Transcendentalism Bell Work Grab the sheet of notes

Transcendentalism

Bell Work • Grab the sheet of notes on the “daily handouts” table. • Sit down and start going over it (you will be quizzed on it after the PPT).

Target: • Students will identify significant qualities of Transcendentalism-era authors/works. • STANDARD: Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational works of American literature

What does “transcendentalism” mean? • There is an ideal spiritual state which “transcends” the physical and empirical. • A loose collection of eclectic ideas about literature, philosophy, religion, social reform, and the general state of American culture. • Transcendentalism had different meanings for each person involved in the movement.

Where did it come from? • Ralph Waldo Emerson gave German philosopher Immanuel Kant credit for popularizing the term “transcendentalism. ” • It began as a reform movement in the Unitarian church. • It is not a religion—more accurately, it is a philosophy or form of spirituality. • It centered around Boston and Concord, MA. in the mid-1800’s. • Emerson first expressed his philosophy of transcendentalism in his essay Nature.

What did Transcendentalists believe? The intuitive faculty, instead of the rational or sensical, became the means for a conscious union of the individual psyche (known in Sanskrit as Atman) with the world psyche also known as the Oversoul, life-force, prime mover and God (known in Sanskrit as Brahma).

Basic Premise #1 An individual is the spiritual center of the universe, and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a rejection of the existence of God, but a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of an individual.

Basic Premise #2 The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self—all knowledge, therefore, begins with selfknowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself. "

Basic Premise #3 Transcendentalists accepted the concept of nature as a living mystery, full of signs; nature is symbolic.

Basic Premise #4 The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon self-realization —this depends upon the reconciliation of two universal psychological tendencies: 1. The desire to embrace the whole world— to know and become one with the world. 2. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate—an egotistical existence.

Who were the Transcendentalists? • Ralph Waldo Emerson • Henry David Thoreau • Margaret Fuller

Ralph Waldo Emerson • • 1803 -1882 Unitarian minister Poet and essayist Founded the Transcendental Club • Popular lecturer • Banned from Harvard for 40 years following his Divinity School address • Supporter of abolitionism

Henry David Thoreau • 1817 -1862 • Schoolteacher, essayist, poet • Most famous for Walden and Civil Disobedience • Influenced environmental movement • Supporter of abolitionism

Margaret Fuller • 1810 -1850 • Journalist, critic, women’s rights activist • First editor of The Dial, a transcendental journal • First female journalist to work on a major newspaper—The New York Tribune • Taught at Alcott’s Temple School

NOW • Put your notes away – it’s time for trashketball. 2 teams Rotate questions Right answer = chance to shoot Scorekeeper Winning team = 2 bonus points

Q 1 • Name a writer associated with transcendentalism (need first and last name).

Q 2 • Name a second writer associated with transcendentalism (need first and last name).

Q 3 • Name a third writer associated with transcendentalism (need first and last name).

Q 4 • To which German philosopher did Ralph Waldo Emerson give credit for popularizing the term “transcendentalism? ”

A 4 • Kant

Q 5 • True/False? • “Transcendentalists believed inr ationalism over intuition. ”

A 5 • False: • Intuition over Rationalism

Q 6 • What is the missing term? • The intuitive faculty, instead of the rational or sensical, became the means for a conscious union of the individual psyche (known in Sanskrit as Atman) with the world psyche also known as the ____, lifeforce, prime mover and God (known in Sanskrit as Brahma).

A 6 • What is the missing term? • The intuitive faculty, instead of the rational or sensical, became the means for a conscious union of the individual psyche (known in Sanskrit as Atman) with the world psyche also known as the OVERSOUL, life -force, prime mover and God (known in Sanskrit as Brahma).

Q 7 • Which rule breaker transcendentalist was banned from Harvard for 40 years following her/his Divinity school address? • Thoreau • Emerson • Fuller

A 7 • Which rule breaker transcendentalist was banned from Harvard for 40 years following her/his Divinity school address? • Thoreau • EMERSON • Fuller

Q 8 • Which transcendentalist was most famous for Walden & Civil Disobedience? • Thoreau • Emerson • Fuller

A 8 • Which transcendentalist was most famous for Walden & Civil Disobedience? • Thoreau • Emerson • Fuller

Q 9 • Which transcendentalist founded the Transcendental club? • Thoreau • Emerson • Fuller

A 9 • Which transcendentalist founded the Transcendental club? • Thoreau • Emerson • Fuller

Q 10 Which premise was this? The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon self-realization— this depends upon the reconciliation of two universal psychological tendencies: 1. The desire to embrace the whole world— to know and become one with the world. 2. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate—an egotistical existence.

A 10 - #4 Which premise was this? The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon self-realization— this depends upon the reconciliation of two universal psychological tendencies: 1. The desire to embrace the whole world— to know and become one with the world. 2. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate—an egotistical existence.

Q 11 Which premise was this? The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self—all knowledge, therefore, begins with selfknowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself. ”

A 11 - #2 Which premise was this? The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self—all knowledge, therefore, begins with selfknowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself. ”

Q 12 Fill in the blank: Transcendentalists accepted the concept of nature as a living ________, full of signs; nature is symbolic.

A 12 Fill in the blank: Transcendentalists accepted the concept of nature as a living MYSTERY, full of signs; nature is symbolic.

Q 13 Fill in the blank: • [Transcendentalism] is not a _______—more accurately, it is a philosophy or form of spirituality.

A 13 Fill in the blank: • [Transcendentalism] is not a RELIGION—more accurately, it is a philosophy or form of spirituality.

Q 14 Fill in the blank: • [Transcendentalism] is an ideal spiritual state which “___________” the physical and empirical.

A 14 Fill in the blank: • [Transcendentalism] is an ideal spiritual state which “TRANSCENDS” the physical and empirical.

Q 15 Fill in the blank: 1. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate —an ___________ existence.

A 15 Fill in the blank: 1. The desire to withdraw, remain unique and separate —an EGOTISTICAL existence.

Q 16 Fill in the blanks: An ____is the spiritual center of the universe, and in an ____can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself.

A 16 Fill in the blanks: An “individual” is the spiritual center of the universe, and in an “individual” can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself.

Q 17 True or false: Transcendentalism had different meanings for those involved in the movement.

A 17 TRUE or false: Transcendentalism had different meanings for those involved in the movement.

Q 18 Transcendentalism began in the mida. 1400’s b. 1500’s c. 1600’s d. 1700’s e. 1800’s f. 1900’s

A 18 Transcendentalism began in the mida. 1400’s b. 1500’s c. 1600’s d. 1700’s e. 1800’s f. 1900’s

Q 19 Name this transcendentalist: Editor of The Dial, a transcendetal journal…also worked on the New York Tribune (need first & last name)

A 19 Name this transcendentalist: Editor of The Dial, a transcendetal journal…also worked on the New York Tribune (A: Margaret Fuller)

Q 20 What was so historic about Margaret Fuller’s position on the New York Tribune?

A 20 What was so historic about Margaret Fuller’s position on the New York Tribune? A: She was the first female journalist to work on a major newspaper.

Scorekeeper • Write down the winning team’s names.

HOMEWORK: