Give me a Definition
Define literary movement.
a group of literary works produced within a specific time period that share common characteristics, such as similar themes, style, philosophical perspectives
Nature as a spiritual and important teacher.
BOTH
Founder of the Transcendentalism club
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Describe the central ideas of Emerson's Self-Reliance
the importance of individualism, nonconformity, trusting one's intuition, and the belief that each person has the potential for greatness by being true to their own unique self
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Emily Dickinson, "Because I could not stop for death"
Define Civil Disobedience.
the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest.
Focus on imagination and creativity over logic. A bit more playful.
Romanticism
True or False.
Both Emerson and Thoreau were originally pastors.
False. Emerson was.
Dickinson's theme about death in "Because I could not stop for death"
Acceptance of death as a natural journey.
“Any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one already.”
Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
If you had to define, Emily Dickinson in 3 sentences.
Answers will vary.
We have an internal inner compass and should celebrate the innate power of the individual.
BOTH
1830s- 1865
Two Main ideas of Thoreau's Walden
the importance of living simply, in harmony with nature, prioritizing self-reliance, finding solitude for contemplation, and questioning societal norms and the pursuit of material wealth,
“Envy is ignorance,
Imitation is Suicide.”
Emerson, Self-Reliance
Define Romanticism
a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual.
Focuses heavily on individualism AND a person's ability to transcend norms of society
Transcendentalism
Romanticism emerges primarily in response to what development in American society?
Industrialization
3 Main Ideas of Civil Disobedience
individuals have a moral right to disobey unjust laws when their conscience dictates, engaging in peaceful protest to bring about change in government policies, while accepting the legal consequences of their actions, all while maintaining respect for the rule of law
“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
Walden, Thoreau
Define Transcendentalism.
Transcendentalism is a 19th-century movement of writers and philosophers in New England who were loosely bound together by adherence to an idealistic system of thought based on a belief in the essential unity of all creation, the innate goodness of humanity, and the supremacy of insight over logic
Focusing heavily on Self-Reliance
Transcendentalism
Name 3 prominent ROMANTIC writers.
Emerson, Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, Walt Whitman, Washington Irving, Herman Melville
Describe the central ideas of Emerson's Nature.
nature is a manifestation of a universal, spiritual force, and humans can achieve a deep connection with this force by immersing themselves in the natural world,
“Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear.”
Emerson, Nature