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Transcendentalism (1830’s to 1865)
Ralph Waldo Emerson and from Nature – pages 238 to 241
 Read page 238 and write three interesting facts about Ralph Waldo Emerson:
1.
2.
3.

Read the section titled “Literary Movements” on page 239 and complete the following concerning
transcendentalism:
o What did Transcendentalists believe?
o
What are fundamental truths? How can they be grasped?
o
In their quest for understanding, Transcendentalists focused their attention on
___________________________________________.
o
What were the Transcendentalists also interested in?
o
What did Transcendentalists believe could be gained by exploring nature?
o
What formed the heart of beliefs of Transcendentalists?
o
What is the Over-Soul?
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
Read from Nature on pages 240 to 241 and complete the following:
o Write a detailed summary of the piece as you read. What are the main details?
o
What does Nature reveal about the Transcendentalists’ attitude toward nature?
o
What does Nature reveal about the Transcendentalists’ view of human nature?
o
How does Nature convey the Transcendentalists’ belief in the Over-Soul?
Ralph Waldo Emerson – from Self-Reliance – page 242-243
1. What does Emerson mean when he says “envy is ignorance” and “imitation is suicide” (paragraph 1)?
2. What analogy is being made with the kernel of corn (paragraph 1)?
3. How does a person feel when he/she puts his/her heart into their work (end of paragraph 1)?
4. Summarize Emerson’s main points in paragraph 2.
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5. What commentary is Emerson making about society in the third paragraph?
6. Summarize Emerson’s thoughts in the fifth paragraph.
7. What point is Emerson making in the last paragraph about those who are “misunderstood”?
Henry David Thoreau and from Walden – pages 252 to 261
 Read page 252 and write three interesting facts about Henry David Thoreau:
1.
2.
3.

Background information about Thoreau and Walden:
o At age 28, Thoreau builds a cabin at Walden Pond
o Ralph Waldo Emerson owned the land the cabin was built on (the two were neighbors).
o While at Walden, Thoreau did a great deal of reading, writing, and spending time in nature.
o Thoreau spent two years at the cabin at Walden Pond; he wanted to simplify his life and focus
on his writing.
o Our excerpt is from two of the chapters in the work (Where I lived, and What I Lived For;
Conclusion); there are 18 chapters total.
o Thoreau is the first person narrator.

While reading, write at least 10 one-sentence summaries that detail the main ideas Thoreau is writing
about (write at least 2 summary sentences per full page). You may write more. You can also format
your summary in the format of a Tweet (hash tags included to make the main points stand out to you).
Have fun with this option, but no matter which you choose, be THOREAU (get it?!)!
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Page
254
Walden Summary/Tweet
1.
2.
255
3.
4.
256-257
5.
6.
258
7.
8.
259-260
9.
10.
Other
Info.
Other
Info.
Other
Info.

Why does Thoreau believe that living in the woods will allow him to “live deep” and get the most out of life?

According to Thoreau, why are people better off being poor rather than wealthy?

Also, answer this question: do you think that it would be possible for Thoreau to conduct his experiment of
simplicity in nature today? Why/Why not?
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Henry David Thoreau – from Civil Disobedience – page 262
1. Do you agree or disagree with Thoreau’s first sentence? Why/why not?
2. Is it possible for a government to not “govern at all”? Why/why not?
3. What is Thoreau’s meaning behind his wooden gun reference in paragraph 2?
4. Approximately in the middle of paragraph 2, who/what does Thoreau credit with the development of
the country? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
5. Summarize Thoreau’s last paragraph. Do you agree with him? Why/why not?
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Transcendentalism in Emerson and Thoreau’s works: use the list of characteristics below to determine what
characteristics of transcendentalism are found in the works we have read. Make note of which characteristics
fit each piece of writing and how your chosen characteristics apply to each piece of writing.
Characteristics of Transcendentalism
(Source: Characteristics of transcendentalism. (N.D.) In Transcendentalism is…. Retrieved November 11, 2014, from
http://iws.collin.edu/mizell/2327/characteristics_of_transcendenta.htm)
1. Believed in living closer to nature
2. Believed in the dignity of manual labor
3. Saw the need for intellectual companions and interests
4. Emphasized the need for spiritual living
5. Considered man's relationship to God a personal matter established directly by the individual himself
6. Posited the essential divinity of man
7. Urged one great brotherhood (the Over-Soul, the unity of all things)
8. Proposed self-trust and self-reliance
9. Believed in democracy and individualism
10. Encouraged reform (to awaken and regenerate the spirit)
11. Insisted on a complete break with tradition and custom
12. Know through intuition
Characteristic #
How the characteristic of transcendentalism is seen in the work:
Emerson’s
Nature
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Emerson’s
Self-Reliance
Thoreau’s
Walden
Thoreau’s
Civil
Disobedience
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Poetry – pages 298 to 303
For the following poems: 1. Label the rhyme scheme; 2. Answer any questions posed in the margins; 3.
Describe how the poem displays characteristics of transcendentalism (use page 4 of this packet to help you).
“The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”
What is the setting of the poem?
The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveller hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveller to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

What details in this poem lead you to think that the
traveller is facing death?
What does the poem suggest about the relationship
between humans and nature?
How does this poem display characteristics of transcendentalism?
“A Psalm of Life”
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
What “footprints” would you like to leave on “the sands
of time”?
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
What advice do you think the speaker is giving to
readers?
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
(Continued on Page 6)
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In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Summarize the speaker’s view of life.
Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!
How would you describe the speaker’s attitude towards
individuality and self-reliance?
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
How does the speaker think our lives can influence
future generations?
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.

How does this poem display characteristics of transcendentalism?
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Emily Dickinson’s Poetry – Pages 330 to 343
For the following poems: 1. Label the rhyme scheme and 2. Answer any questions posed in the margins.
“’Hope’ is the thing with feathers –“
What qualities does the “little bird” possess?
“Hope” is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops - at all -
What does this suggest about the characteristics of
hope?
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard And sore must be the storm That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
What does this poem suggest about the human ability to
endure hardships?
I’ve heard it in the chillest land And on the strangest Sea Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
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“I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –“
I heard a Fly buzz - when I died The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air Between the Heaves of Storm -
How can you tell the woman was preparing herself for death?
What happens at her last moment?
The Eyes around - had wrung them dry And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset - when the King
Be witnessed - in the Room I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable - and then it was
There interposed a Fly -
What statement about death and dying do you think
Dickinson makes in this poem?
With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz Between the light - and me And then the Windows failed - and then
I could not see to see -
“How happy is the little Stone”
How happy is the little Stone
That rambles in the Road alone,
And doesn't care about Careers
And Exigencies never fears—
Whose Coat of elemental Brown
A passing Universe put on,
And independent as the Sun
Associates or glows alone,
Fulfilling absolute Decree
In casual simplicity—

In this poem, Dickinson sees the little stone as a model for
human behavior. With this in mind…
What qualities does she attribute to the stone?
What is the main source of the stone’s happiness?
How do Emily Dickinson’s poems display characteristics of transcendentalism?
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