Transcendentalism: 1840-1840
An intellectual movement that thought we used something more than our 5 physical senses to
understand life and our place in it.
 “Trans” – to go across
 Not a religion or philosophy but has elements of both
A view held by a group of people during the Romantic Period
Members of the Transcendentalist movement have greatly influenced literature, even
today. We will be studying some of the most important authors of this movement,
including:
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau
Elements of Transcendentalism:
1. Nonconformity
-Individualism
2. Self Reliance
-Trust yourself/intuition
3. Optimism
-All men have equal possibilities.
-Man is inherently good.
4. Nature
-Appreciation of the simple life and the natural surroundings
5. Oversoul
-Connects all to: God, Nature, Man
-We are all part of something larger than each part. This belief draws
the line between celebrating the self and being selfish.
6. Carpe Diem
-Seize the day
****Many elements of the transcendental theory were evident again in the 1960’s-70’s.****
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Nonconformity
Civil Disobedience
Goodness of man
Respect for the simple/nature life and nature
Brotherhood of man
Seizing the day
Keep the above ideas in mind as we discuss this period!!!
Transcendentalism: _______________
 “Trans” –
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A view held by a group of people during the Romantic Period
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Elements of Transcendentalism:
1. Nonconformity
2. Self Reliance
3. Optimism
4. Nature
5. Oversoul
6. Carpe Diem
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****Many elements of the transcendental theory were evident again in the 1960’s-70’s.****
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Keep the above ideas in mind aw we discuss this period!!!
TEACHER NOTS:
Transcendentalism is an intellectual movement that was concerned with the attitudes and thoughts that man could
transcend our physical being and understand life by going beyond the five senses to understand life and our place in it.
Man determines much of what we understand about the world and life through our five senses. The transcendentalists
believed that we use something like what we might call our sixth sense, or intuition to figure out those things about life
that can’t always be understood through the five physical senses.
The ideas of the transcendentalists are seen through several writers of the Romantic period. The features of Romantic
writing and those of the transcendentalists are very similar. They include:
1. Non-conformity is good and allows us to fine what is important for each of us. With non-conformity we look
at the importance of individualism, especially that of the common man. The value of an individuals needs over
those of the society.
2. Self-reliance: Intuition will help us go beyond physical understanding of ourselves and our world.
3. A sense of optimism, that there is always hope for the future. The belief that man is basically good, therefore
he will make good choices.
4. A return to the appreciation of nature
5. Man, nature, and God (or goodness) are connected by an Oversoul, therefore we must look at all three for
understanding our lives.