JiangminTranscendentalism超验主义.pptx

Summit of American Romanticism American Transcendentalism,By Jiang Min,Early Romantic Period What is Romanticism? (17981832),An approach from ancient Greek: Plato A literary trend: 18c in Britain The Special Qualities of Romanticism?,1. The spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings 2. the creation of a world of imagination 3. the return to nature for material 4.Sympathy with the humble and glorification of the commonplace 5. Emphasis upon the expression of individual genius 6.The return to Milton and the Elizathbethans for literary models 7. The interest in old stories and Medieval romances 8. A sense of Melancholy and loneliness 9. The rebellious spirit,Features of American Romanticism,American romanticism was in essence the expression of “a real new experience and contained “an alien quality” for the simple reason that “the spirit of the place” was radically new and alien. There is American Puritanism as a cultural heritage to consider. American romantic authors tended more to moralize. Many American romantic writings intended to edify more than they entertained. The “newness” of Americans as a nation is in connection with American Romanticism. As a logical result of the foreign and native factors at work, American romanticism was both imitative and independent.,Representatives,Washington Irving James Fenimore Cooper Leatherstocking Tales (his masterpiece, a series of five novels) (The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Pioneer, The Prairie),Summit of Romanticism American Transcendentalism Background: four sources Unitarianism Fatherhood of God Brotherhood of men Leadership of Jesus Salvation by character (perfection of ones character) Continued progress of mankind Divinity of mankind Depravity of mankind Romantic Idealism Center of the world is spirit, absolute spirit (Kant) Oriental mysticism Center of the world is “oversoul” Puritanism got eloquent expression in transcendentalism,Definition of Transcendentalism,1.The phase of New English Transcendentalism is the summit of American Romanticism.It was,in essence,romanticism on Puritan soil.It was started by a group of people who were members of an informal club,i.e. the Transcendental Club in New England in the 1830s.They expressed their views, published the journal,The Dial. Transcendentalism has been defined philosophically as “the recognition in man of the capacity of knowing truth intuitively,or of attaining knowledge transcending the reach of the senses”.Other concepts that accompanied Transcendentalism include the idea that nature is ennobling and the idea that the individual is divine and,thefore,self-reliant. The representative writers of Transcendentalism are Ralph Waldo Emerson( 1836, “Nature” by EmersonNature，being called “the manifesto of American transcendentalism.” )and Henry David Thoreau.,The word “Transcend”,v.tr 1. .To pass beyond the limits of:超越：超出的限度：emotions that transcend understanding.无法理解的情感 2.To be greater than, as in intensity or power; surpass:胜过：比大，如在强度或力量上，超过：love that transcends infatuation(迷恋). 3.To exist above and independent of (material experience or the universe):超越：高于或独立于（物质经验或宇宙）而生存：“One never can see the thing in itself, because the mind does not transcend phenomena”(Hilaire Belloc)“一个人永远不可能认识事物自身的本质，因为思想无法超越现象”(西莱尔贝洛克) r.（不及物动词）To be transcendent; excel.超过；胜出,Features of Transcendentalism spirit/oversoul importance of individualism nature symbol of spirit/God garment of the oversoul focus in intuition (irrationalism and sub consciousness),Influence,It served as an ethical guide to life for a young nation and brought about the idea that human can be perfected by nature. It stressed religious tolerance, called to throw off shackles of customs and traditions and go forward to the development of a new and distinctly American culture. It advocated idealism that was great needed in a rapidly expanded economy where opportunity often became opportunism, and the desire to “get on” obscured the moral necessity for rising to spiritual height. It helped to create the first American renaissance one of the most prolific period in American literature.,Ralph Waldo Emerson ( the following content is compiled by my colleagues),1803-1882 Unitarian minister After 1832 he met Wordsworth and Coleridge, being influenced by them Poet and essayist Founded the Transcendental Club Popular lecturer Banned from Harvard for 40 years following his Divinity School address Supporter of abolitionism,Emersons Major Works,Nature 1836Emersons most original and significant work, offering the essence of his philosophy of American Transcendentalism The American Scholar 1837America;s literary declaration of independence The Divinity School Address 1838 Essays: First Series 1841 Essays: Second Series 1844,Contain some of his most Profound statements of transcendentalism,Emersons Major Works,6) Representative Men 1850 7) English Traits 1856 8) The Conduct of Life 1860 9) May-Day and Other Pieces 1867,Nature,Most of his major ideas: the need for a new national vision, the use of personal Experience, the notion of the cosmic Over-Soul, and the doctrine of compensationare suggested in his first publication: Nature (1836),Emersons Influence,A great prose-poet, Emerson influenced a long line of American poets, including Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Edwin Arlington Robinson,Wallace Stevens, Hart Crane, and Robert Frost. He is also credited with influencing the philosophies of John Dewey, George Santayana, Friedrich Nietzsche, and William James.,Henry David Thoreau,1817-1862 Schoolteacher, essayist,poet Most famous for Walden and Civil Disobedience Influenced environmental movement Supporter of abolitionism,Civil Disobedience A Plea for John Brown A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers,A record of a canoe excursion, giving observant Comments on nature, man, society and literature,Thoreaus Major Literary Work,A reproduction of Thoreaus cabin with a statue of Thoreau.,Thoreaus Major Literary Works,Waldenregard as a classic American book that explores natural simplicity, harmony, and beauty as models for just social and cultural conditions.,Walden 1854,Moved to a cabin on Walden Pond, on July, 1845; lived there for 2 years,It is,A collection of nature essays A book about man, what he is, And what he should be and must Be Full of ideas expressed to persuade His neighbors out of their complacency,Thoreaus Point of View,Didnt like the way a materialistic America was developing and was strongly outspoken on this point Hated the human injustice as represented by the slavery system Saw nature as a genuine restorative, healthy influence on mans spiritual well-being,Thoreaus Point of View,Had faith in the inner virtue and inward, spiritual grace of man Was very critical of modern civilization He was impatient with his fellowmen Who did not want to spend so little time on self-improvement Had trust in the future,Some quotations from my reading in Chinese on Emerson,1837年爱默生以美国学者为题发表了一篇著名的演讲辞，宣告美国文学已脱离英国文学而独立，告诫美国学者不要让学究习气蔓延，不要盲目地追随传统，不要进行纯粹的摹仿。另外这篇讲辞还抨击了美国社会的拜金主义，强调人的价值。被誉为美国思想文化领域的“独立宣言”。,爱默生与他的学说，是美国最重要的世俗宗教。 他的思想被称为超验主义的核心，他本人则被冠以“美国的文艺复兴领袖”之美誉。 爱默生的论文集赞美了人要信赖自我的主张，这样的人相信自己是所有人的代表，因为他感知到了普遍的真理。爱默生以一个超验主义名的口吻，平静地叙说着他对世界的看法、超验主义结合并渗透了新柏拉图主义和类似加尔文教派的一种严肃道德观和那种能在一切自然中发现上帝之爱的浪漫派乐观主义。,爱默生在自信一文中对自知与自爱作了较为详细地论述：“相信你自己的思想，相信你内心深处认为是正确的，对所有的人也是正确的那就是天才。说你潜在地有罪，是有普通意义的；因为最内心的东西在适合的的候会成为最表面的东西，当末日审判来临时，我们最初的思想复归于我们。正如心灵的呼声属于每个人，我们认为最高的功绩属于摩西、柏拉图和弥尔顿，他们蔑视任何书籍和传统，讲的不是人们的想法，而是他们自己的想法。一个人应该学会发现和观察自己内心深处闪烁的微