Taking a Look at the Transcendental Movement - 1455 Words

The transcendental movement arose in the early nineteenth century. This literary, political, and philosophical movement was, and still continues to be, closely associated with both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau were both extremely intellectual men of their time and are now the figureheads of transcendentalism. In the simplest terms, to â€Å"transcend† means to rise above and beyond the norms of society ¾ not physically, but mentally. Transcendentalists, such as Emerson and Thoreau, believed that for one to determine the ultimate reality of God, the universe, and the self, one had to transcend everyday human experiences. Ideas that form the basis of transcendentalism are still continuously being used today in popular culture, such as in films, novels, and even songs. One instance of a modern text in which the aspects of transcendentalism are incorporated extensively is the 1989 film, Dead Poets Society. The film shows that transcending and wanting to make change for the better is in and of itself something positive. However, it becomes evident during countless scenes in the movie, and most clearly at the end, that rising above the norm leads to neither anything good nor positive. Throughout the movie, Dead Poets Society, many key and fundamental elements of transcendentalism are presented in a way which subsequently sheds a new light on the ideas of transcendentalism and its place in modern-day society, or better yet, its lack of place.Show MoreRelatedEssay about Transcendentalism and the Hunger Games1102 Words   |  5 Pages a character who possesses many transcendental qualities. The Hunger Games displays many transcendental values and shows that living a transcendental life is positive and will improve one’s quality of life. Nature is a major transcendental value which both Emerson and Thoreau thrive off of. Emerson said in â€Å"Nature†, â€Å"In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows† (Emerson 182). This quote exemplifies the transcendental belief that nature is fulfillingRead MoreHenry David Thoreau, Walden, and Transcendental Values for Education1000 Words   |  4 PagesHenry David Thoreau was testing transcendental values when he took up residence at Walden Pond in 1845. During his time of simple living at the pond, he studied nature and applied those observations to humans and everyday life. He was always learning from the woods, pond, meadows and animals in the natural world around him. Nature was his classroom and everything was an opportunity to learn. In Thoreau’s book, Walden , written at the pond, he theorized that education could come through an intimacyRead MoreTranscendentalism and a Celebrity Transcendentalist: Le onardo DiCaprio752 Words   |  4 Pagesthe â€Å"going green† movement and being â€Å"eco-friendly† is all a part of transcendentalism, and people who support these movements are transcendentalists. Leonardo DiCaprio, a multi millionaire, lives his life eco-friendly, and donates millions of dollars to protect our environment. By doing this, he is showing that he values the environment and nature more than he values material items, which is part of being a transcendentalist. DiCaprio is also an advocate for the gay rights movement. The other partRead MoreTranscendentalism Essay1866 Words   |  8 Pagesmessage encompasses the whole ideology of transcendentalism. The transcendentalist were a group of individuals attempting to pave their own path in the world. Without them the progression of women’s rights, anti-slavery laws and various religious movements would slow tremendously. The American history of transcendentalism is often attributed to the struggles of a single man. In early 1831, Boston pastor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who had his faith tested when his wife passed. With the industrial revolutionRead MoreNeo-Marxist Filmmakers1365 Words   |  5 Pages The illusion was needed for their willing participation in the new industrial style of production that actually took away the remains of their self-control. Baudry found ideological properties in the film apparatus itself that constitute a â€Å"transcendental† concentrated subject, and therefore induce a willingness to cooperate with the capitalist mode of production. An observer who accepts the position set by a painting, whereby his or hers eye overlays the painting’s point of view, experiencesRead MoreTranscendentalism in Civil Disobedience3710 Words   |  15 Pages3 Introduction Henry David Thoreau was part of a movement called American Transcendentalism. To illuminate Thoreaus under standing of democracy, political action and justice this paper will focus on the influence transcendentalism had on his ideas and ideals in his essay Resistance to Civil Government better known as Civil Disobedience. Mostly found in his naturalist writings like Walden, The Maine Woods or his journals, Thoreaus transcendental influences shape his political writings just asRead MoreThe Problem Of Living A Healthy Lifestyle Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pagesingrained into our heads, not â€Å"you need to be skinny†. Magazines and television have been the prime source of these issues. With the lack of variety in body sizes televised have brought fear in our children and leading them to be ashamed of how they look. Some may give up because they fear they will never become â€Å"skinny†. Being â€Å"fat† was never the problem. The problem is being unhealthy and not having the chance to live a medically stress free life. The numbers are growing in child obesity based onR ead More Gothic and Romanesque Cathedrals Essay1289 Words   |  6 Pagesemphasis was on transcendental and feudalistic systems whereas in the Gothic this approach was humanized and individualized. The Gothic architecture emphasized upward movement towards god, a feeling that cannot be found in a Romanesque basilica although it might hav already pointed arches, a key element of gothic architecture. There is just a differnt feeling in the Gothic architecture gives and overwhelming feeling of mysticism, the dominant spiritual and philosophical movement. The Gothic periodRead MoreGothic and Romanesque Cathedrals Essay1296 Words   |  6 Pagesemphasis was on transcendental and feudalistic systems whereas in the Gothic this approach was humanized and individualized. The Gothic architecture emphasized upward movement towards god, a feeling that cannot be found in a Romanesque basilica although it might hav already pointed arches, a key element of gothic architecture. There is just a different feeling in the Gothic architecture gives and overwhelming feeling of mysticism, the dominant spiritual and philosophical movement. The GothicRead MoreBy the end of the eighteenth century, thought gradually moved towards a new trend called1200 Words   |  5 Pagesthe material world where natural laws were realized then Romanticism is its opposite. Romanticism emphasized the individual, the subjective, the irrational, the imaginative, the personal, the spontaneous, the emotional, the visionary, and the transcendental (Forsyth, Romanticism). It began in Germany and England in the eighteenth century and by the late 1820s swept through Europe and then swiftly made its way to the Western world. The romantics overthrew the philosophical ways of thinking during