3 Key Elements of Transcendentalism

3 Key Elements of Transcendentalism

Civil Disobedience

Self-reliance

Nonconformity

Henry David Thoreau

Henry Thoreau was one of the founding leaders of the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. Henry believed in the power and obligations of individuals to determine the right from the wrong,) independent of the dictates of society). Henry wrote an essay called "Civil Disobedience", in which he talks about just and unjust laws and how we as citizens react to them laws. Henry opens his essay saying "That government is best which governs least..." At this time, he was talking more about unjust laws then just laws. An unjust law is basically "a human law that is not rooted in eternal and natural law." During this time Henry inspired people to declare their individuality, in their own way. Civil disobedience was an important element of his time, and still shows affect today.

Ralph Emerson was one of the founding leaders of the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. Emerson pushed strongly towards declaring true independence; he wrote an essay about this called "Self Reliance". In that essay he explains that one should follow their own voice, rather than an intermediary's'; and that one should follow their individual will instead of upholding to social expectations. Emerson defined Self-reliance as true independence.

Dr. King was an advocate of transcendentalism during the Civil Right movement. Martin admired Emerson's work and his ideal of self-reliance. In Martin's "Letter from the Birmingham Jail", he talks about just and unjust laws. Additionally he pushed Americans to "actively but peacefully oppose laws that were morally wrong." Martin lived in a period called the "Black Power Movement", in which he pushed for independence and equality of which their government didn't give them. The founders of Transcendentalism fought for the same thing, and shared the same beliefs and key elements of transcendentalism.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dr. Martin Luther King