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Transcendentalism Characteristics

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Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Amos Bronson, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody and Margaret Fuller are names that are linked with transcendentalism. The American Transcendentalism, which occurred from 1820s to 1860s, was a literary, political, and philosophical movement. During this time there were many different ideas of what transcendentalism was based on, which caused the transcendentalist movement to be more noticeable. Three characteristics that transformed American Transcendentalism into a highly influential movement in the mid 19th century are the connection to nature, the right to question the government, and being able to rely on yourself. The person considered as the father of transcendentalism is Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1836, Emerson published a book on Nature, consequently to the power of nature. Therefore, in the sentence “To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature,” which points out how sometime adults ignore the true beauty of nature. As people grow up they stop taking the time recognize the importance of nature. So, Emerson includes the following significant sentence, “The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they …show more content…

The sentence “That government is best which governs least”, which points out his belief that it is okay to have a government. However, what is not acceptable is to let the government have so much control over the citizens. Hence, Thoreau included the following sentence “I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government”, to supports the idea of having a better government. The government occasionally takes advantage of the people, even though the government would be nothing without the “approval”of the people. This proves how society needed a change in order to receive what the people really deserve, which is sincerity of the

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