Transcendetalism- A Comparision Of Emerson And Thoreau Essay, Research Paper

Ralph Waldo Emerson: Nature

Traversing a bare common, in snow puddles, at dusk, under a clouded sky, without holding in my ideas any happening of particular good luck, I have enjoyed perfect excitement. Almost I fear to believe how glad I am. In the forests excessively, a adult male casts off his old ages, as the serpent his gangrene, and at what period soever of life, is ever a kid. In the forests, is ageless young person.

Henry David Thoreau: Waldon Where I Lived, and What I Lived For

I did non wish to populate what was non life, life is so beloved ; non did I wish to pattern surrender, unless it was rather necessary. I wanted to populate deep and suck out all the marrow of life

Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were two of the most influential authors of the nineteenth century. Emerson is considered the male parent of Transcendentalism. He was a optimistic author who appealed to both the intellectuals and the general populace. He wrote approximately many things, including positions on nature, the person, and the hereafter. Thoreau came after Emerson and was a hard adult male who appeared to be a failure. After going to Walden Pond, he wrote his most celebrated book, Walden. He supported individuality and the thought of non conforming to society. Emerson influenced Thoreau s thoughts, but they both had their individualistic manners. Emerson appears to be superior in both the effectivity of his manner and the conveyance of his nonnatural thoughts.

Both Thoreau and Emerson use paradoxes in the transitions above. In the phrase, Almost I fear to believe how glad I am, Emerson presents a contradiction ; it seems self-contradictory that he fears his felicity. The phrase shows the complexness of what Emerson feels. He is showing that, in his province of head, he is so improbably happy that it scares him. It is about as if he is in incredulity. This paradox is really simple and precise, yet it presents a really powerful disclosure. Thoreau uses a paradox in the line, I did non wish to populate what was non life, life is so beloved. Literally, how can one unrecorded something that is non life? It makes no sense. But, in a deeper sense, the statement reveals Thoreau s composite thought that he didn t merely want to populate, he wanted to populate, an

vitamin D acquire all he could out of life. This paradox, although peculiarly thought provoking, is non as straightforward and direct as Emerson s, so it loses some of its effectivity.

Both authors make usage of nonliteral linguistic communication. Emerson uses a simile in the words, a adult male casts off his old ages, like the serpent his gangrene. This phrase compares old ages and a serpent s tegument, two really dissimilar things, but it compares them in a manner that makes sense. The simile, although simple, creates a clear, graphic image in the reader s head. Thoreau s metaphor in the sentence, I wanted to populate deep and suck out all the marrow of life, vividly expresses his thought that he wanted to populate so smartly and acquire everything he could out of life. This metaphor, although more complex than Emerson s simile, lacks the lucidity that the simile contains. Therefore, it is less effectual in the eyes of the reader. Alternatively or being flowery and flowery, both authors use a really field, common usage of enunciation. This makes the composing more direct and easier for the reader to understand.

Thoreau s transition chiefly stresses the thought that one should acquire all they can out of life. This relates to the nonnatural thought that more of import than a concern about the hereafter, should be a concern for this life. The overall nonnatural thought that Emerson conveys in the transition is that God can be found anyplace in nature. In nature, a individual is non judged by his visual aspect or age ; he is regarded as fresh and new. The two transitions convey different nonnatural thoughts, but Emerson does a better occupation of conveying the basic thought of Transcendentalism. Because Emerson was more effectual in manner, his nonnatural thoughts were portrayed better. Emerson s thoughts are more of import to the philosophical motion because they do a better occupation of explicating the thoughts of nature and individuality.

Both Thoreau and Emerson were of import Transcendental authors who shaped the civilization and thought of America today. Their influence can be seen in all parts of society today, from the individualistic vesture manners to the new self-help therapy books. In decision, Emerson, the male parent of Transcendentalism, as a whole, was a more effectual author. Thoreau, although a great litterateur and author, did non win in exceling Emerson in his authorship manners.