The New England The New England RenaissanceRenaissance

Romanticism, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Transcendentalism,

Anti-Anti-TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

The Movement and The Movement and The PeopleThe People

New England RenaissanceNew England Renaissance

• A movement of artistic, intellectual A movement of artistic, intellectual enlightenment that took place, enlightenment that took place, approximately, during the years of approximately, during the years of 1840-1860, primarily in New 1840-1860, primarily in New England.England.

• There was a flourishing of American There was a flourishing of American literature, poetry, ideas, etc.literature, poetry, ideas, etc.

• It occurred at a critical time in It occurred at a critical time in American HistoryAmerican History

Influential People in theInfluential People in the New England Renaissance New England Renaissance

• Ralph Waldo Emerson – the primary Ralph Waldo Emerson – the primary intellectual/philosophical voice of 19intellectual/philosophical voice of 19thth Century America – his writings Century America – his writings Nature, Nature, ““The American Scholar,” and “Self The American Scholar,” and “Self Reliance,” established the belief of Reliance,” established the belief of individualism. True religion resides individualism. True religion resides within the individual, not in religious within the individual, not in religious doctrines such as Christianity, or in a doctrines such as Christianity, or in a church.church.

Influential People inInfluential People in New England Renaissance New England Renaissance

• Henry David Thoreau – the protégé of Henry David Thoreau – the protégé of Ralph Waldo Emerson, was also very Ralph Waldo Emerson, was also very influential. He was a proponent peaceful influential. He was a proponent peaceful methods of conflict resolution, his essay,methods of conflict resolution, his essay,

Civil Disobedience Civil Disobedience expresses these ideas expresses these ideas and influenced both Martin Luther King and influenced both Martin Luther King and Ghandi. His work, and Ghandi. His work, Walden, Walden, describes describes the time he spent near Walden Pond the time he spent near Walden Pond conducting an experiment of simple living.conducting an experiment of simple living.

• There were many other influential There were many other influential writers, reformists, educators, poets of writers, reformists, educators, poets of this time as well, who recognized and this time as well, who recognized and informed people of the ills of society, informed people of the ills of society, and a growing discontent and a growing discontent

• A general dissatisfaction existed over A general dissatisfaction existed over harsh working conditions, harsh working conditions, prohibitiveness of poverty, inadequate prohibitiveness of poverty, inadequate educational opportunities, educational opportunities, discrimination of women, outcry over discrimination of women, outcry over the continued existence of slavery, the continued existence of slavery, etc. etc.

• At the same time there was optimism At the same time there was optimism in America over the progress made in in America over the progress made in science and technology.science and technology.

• There were soil and mineral surveys, There were soil and mineral surveys, invention of machine tools and the invention of machine tools and the reaper, roads, canals and railroads reaper, roads, canals and railroads were being built at a phenomenal were being built at a phenomenal rate and the 1rate and the 1stst telegraph line – 1844 telegraph line – 1844

• America was ripe for reform and America was ripe for reform and change and the country was on the change and the country was on the cusp of huge changescusp of huge changes

RomanticismRomanticism• This movement incorporates all of the This movement incorporates all of the

arts, and is typically characterized by arts, and is typically characterized by emphasis on the awesome qualities of emphasis on the awesome qualities of nature.nature.

• Writers during this time period, Writers during this time period, particularly, Edgar Allen Poe and particularly, Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne also included an Nathaniel Hawthorne also included an element of the supernatural/occult element of the supernatural/occult and human psychologyand human psychology

TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

• An early 19An early 19thth Century, philosophical Century, philosophical movement that stressed movement that stressed individualism, intuition, nature, and individualism, intuition, nature, and self-reliance. Contemplation of self-reliance. Contemplation of objects in nature could permit people objects in nature could permit people to transcend the world and discover to transcend the world and discover union with the ‘over-soul’ that unites union with the ‘over-soul’ that unites us all.us all.

Anti-TranscendentalismAnti-Transcendentalism• The anti-transcendentalist rejected the The anti-transcendentalist rejected the

optimism of the transcendentalists and optimism of the transcendentalists and had a more pessimistic view of the had a more pessimistic view of the world. Nature was viewed as vast and world. Nature was viewed as vast and incomprehensible and reflected a incomprehensible and reflected a struggle between good and evil. They struggle between good and evil. They also believed the concept of also believed the concept of individualism of the transcendentalists individualism of the transcendentalists encouraged depravity and selfishnessencouraged depravity and selfishness

• Anti-transcendentalist writers include: Anti-transcendentalist writers include: Poe, Hawthorne and Herman MelvillePoe, Hawthorne and Herman Melville

A Time of ChangeA Time of Change• There was a movement for reform during There was a movement for reform during

this time period that encompassed this time period that encompassed education, women’s rights, and civil rights education, women’s rights, and civil rights among all particularly, a call for an among all particularly, a call for an abolition of the institution of slavery.abolition of the institution of slavery.

• Women did not achieve suffrage until 1920Women did not achieve suffrage until 1920

• The Emancipation Proclamation did not The Emancipation Proclamation did not occur until 1862, while the Civil War still occur until 1862, while the Civil War still was being wagedwas being waged

• Tax supported public education came into Tax supported public education came into existenceexistence

Research papers will be based Research papers will be based upon your randomly selected upon your randomly selected author from this time period author from this time period that may be either that may be either transcendentalist, anti-transcendentalist, anti-transcendentalist, romanticist, transcendentalist, romanticist, or someone who falls into or someone who falls into more than one categorymore than one category