in certain ways. Everyone affects you, but you are not everyone. You are only yourself and that is what I get from what Whitman was describing.In another part of the poem, Whitman says I am as bad as the worst, but thank God, I am as unplayful as the best. This quote stands ou t because it means no one is better than anyone. rightful(prenominal) because you dont get in trouble doesnt mean you are any less wrong or less bad. Just because you do beneficial things doesnt mean you are any better Being good is only when being good and the same goes for being bad. No one is any better or worst. This means that everyone is equal and has equal opportunities. Dickenson also uses individualism as a theme in some of her works as well.In the poem enlightenment Has Different SignsTo Me, Dickenson writes The Rapture of a spotless DayReturning to the West in all theseremind us of the place, That Men call paradise In this poem Dickinson is describing what heaven would be like. This quote refers to the end of the daylight for men. Individualism is living the way you want and reaching fulfillment. This quote shows how men are fulfilled in their lives and of what they call paradise. To me, I dont think she is musical composition about heaven, I think she is piece of music about a utopia. She is writing about a place that everyone is equal and enlightened.Dickinson and Whitman both write about being equal and living the life that you want to lead. flat though they both write about individualism, Whitman portrays it much more and it is more apparent. They were both influenced by the transcendentalist movement, but Dickinson focuses on other traits like how nature is beautiful and simple and the relationship that nature, life, and death have. The transcendentalist movement may be over, but it left an organise in literature. Many people speak of individualism and the name most associated with it in the movement is Walt Whitman.Works Cited Poemhunters. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Quotations by Author. Walt Whitman Quotes. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, henry D. Civil noncompliance by Henry David Thoreau. Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. Jone Johnson Lewis, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Thoreau, Henry D. Walden. N. p . Jalic, 2003. Print. Whitman, Walt. (1836)Nature. Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Oregon nominate College, n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. Whitman, Walt. Self Reliance. Mrgunnar. net. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.