English 11                                                Name: ________________________

American Romanticism: Transcendentalism Unit

Authors:  Ralph Waldo Emerson

           Henry David Thoreau

Introductory Notes on  Transcendentalism:

Definition of (American) Transcendentalism (based on quick research):

History or background (the roots of Transcendental thought -- where does it come from):

Five Main points of Transcendentalism:

1.  Each person should follow his/her own belief...even if it is not the NORM

2.  Every person’s individual intuitive response (gut feeling) to any situation is the right one

3.  Each person is basically good, worthy of respect, capable of making his/her own decisions

4.  Believed in the “Over-Soul” (Emerson) - It connected man, God, and nature

5.  No part of nature is insignificant- every little thing is important

Like Puritans -- Believed in God, but believed that EVERY person could have connection to God

Like Rationalists -- Believed humans could strive for perfectibility - but they believed an individual could ACTUALLY be Perfect/ Society also could make a perfect world...UTOPIA

Like Romantics -- Believed in the power of nature/importance of individualism/intuition

Author Backgrounds:

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)