1、Part Two THE ROMANTIC PERIOD (1780-1860),Chapter 4 The Transcendentalism History Movement: the summit of RomanticismNew England Transcendentalism Writer: Emerson and Thoreau,History,In 1836, a little book came out which made a tremendous impact on the intellectual life of America. It was entitled “N
2、ature” by Emerson “The Universe is composed of Nature and Soul”; “Spirit is present everywhere” Had enough of Franklin, not happy about the materialistic-oriented life of their time. An informal club “Transcendental club” published the journal, The Dial (日晷),Bible of New England Transcendentalism,Ne
3、w England Transcendentalism,The summit of American Romanticism Romantic idealism, Romanticism on the Puritan soul American Renaissance flowering of New England Marked the independence of American Literature The first American intellectual movement to inspire a number of literary classics,Definition
4、(why called Transcendentalism?),Transcendentalism is difficult to define. It is a philosophical view, a notion, a concept, an idea, a way of looking at things, a set of attitudes about man, God, and the universe, a way of how to get to the basic truth of the universe. The basic truth of the universe
5、, the Transcendentalist believes, is beyond the knowledge one obtains from the senses (the mere appearance of things) or logical analysis. . Basic truth can be reached only through instinct and intuition and are a matter of private experience.To arrive at the truth, man must go beyond or transcend w
6、hat his eyes and ears tell him or what he can learn from books. He must listen to his inner soul. He must trust in the divinity that is in all men.,Features,1. emphasis on spirit/oversoul超灵 The Oversoul was an all-pervading power for goodness, omnipresent (present everywhere) and omnipotent (able to
7、 do anything). It existed in nature and man alike and constituted the chief element of the universe. against “world is made of matter”; Newtonian concept “the world is made of matter” against “neglecting of spiritual life in capitalist world”,超灵相当于过去宗教里上帝的这个角色，超灵是无形的，人生活的世界里所有的一切都来自超灵，超灵在人生活的世界里也无所不
8、在, 无所不容，无所不能。,Features,2. Emphasis on individuals Old Puritan views: self-reliance and self-improvement Through communication with Oversoul, human being（a part of Oversoul） can be divine. “Man is a little less than Him” “You should throw out all authority. You should follow the divinity of your own
9、mind and soul. You are you own God. You are each divine in your own minds and soul. You should follow what you feel is correct.” -Emerson against “total depravity” in Calvinist concept against dehumanization of capitalist world,宣扬人的本性。人就是一切，世界为人而存在，人决定自己的命运，人要自信自尊自助，人有神性，只要潜心修养可成完人。,Features,3. Taki
10、ng nature as the symbol of the Spirit (Oversoul) Nature was not just matter, filled with Gods overwhelming presence; exercise a healthy and restorative influence on the human mind; so encouraging people to find goodness and beauty from nature “Go back to nature, sink yourself back into its influence
11、, and youll become spiritually whole again.” -Emerson All things in nature are symbolic, symbols of the spiritual “Natural objects and phenomena are original symbols or types which express our thoughts and feelings” -Thoreau added to the tradition of literary symbolism in American literature. agains
12、t materialism in the society and the actions which broke the harmony between human and nature only for profits,The ceaseless motion of the Universe The life span of man Ant, little drudge, with small body and mighty heart is the image of man himself,Origin and Influence,1. Puritan heritage From Jona
13、than Edwards, inward communication with God and the divine symbolism of nature. From Benjamin Franklin, Puritan principle of self-culture and self-improvement Infinitude of the private individual -Emerson The least man can rise -Franklin B. Foreign influence Unitarianism唯一神教派: improvement of Calvini
14、sm, Salvation by character (perfection of ones character) Continued progress of mankind German Philosophy, especially Kant（康德） Oriental mysticism Ancient Indian and Chinese works, such as Confucius and Mencius,Significance and Smmary,1. ethical guide to life, to develop American culture 2. idealism
15、needed in material-oriented society 3. create the first American Renaissance America, from the early 1800s to the Civil War, was a land of paradoxes, a land stirred by spiritual dreams and shaped by the realities of a growing materialism. The age had rejected the ruined promise and stale wisdom it s
16、aw in 18th century rationalism. Americans had sought new liberties and new ideas in life and art, but the excesses and conflicts of their society had culminated in a bloody Civil War.,Ralph Waldo Emerson,(May 25, 1803 -April 27, 1882) an American author, poet, and philosopher; founder of Transcenden
17、talism Embodied a new nations desire and struggle to assert its own identity,1. Life,1) born in a clergymans family, experienced “genteel poverty” 2) graduated from Harvard 3) a Unitarian minister; stressed “continual progress of mankind“ rather than old religions “mans total depravity” 4) abandoned
18、 Unitarianism and went to Europe searching for truth 5) founded a Transcendentalists Club and published a journal called The Dial 6) traveled and gave lectures; quite influential,2. Major works,Nature the “Manifesto of American Transcendentalism” The American Scholar: The “Declaration of Intellectua
19、l Independence”,Limitations,His reputation fell in the 20th century because he firmly believed humans and human society could be better. It seemed that he had no sense of evil and was too optimistic about human nature and the society. Somebody once called this kind of optimism “Transcendental folly“
20、.,Quotes from Self Reliance,All young men could do what great men have always done; What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. Insist on yourself; never imitate. Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. -Emerson,Quotes from Nature,Standing on the bare ground, my head bathed
21、by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God.-Emerson,To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chambe
22、r as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this
23、design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are! If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which
24、 had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.,一个人要想离群索居，他就需要像远离社会那样，远远地避开他的卧室。当我读书写作时，我并不是孤独的，尽管我身边没有旁人。可若是一个人希望独处，那就让他去看天上的星星。从天国传来的那些光线，将会把他和他触摸的东西分离开来。我们可以设想，四周的气氛将因此而变得圣洁而飘渺，它使得人在凝视那美妙的星体时领悟到静止不变的崇高境界。当你在城里的大街上仰望这些星星时，这些是多么
25、璀灿动人啊！假如这些星星每隔一千年才出现一次的话，人们将会怎样地崇敬信仰它们，并且会怎样地为后代保存这一上苍显灵的记忆啊！然而，这些美的使者每个晚上都会出现，用它们那带有训诫意味的微笑照亮整个大地。,Henry David Thoreau,naturalist. Prophet of individualism in American literature; against materialism and social conformity Walden (1854), an eloquent account of his experiment in near-solitary living
26、in close harmony with nature; it is also an expression of his transcendentalist philosophy. the truest follower of Emerson. He put into practice many of Emersons theories.,Life,1) Born in a common family in Concord, Mass., New England 2) Graduated from Harvard, but only stayed at home and helped fam
27、ily business 3) Active in social life and had a strong sense of justice. He once refused to pay a poll-tax of 2 dollars because he felt the tax was unfair, and thus he was jailed. And later he wrote an essay named “Civil Disobedience“ which advocated passive resistance to unjust laws and influenced
28、Gandhi in India. 4) not successful at his time, but his reputation rose, and goes beyond Emerson now.,He was one of the three great American authors of the 19th century who had no contemporary readers and yet became great in this century. Herman Melville Emily Dickinson.,Henry David Thoreau,2. Works
29、 1) A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers 2) Walden: description of his life near the pond called Walden belonging to Emerson. In July 4, 1845 Independence Day.; to be independent and find truth The author lived there for nearly two years with only an axe at the beginning; self-sufficient; work
30、 6 weeks and be free for the rest of the year; communication with nature; move away from materialistic-oriented American social life. Emerson: a great thinker Thoreau: a great experimentalist who put Emersons transcendentalism into practice in actual life,“来到这片树林是因为想过一种经过省察的生活，去面对人生最本质的问题” “不必给我钱，不必
31、给我名誉，给我真理吧”,Henry David Thoreau,Walden presented Thoreaus unusual interest in nature and showed his individualism which inherited from American Puritanism. The book described the authors extremely simple life and regeneration he experienced This book was a failure in his own time but became very pop
32、ular in the 20th century.,Analysis,In the extract, there are many descriptions of people waking up. Can you find them, and tell the implication? What is true possession according to Thoreau? Thoreau asks people not to be bothered with news. Why? Thoreau uses many allusions. Can you find them? Can you translate the last paragraph?,THE END THANK YOU,
