What is Transcendentalism?

Transcendentalism is the idea that people will go as far as their mind will take them and most transcendentalists will do things that are out of the norm. Transcendentalism is defined by specific traits such as individualism, optimism, intuition, and self reliance. Emerson says that arts and literature can "ravish us into a region whereinto these passionate clouds of sorrow can not rise" on the same document as nature, but not part of the passage, "Nature". This quote shows how Emerson was optimistic after his son died. Emerson is making a claim that immersing yourself into art and literature can help people be optimistic in the worst of times. "To believe in your own thoughts, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men-that is genius" in "Self-Reliance" by Emerson clearly shows the importance of self-reliance and intuition. This quote is saying that believing in yourself in what is right, and listening to your gut feeling is the best thing a person can do. This was a philosophical movement in 1836 and had key figures who spread the idea of transcendentalism.

           Emerson                                                                                       Thoreau