ART - Transcendentalism Lesson

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an essayist and poet, was a true optimist. His first book, Nature, published in 1836, became the foundation text for the Transcendentalist movement.

Learn additional information about Emerson by viewing the presentation below. Click the > to advance slides.

 

Reading Assignment

You will now read a portion of one of Emerson's famous essays, "Self-Reliance." This essay is considered to be Emerson's philosophy of individualism and the finest example of his prose.

Emerson is known for his repeated use of the phrase "trust thyself." Every individual possesses a unique genius, Emerson argues, that can only be revealed when that individual has the courage to trust his or her own thoughts, attitudes, and inclinations against all public disapproval. He goes on to say that God has made each one of us unique and given each person a unique work to do. To trust one's own thoughts and to put them into action is to hear and act on the voice of God.

In his essay, Emerson wants to get across the point that we need to be individuals. He adds that we must seek solitude to hear our own thoughts because society, by its nature, leads men to conform. Emerson has made a case that individuals have not only a right but also a responsibility to think for themselves and that neither societal disapproval nor concerns about consistency should discourage these.

"Self-Reliance" Text Link Links to an external site.

"Self Reliance" Audio Link below

 

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was inspired by Emerson and sought time alone in nature his entire life. Emerson allowed him to build a cabin on his property near Walden Pond and live there for two years while writing his first book and maintaining a detailed journal of his experiences.

Learn additional information about Thoreau by viewing the presentation below. Click the > to advance slides.

Reading Assignment: "Solitude" and Civil Disobedience

You will now read a section of  Walden  entitled "Solitude." This essay was written during the time Thoreau spent in solitude away from the busy world of 19^th- century Massachusetts. Pay close attention to the importance Thoreau places on nature and other ways that his thoughts reflect Transcendentalist principles.

Next, you will read an excerpt from another work by Thoreau, Civil Disobedience (Resistance to Civil Government). In this essay, Thoreau describes the night he spent in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. He refused to pay his poll tax because he did not want to support two government policies with which he disagreed: the Mexican-American War, which he claimed was motivated solely by greed, and the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, which made it illegal to help escaping slaves from the South and required escaped slaves to be returned to their owners by non-slave territories and states. For more information on historical events in the United States during this time, watch the Crash Course History video linked below.

Crash Course History: Mexican-American War and Expansion Links to an external site.

 

Civil Disobedience is linked below. In this online version, the essay is divided into three parts. You are only required to read the first part, but it is such an important and thought-provoking essay that if you have the time, please read the entire essay.

Solitude Text Link Links to an external site.

Solitude Audio Link below

Civil Disobedience Text Link Links to an external site.

Civil Disobedience Audio Link Links to an external site.

 

Reading Assignment: Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Now that you have read Civil Disobedience, read Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." 

Go back through both texts and highlight the similarities and differences of the two pieces. Why is it significant that Martin Luther King, Jr. would write something so similar to Thoreau? Keep in mind that Civil Disobedience was published in 1849, and King wrote his letter in 1963.

Complete the Compare and Contrast Chart linked below, identifying the similarities and differences between Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." This chart will be helpful on a future assignment.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Text Link Links to an external site.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Audio Link Links to an external site.

Compare and Contrast Chart Link Links to an external site.

 

Self-Assessment

Complete the following self-assessment over the readings in this lesson.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.