Transcendentalism

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Transcendentalism

• Cecilia H. C. Liu
• American Literature I
• 11/8/2004

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Unitarianism Equalitarianism Rationalism Brotherho
od of man Deityimmanent principle
implicit in all men
Transcendentalism
Puritanism Pervasive moralist Inner
light intuition
Political influences Andrew Jacksonian
Democracy Egalitarianism
Oriental philosophy Hinduism Taoism
Greek nature Philosophy Platonism
German philosophy Individuality Self-assertion Se
lf-transcendence Reason
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Andrew Jacksonian Democracy

• Jackson, Andrew, 17671845, 7th President of the
  United States (182937), b. Waxhaw settlement on
  the border of South Carolina and North Carolina
  (both states claim him).
• Popular hero of his time, a man of action, and an
  expansionist, Jackson was associated with the
  movement toward increased popular participation
  in government. He was regarded by many as the
  symbol of the democratic feelings of the time,
  and later generations were to speak of Jacksonian
  democracy.
• Sourcehttp//www.encyclopedia.com/html/section/Ja
  cksoA_JacksonianDemocracy.asp
• http//www.factmonster.com/ce6/people/A0858962.htm
  l

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Equalitarianism Unitarianism

• the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the
  desirability of political and economic and social
  equality
• egalitarianism

• Christian doctrine that stresses individual
  freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity

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Emerson (1803-82)

• God reveals himself everywhere and in all things,
  at all times.
• Nature is the revelation of Godmatter is the
  manifestation of spirit.
• Reason beholds spirit in nature understanding
  comprehends only matter.
• Reasons communion with nature as spirit can
  redeem man by animating his spiritual affinities.

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• Emerson awakes national pride and confidence,
  makes every man realize his own value. He
  encourages his people that they can do something
  by themselves. His matured philosophy of
  individualism functions through the relations of
  the self with God, or the Over-Soulwhich is
  another name for the moral law inherent in
  nature.

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• Emersons basic philosophical ideas were formed
  before he gained any real knowledge of Asian
  literature. When he discovered Asian wisdom, he
  welcomed it. He especially found Hinduisms
  teaching of absolute unity very harmonious with
  his transcendental ideas. He responded less to
  Buddhism and Chinese thought than to Indian
  philosophy, but it seems he eventually also
  gained much from China.
• See Carpenter, Frederic Ives. Emerson and Asia.
  Cambridge Harvard UP, 1930.

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Hinduism

• Hinduism is the world's third most popular
  religion, with around 900 million followers.
• Those who follow this faith are known as Hindus.
• About 80 of the population of India regard
  themselves as Hindus.
• Hinduism is the fourth most popular religion in
  Britain with around 400,000 followers.

http//www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/i
ndex.shtml
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Bare Essentials of Hinduism

• Hinduism is over 3000 years old, although
  elements of the faith are much older.
• No founder, single teacher, nor prophets.
• Not a single unified religion.
• Originated near the river Indus.
• Hindus believe in a universal soul or God called
  Brahman.
• There are many other deities such as Krishna,
  Shiva, Rama and Durga.
• Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of
  birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma.