LectureSevenNewEnglandTranscendentalismEmerson&Thoreau

1LectureSeven11.NewEnglandTranscendentalism

In1836,thepublicationofEmerson’sNature(hisfirstimportantphilosophicalwork)pushedAmericanRomanticismintoanewage,thephaseofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.AmericanRomanticismculminatedaroundthe1840s.21.NewEnglandTranscendentaliNewEnglandTranscendentalismisthesummitofAmericanRomanticism;itisregardedasthe“AmericanRenaissance”(1836—1855;notonlyoneoftheimportantsignsoftheindependenceofAmericanliteraturebutalsoasignificantphaseinthehistoryofAmericanculture.3NewEnglandTranscendentalism1)TheFormationofNewEnglandTranscendentalismWhatisTranscendentalism?AccordingtoEmerson,Transcendentalismisidealism;idealismasappearsin1842.Inthe1830sand1840s,greatreligiousandideologicalchangesweretakingplaceinNewEngland;somesensitiveNewEnglandersformedthemselvesintoaninformalclub,theTranscendentalistClub,andmettheretodiscussliterature,philosophyandmattersofinteresttothelifeofthenation.41)TheFormationofNewEnglan2)TherepresentativewritersofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

Theclubincludedsomethirtymenandacoupleofwomen,mostofthemteachersorclergymen;oftheseNewEnglandTranscendentalists,Emerson(1803-1882),Thoreau(1817—1862),BronsonAlcott(1799-1888),andMargaretFuller(1810-1850)werethemorefamous.52)Therepresentativewriters3)ThemajorfeaturesofNewEnglandTranscendentalism①Spirit,ortheOversoul(超靈):mostimportantthingintheuniverse;anall-pervadingpowerforgoodness,omnipresentandomnipotent;fromwhichallthingscomeandofwhichallareapart;existsinnatureandmanalike;constitutesthechiefelementoftheuniverse.63)ThemajorfeaturesofNewEIt’sanewwayoflookingattheworld,andareactiontothe18thcenturyNewtonianconceptoftheuniversewhichholdsthattheuniverseismadeupofmatter.7It’sanewwayoflookingatt②Secondly,theTranscendentalistsstressedtheimportanceoftheindividual.Theindividualwasthemostimportantelementofsociety;hisself-culture(修養(yǎng)),self-improvementandself-perfectionshouldbecomethefirstconcernofhislife;theidealtypeofmanistheself-reliantindividual;peopleshoulddependonthemselvesforspiritualperfection;theindividualsoulcommunedwiththeOversoulandisthereforedivine.8②Secondly,theTranscendentaliIt’sanewwayoflookingatman,andareactionagainsttheCalvinistconceptthatmanistotallydepraved,sinfulandremainsinsinhood,andcannothopetobesavedexceptthroughthegraceofGod.9It’sanewwayoflookingatm③Thirdly,theTranscendentalistsofferedafreshperceptionofnatureassymbolicoftheSpiritorGod.Naturewas,

tothem,notpurelymatter,butaliveandfilledwithGod’soverwhelmingpresence;thegarmentoftheOversoul;exercisesahealthyandrestorativeinfluenceonthehumanmind;thingsinnaturetendtobecomesymbolic,andthephysicalworldisasymbolofthespiritual.10③Thirdly,theTranscendentaliIt’sanewwayoflookingatnatureandaddedtothetraditionofliterarysymbolisminAmericanliterature.11It’sanewwayoflookingatn4)ThefactorswhichinfluencedtheideasofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

NewEnglandTranscendentalismisakindofidealismandtheproductofacombinationoftheforeigninfluencesandtheAmericanPuritanism.124)ThefactorswhichinfluenceForeigninfluences:

GermanandFrenchidealisticphilosophy;Orientalmysticism;philosophyoftheChineseConfuciusandMencius.13Foreigninfluences:13InfluenceofAmericanPuritanism:①JonathanEdwards’snotionofinwardcommunicationofthesoulwithGodanddivinesymbolismofnatureallfindadequateexpressioninEmersonianTranscendentalism;inthisEdwardswasaforerunnerofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.14InfluenceofAmericanPuritaniEmersonrecapturedtheEdwardianvisionandstatedhisideasintermsoftranscendentalidealism,andofOversoul;whatEmersonandhisfellowTranscendentalistsendeavoredtodowasinfactprimarilytoreassertthereligiousidealismofPuritanism.15EmersonrecapturedtheEdwardi②TheTranscendentalists’emphasisontheindividualwasdirectlytraceabletothePuritanprincipleofself-cultureandself-improvementasbestexemplifiedbythesuccessstoryofBenjaminFranklin.16②TheTranscendentalists’emph2.RalphWaldoEmersonHeisanphilosopher,poetandprosewriter;themostinfluentialamonghiscontemporaries,andtheleadingfigureandmosteloquentspokesmanofNewEnglandTranscendentalism;hisNatureiscalled“theManifesto”and“theBible”ofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.172.RalphWaldoEmerson171)Emerson’sthought:

①AllthethingsintheuniversearetheembodimentsoftheOversoul;thesoulofmanispartoftheOversoul;manisdivine.

181)Emerson’sthought:18②Theindividualisthemostimportantofall.mancanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect;hebelieved“theinfinitudeofman;menshouldandcouldbeself-reliant;eachmanshouldfeeltheworldashis,andtheworldexistsforhimalone;inthemainoptimisticabouthumanperfectibility.

19②Theindividualisthemosti③NatureisemblematicofGod.ItmediatesbetweenmanandGod;natureisthesymbolofspirit,andthewholesomemoralinfluenceonmanandhischaracter.20③NatureisemblematicofGod.2)Emerson’spositioninAmericanliterature:HisgreatestcontributiontoAmericanliteratureandcultureliesinthefactthathefirmlyadvocatedtheestablishmentofanindependentnationalliteratureandculture.212)Emerson’spositioninAmeriHis“TheAmericanScholar”(aspeechmadeinHarvardCollegein1837,publishedin1838)hasbeenregarded(firstbyOliverWendellHolmes)as“America’sDeclarationofIntellectualIndependence.”22His“TheAmericanScholar”(aHecalledonAmericanwriterstowriteaboutAmericainapeculiarlyAmericanway.Inhisview,everythinginAmericawasworthwriting;theAmericansweregreatintheirownway.Hewasregardedasthestandard-bearer(旗手)oftheindependenceofAmericanculture.23HecalledonAmericanwritersTheAmericanScholarStudyQuestions:1.Inthisexcerptfromtheoration,Emersonspeaksgladlyoftheluckysignsinliteratureandart.Inyourownwords,whatisthefirstofthesesigns?2.Emersonmakesnumerousreferencestoforeignliteraryandacademicfigures.Doesthatmeanheisablindworshipperofforeignauthorities?Whatishispurposeindoingso?3.InwhatsenseisthisorationAmerica’s“IntellectualDeclarationofIndepedence”?4.ListtheideasEmersonistryingtogetacrosstohiscountrymeninthisoration.Whatisthecentralidea?24TheAmericanScholar243.HenryDavidThoreau

1)Thoreau’spositioninAmericanliteratureaprosewriterandpoet,andanotherrenownedNewEnglandTranscendentalist;forhalfacenturyafterhisdeath,heremainedinobscurity,buthebecameoneofthethreegreatAmericanauthorsofthenineteenthcenturywhohadnocontemporaryreadersandyetbecamegreatinthe20thcentury(theothertwobeingHermanMelvilleandEmilyDickinson).253.HenryDavidThoreau252)Thoreau’sthought①Hetookamorethanusualinterestinthenaturalworld.LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,hesawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being;thebestwayformantofindtruthdirectlyisbysinkinghimselfinthewholesomeatmosphereofnature.262)Thoreau’sthought26②HehasbeenregardedasaprophetofindividualisminAmericanliterature.27②Hehasbeenregardedasapr③Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.Inhisopinion,moderncivilizationwasdegradingandenslavingman;modernlifehasdehumanizedmanandplacedhiminaspiritualquandary(awkwardordifficultsituation);bytryingtoamassmaterialpossessions,manisnotreallyliving;heisdigginghisowngrave;spiritualwealthisrealwealth.28③HewasverycriticalofmodeHewenttoliveonWaldenPondjusttoexperimentwithanewwayoflifeforhimself,andfeltthathecameoutofitabetterman,rebornandreinvigorated.Andin1854,hepublishedhismasterpiece,Walden,oneoftherepresentativeTranscendentalistworks.29HewenttoliveonWaldenPond④Thoreauwasamanwithastrongsenseofjustice,anddesiredthateveryoneshouldbetreatedwithjustice.Forhim,torespectjusticeismoreimportantthantoabidebythelaw.30④Thoreauwasamanwithastr⑤Thoreauhadutopianpoliticalideas,andheldthat“thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsnotatall”.⑥ThoreauwasanactiveabolitionistandthespokesmanoftheAbolitionistMovement.31⑤ThoreauhadutopianpoliticaLectureSevenNewEnglandTranscendentalismEmerson&Thoreau

32LectureSeven11.NewEnglandTranscendentalism

In1836,thepublicationofEmerson’sNature(hisfirstimportantphilosophicalwork)pushedAmericanRomanticismintoanewage,thephaseofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.AmericanRomanticismculminatedaroundthe1840s.331.NewEnglandTranscendentaliNewEnglandTranscendentalismisthesummitofAmericanRomanticism;itisregardedasthe“AmericanRenaissance”(1836—1855;notonlyoneoftheimportantsignsoftheindependenceofAmericanliteraturebutalsoasignificantphaseinthehistoryofAmericanculture.34NewEnglandTranscendentalism1)TheFormationofNewEnglandTranscendentalismWhatisTranscendentalism?AccordingtoEmerson,Transcendentalismisidealism;idealismasappearsin1842.Inthe1830sand1840s,greatreligiousandideologicalchangesweretakingplaceinNewEngland;somesensitiveNewEnglandersformedthemselvesintoaninformalclub,theTranscendentalistClub,andmettheretodiscussliterature,philosophyandmattersofinteresttothelifeofthenation.351)TheFormationofNewEnglan2)TherepresentativewritersofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

Theclubincludedsomethirtymenandacoupleofwomen,mostofthemteachersorclergymen;oftheseNewEnglandTranscendentalists,Emerson(1803-1882),Thoreau(1817—1862),BronsonAlcott(1799-1888),andMargaretFuller(1810-1850)werethemorefamous.362)Therepresentativewriters3)ThemajorfeaturesofNewEnglandTranscendentalism①Spirit,ortheOversoul(超靈):mostimportantthingintheuniverse;anall-pervadingpowerforgoodness,omnipresentandomnipotent;fromwhichallthingscomeandofwhichallareapart;existsinnatureandmanalike;constitutesthechiefelementoftheuniverse.373)ThemajorfeaturesofNewEIt’sanewwayoflookingattheworld,andareactiontothe18thcenturyNewtonianconceptoftheuniversewhichholdsthattheuniverseismadeupofmatter.38It’sanewwayoflookingatt②Secondly,theTranscendentalistsstressedtheimportanceoftheindividual.Theindividualwasthemostimportantelementofsociety;hisself-culture(修養(yǎng)),self-improvementandself-perfectionshouldbecomethefirstconcernofhislife;theidealtypeofmanistheself-reliantindividual;peopleshoulddependonthemselvesforspiritualperfection;theindividualsoulcommunedwiththeOversoulandisthereforedivine.39②Secondly,theTranscendentaliIt’sanewwayoflookingatman,andareactionagainsttheCalvinistconceptthatmanistotallydepraved,sinfulandremainsinsinhood,andcannothopetobesavedexceptthroughthegraceofGod.40It’sanewwayoflookingatm③Thirdly,theTranscendentalistsofferedafreshperceptionofnatureassymbolicoftheSpiritorGod.Naturewas,

tothem,notpurelymatter,butaliveandfilledwithGod’soverwhelmingpresence;thegarmentoftheOversoul;exercisesahealthyandrestorativeinfluenceonthehumanmind;thingsinnaturetendtobecomesymbolic,andthephysicalworldisasymbolofthespiritual.41③Thirdly,theTranscendentaliIt’sanewwayoflookingatnatureandaddedtothetraditionofliterarysymbolisminAmericanliterature.42It’sanewwayoflookingatn4)ThefactorswhichinfluencedtheideasofNewEnglandTranscendentalism

NewEnglandTranscendentalismisakindofidealismandtheproductofacombinationoftheforeigninfluencesandtheAmericanPuritanism.434)ThefactorswhichinfluenceForeigninfluences:

GermanandFrenchidealisticphilosophy;Orientalmysticism;philosophyoftheChineseConfuciusandMencius.44Foreigninfluences:13InfluenceofAmericanPuritanism:①JonathanEdwards’snotionofinwardcommunicationofthesoulwithGodanddivinesymbolismofnatureallfindadequateexpressioninEmersonianTranscendentalism;inthisEdwardswasaforerunnerofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.45InfluenceofAmericanPuritaniEmersonrecapturedtheEdwardianvisionandstatedhisideasintermsoftranscendentalidealism,andofOversoul;whatEmersonandhisfellowTranscendentalistsendeavoredtodowasinfactprimarilytoreassertthereligiousidealismofPuritanism.46EmersonrecapturedtheEdwardi②TheTranscendentalists’emphasisontheindividualwasdirectlytraceabletothePuritanprincipleofself-cultureandself-improvementasbestexemplifiedbythesuccessstoryofBenjaminFranklin.47②TheTranscendentalists’emph2.RalphWaldoEmersonHeisanphilosopher,poetandprosewriter;themostinfluentialamonghiscontemporaries,andtheleadingfigureandmosteloquentspokesmanofNewEnglandTranscendentalism;hisNatureiscalled“theManifesto”and“theBible”ofNewEnglandTranscendentalism.482.RalphWaldoEmerson171)Emerson’sthought:

①AllthethingsintheuniversearetheembodimentsoftheOversoul;thesoulofmanispartoftheOversoul;manisdivine.

491)Emerson’sthought:18②Theindividualisthemostimportantofall.mancanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect;hebelieved“theinfinitudeofman;menshouldandcouldbeself-reliant;eachmanshouldfeeltheworldashis,andtheworldexistsforhimalone;inthemainoptimisticabouthumanperfectibility.

50②Theindividualisthemosti③NatureisemblematicofGod.ItmediatesbetweenmanandGod;natureisthesymbolofspirit,andthewholesomemoralinfluenceonmanandhischaracter.51③NatureisemblematicofGod.2)Emerson’spositioninAmericanliterature:HisgreatestcontributiontoAmericanliteratureandcultureliesinthefactthathefirmlyadvocatedtheestablishmentofanindependentnationalliteratureandculture.522)Emerson’spositioninAmeriHis“TheAmericanScholar”(aspeechmadeinHarvardCollegein1837,publishedin1838)hasbeenregarded(firstbyOliverWendellHolmes)as“America’sDeclarationofIntellectualIndependence.”53His“TheAmericanScholar”(aHecalledonAmericanwriterstowriteaboutAmericainapeculiarlyAmericanway.Inhisview,everythinginAmericawasworthwriting;theAmericansweregreatintheirownway.Hewasregardedasthestandard-bearer(旗手)oftheindependenceofAmericanculture.54HecalledonAmericanwritersTheAmericanScholarStudyQuestions:1.Inthisexcerptfromtheoration,Emersonspeaksgladlyoftheluckysignsinliteratureandart.Inyourownwords,whatisthefirstofthesesigns?2.Emersonmakesnumerousreferencestoforeignliteraryandacademicfigures.Doesthatmeanheisablindworshipperofforeignauthorities?Whatishispurposeindoingso?3.InwhatsenseisthisorationAmerica’s“IntellectualDeclarationofIndepedence”?4.ListtheideasEmersonistryingtogetacrosstohiscountrymeninthisoration.Whatisthecentralidea?55TheAmericanScholar243.HenryDavidThoreau

1)Thoreau’spositioninAmericanliteratureaprosewriterandpoet,andanotherrenownedNewEnglandTranscendentalist;forhalfacenturyafterhisdeath,heremainedinobscurity,buthe