美国文学之Transcendentalism之Emersonhoreau.pptVIP

Lecture Four Transcendentalism?Emerson?Thoreau What is Transcendentalism? The publication of Nature (1836) marked the beginning of New England Transcendentalism, the summit of American Romanticism. “What is popularly called Transcendentalism among us is idealism; idealism as appears in 1842” (Emerson) Knowledge can be obtained through mental process, apart from experiences Doctrines of Transcendentalism 1) The most important thing in the universe is spirit, or the Oversoul. Compare: ● the 18th century Newtonian concept ● mechanization and commercialization of life; ● craze for monetary success and material possession, neglect of spiritual improvement 2) The Transcendentalists stress the importance of the individual. “The world is nothing, the man is all”; Compare: ● The Calvinist concept of man ● The dehumanization of man in the process of industrialization 3) nature as symbolic of God. Nature is the garment of the Oversoul. “the atmosphere was made…to give man the perpetual presence of the sublime…the remembrance of the city of God” Compare: the 18th century view about nature--- Nature was purely made up of matter. It was operating according to natural law. Backgrounds for the Rise of Transcendentalism German and French idealism （唯心主义） , originating from Kant (1724—1804) and Thomas Carlyle, believing that ideas are the most important thing and that which we can know anything of. French eclecticism （折衷主义） , especially that of Cousin （古沾 , 1792—1867 ） , advocating the absorption of various sources and ideas. Oriental mysticism （神秘主义） , represented by Hindu works, those of Confucius and Mencius. American Puritanism, arguing that the knowledge of God and truth can be obtained only through meditation or spiritual insight. Summary of Transcendentalism Time: 1830s---the out break of the Civil War, the summit of the American Romanticism. Definition Major Doctrines Leading figures The importance: it inspired a whole new