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1、Transcendentalism （1830s-1850s ）1What is Transcendentalism? p56l lTranscendentalism is the summit of the Romantic Movement in the history of American literature in the 19th century. l lTranscendentalism has been defined philosophically as “the recognition in man of the capacity of knowing truth intu
2、itively”. l lTranscendentalists place emphasis on the importance of the Over-soul, the individual and Nature.l lThe most important representatives are Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.2n n超验主义超验主义超验主义超验主义(transcendentalism)(transcendentalism)的核心观点是主张人的核心观点是主张人的核心观点是主张人的核心观点是主张人能超越感觉和理性而直接
3、认识真理，认为人类世能超越感觉和理性而直接认识真理，认为人类世能超越感觉和理性而直接认识真理，认为人类世能超越感觉和理性而直接认识真理，认为人类世界的一切都是宇宙的一个缩影界的一切都是宇宙的一个缩影界的一切都是宇宙的一个缩影界的一切都是宇宙的一个缩影-世界将其自身缩世界将其自身缩世界将其自身缩世界将其自身缩小成为一滴露水小成为一滴露水小成为一滴露水小成为一滴露水 （爱默生语）。超验主义者强调（爱默生语）。超验主义者强调（爱默生语）。超验主义者强调（爱默生语）。超验主义者强调万物本质上的统一，万物皆受万物本质上的统一，万物皆受万物本质上的统一，万物皆受万物本质上的统一，万物皆受 超灵超灵超灵超灵
4、 制约，而人制约，而人制约，而人制约，而人类灵魂与类灵魂与类灵魂与类灵魂与 超灵超灵超灵超灵 一致。这种对人之神圣的肯定使一致。这种对人之神圣的肯定使一致。这种对人之神圣的肯定使一致。这种对人之神圣的肯定使超验主义者蔑视外部的权威与传统，依赖自己的超验主义者蔑视外部的权威与传统，依赖自己的超验主义者蔑视外部的权威与传统，依赖自己的超验主义者蔑视外部的权威与传统，依赖自己的直接经验。直接经验。直接经验。直接经验。 相信你自己相信你自己相信你自己相信你自己 这句爱默生的名言，成这句爱默生的名言，成这句爱默生的名言，成这句爱默生的名言，成为超验主义者座右铭。这种超验主义观点强调人为超验主义者座右铭。
5、这种超验主义观点强调人为超验主义者座右铭。这种超验主义观点强调人为超验主义者座右铭。这种超验主义观点强调人的主观能动性，有助于打破加尔文教的的主观能动性，有助于打破加尔文教的的主观能动性，有助于打破加尔文教的的主观能动性，有助于打破加尔文教的 人性恶人性恶人性恶人性恶 、 命定论命定论命定论命定论 等教条的束缚，为热情奔放，抒发个性等教条的束缚，为热情奔放，抒发个性等教条的束缚，为热情奔放，抒发个性等教条的束缚，为热情奔放，抒发个性的浪漫主义文学奠定了思想基础。的浪漫主义文学奠定了思想基础。的浪漫主义文学奠定了思想基础。的浪漫主义文学奠定了思想基础。3 Resourcesn nA. Purit
6、an heritage P58At the end of the 18th century people gradually felt boring about the strict Calvinism. At the same time with the development of science and technology, Americans suspected the old religion. Thus, Unitarianism（唯一理教）（唯一理教） appeared. It was a developed school from the Transcendentalism.
7、 It stressed continual progress of mankind rather than old religions mans total depravity”. 4Resourcesn nB. Foreign influenceGerman Philosophy, especially Kant（康德）Ancient Indian and Chinese works, such as Confucius and MenciusP585Oversoul 超灵超灵 and individual souln nThe Oversoul is an all-pervading p
8、ower for goodness, omnipresent and omnipotent, from which all things came and of which all were a part.n nAs the individual soul could commune with God, it was, therefore, divine. n nWith the assumption of the innate goodness of humanity, it held that the individual soul could reach God without the
9、help of churches or clergy.6 Spirit / Oversoul is the most important thing in the universe.Features P57It exists in nature and man alike and constituted the universe. It is omnipresent (present everywhere) and omnipotent (able to do anything) （a new way of looking at the world）7FeaturesThe Transcend
10、entalists stressed the importance of individualismThe individual soul communed with the Oversoul and was therefore divine. The regeneration of society could only come about through the regeneration of the individual. His perfection should be the first concern of his life. The ideal type of man was t
11、he self-reliant individual（a new way of looking at man）8Featuresnature is the symbol of spirit/the garment of the Oversoul Nature was alive, filled with Gods overwhelming presence. The physical world was a symbol of the spiritual.Nature could exercise a healthy and restorative influence on the human
12、 mind. （a new way of looking at nature）9 Significance nA. influenced a large group of writersB. summit of American RomanticismC. marked the independence of American literature10Transcendentalism: quotesn n“ “The Universe is composed of Nature and the Soul. Spirit is present everywhere.”11Transcenden
13、talism: quotesn n“Go back to nature, sink yourself back into its influence and youll become spiritually whole again.” 12Transcendentalism: quotesn n“Standing on the bare ground, -my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, -all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent ey
14、e-ball.” 13Ralph Waldo Emerson 拉尔夫拉尔夫沃尔多沃尔多爱默生（爱默生（1803-1882）l lPoet l lEssayistl lPopular lecturer l lFather of Transcendentalism14 Lifen nA. born in a clergymans family in New EnglandB. graduated from HarvardC. a Unitarian ministerD. abandoned Unitarianism and went to Europe searching for truthE.
15、founded a Transcendentalists Club and published a journalF. traveled and gave lectures; quite influential15Ralph Waldo Emerson: major works Nature 自然 (1836) ：“the manifesto of American transcendentalism” and “the Bible of New England Transcendentalism.”The American Scholar 美国学者(1837)： Americas Decla
16、ration of Intellectual Independence Self-Reliance 论自助: the importance of cultivating oneself16 Aesthetics n na. In Emersons opinion, poets should function as preachers who gave directions to the mass.b. True poetry should serve as a moral purificationc. The argument (or his thought or experience) sh
17、ould decide the form of the poem instead of traditional techniques.17Aestheticsn nd. The poets should express his thought in symbols.e. Poets should use words for their pictorial and imaginative meaning.f. As to theme, Emerson called upon American authors to writer about peculiar American matters.18
18、Evaluation to him1)1)He was the first American to call for an independent culture in both Nature and The American Scholar.( (Americas Declaration of Intellectual Independence).).He called on American writers to write about America in a way peculiarly American. 2)2)Emersons aesthetics places emphasis
19、 on ideas, symbol, and imaginative words, which brought about a revolution in American literature in general and in American poetry in particular. 19Evaluation to him1)1)He embodied a new nations desire and struggle to assert its own identity in its formative period. 2)2)In modern times he is someti
20、mes dismissed as having no sense of evil, and his optimistic philosophy as so much Transcendentalist folly. 20Limitation n nHis reputation fell in the 20th century because he His reputation fell in the 20th century because he firmly believed human and human society could be firmly believed human and
21、 human society could be better. It seemed that he had no sense of evil and too better. It seemed that he had no sense of evil and too opitimistic about human nature and the society. opitimistic about human nature and the society. Somebody once called this kind of optimism Somebody once called this k
22、ind of optimism Transcendental folly.Transcendental folly.* * 爱默生的散文富于哲理，多格言警句，在中国爱默生的散文富于哲理，多格言警句，在中国有多种译文。中国著名的女作家张爱玲曾经翻译有多种译文。中国著名的女作家张爱玲曾经翻译过爱默生的散文，目前她的译本已由三联书店出过爱默生的散文，目前她的译本已由三联书店出版。版。21Textual StudyNature自然自然22Quotesn nTo go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as fro
23、m society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design,
24、to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. 23Textual StudySelf-reliance论自助论自助24Introductionn nSelf-Reliance is widely considered to be the definitive statement of Ralph Waldo Emersons philosophy of individualism and the finest example of his prose. n nEmerson was kno
25、wn for his repeated use of the phrase trust thyself. Self-Reliance is his explanationboth systematic and passionateof what he meant by this and of why he was moved to make it his catch-phrase.25Theme: Individualismn nEmerson calls on individuals to value their own Emerson calls on individuals to val
26、ue their own thoughts, opinions, and experiences above those thoughts, opinions, and experiences above those presented to them by other individuals, society, and presented to them by other individuals, society, and religion. religion. n nThis radical individualism springs from Emersons This radical
27、individualism springs from Emersons belief that each individual is not just unique but belief that each individual is not just unique but divinelydivinely unique; i.e., each individual is a unique unique; i.e., each individual is a unique expression of Gods creativity and will. expression of Gods cr
28、eativity and will. n nFurther, since Emersons God is purposeful, He Further, since Emersons God is purposeful, He molded each individual to serve a particular molded each individual to serve a particular purpose, to do a certain work that only he or she is purpose, to do a certain work that only he
29、or she is equipped to carry out.equipped to carry out.26Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)n nSchoolteacher, essayist, poetn nOne leader of Transcendentalismn nMost famous for Walden and Civil Disobedience27Lifen nA. Born in a common family in New EnglandA. Born in a common family in New EnglandB. Gradu
30、ated from Harvard, but only stayed at B. Graduated from Harvard, but only stayed at home and helped family businesshome and helped family businessC. A friend of EmersonC. A friend of EmersonD. Active in social life and had a strong sense of D. Active in social life and had a strong sense of justice
31、(Example: He once refused to pay a poll-justice (Example: He once refused to pay a poll-tax of 2 dollars because he felt the tax was unfair, tax of 2 dollars because he felt the tax was unfair, and thus he was jailed. And later he wrote an and thus he was jailed. And later he wrote an essay named Ci
32、vil Disobedience which essay named Civil Disobedience which advocated passive resistance to unjust laws and advocated passive resistance to unjust laws and influenced Gandhi in India.influenced Gandhi in India.甘地的非暴力不合作甘地的非暴力不合作甘地的非暴力不合作甘地的非暴力不合作运动运动运动运动) )F. not successful as a writer and lived in
33、obscurity F. not successful as a writer and lived in obscurity all his lifeall his life28 Walden29Walden30n n沃尔登湖是一本静静的书，是一本超凡入圣的书，是一本节约简朴的书，被誉为美国环境运动的思想先驱。梭罗(18171866)是美国19世纪著名的作家。他在沃尔登湖畔独自生活了920天后，走出森林，在一间小木屋里完成了沃尔登湖这部作品。 31Thoreau: Walden 瓦瓦沃尔登湖沃尔登湖n nIn 1845 Thoreau built himself a small cabin o
34、n the In 1845 Thoreau built himself a small cabin on the shore of shore of Walden PondWalden Pond, near Concord; there he , near Concord; there he remained for more than two years, wishing to lead a remained for more than two years, wishing to lead a life free of materialistic pursuits.life free of
35、materialistic pursuits. He supported himself He supported himself by growing vegetables and by surveying and doing by growing vegetables and by surveying and doing odd jobs in the nearby village.odd jobs in the nearby village.n nHe devoted most of his time to observing nature, He devoted most of his
36、 time to observing nature, reading, and writing, and he kept a detailed journal of reading, and writing, and he kept a detailed journal of his observations, activities, and thoughts. It was from his observations, activities, and thoughts. It was from this journal that he later distilled his masterpi
37、ece, this journal that he later distilled his masterpiece, WaldenWalden. .32Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖uuHis thought about this experience was developed in the journals over a period of years, and the result is Walden, a series of 18 essays describing Thoreaus idealistic creed as affected by and expres
38、sed in his life at the Pond.uuWalden, or Life in the Woods is still well known as Thoreaus crowning achievement, almost a century and a half has passed since its first publication.33Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖n nWalden presented Thoreaus unusual interests in nature and showed his individualism which in
39、herited from American Puritanism. The book described the authors extremely simple life and regeneration he experienced when he lived near the Walden pond. Comparing with Emerson who was a great thinker, Thoreau was a great experimentalist who put Emersons Transcendental doctrines into practice in th
40、e actual life. 34Textual Study Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖n n“I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what it has to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”n nBut lo! men have become
41、the tools of their tools.n nWe are so degraded that we cannot speak simply of the necessary functions of human nature.35Textual Study Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖l l“ “Heaven is under our feet as well as over our Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”heads.”l l“ “We live meanly, like ants;
42、 though the fable tells We live meanly, like ants; though the fable tells us that we were long ago changed into men . it is us that we were long ago changed into men . it is error upon error and clout upon clout, and our error upon error and clout upon clout, and our best virtue has for its occasion
43、 a superfluous and best virtue has for its occasion a superfluous and evitable wretchedness. Our life is frittered away evitable wretchedness. Our life is frittered away by detail. .”by detail. .”l l“Why should we live with such hurry and waste of “Why should we live with such hurry and waste of lif
44、e?”life?”l l“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. I say, let your “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. I say, let your affairs be as two or three and not a hundred or a affairs be as two or three and not a hundred or a thousand.”thousand.”36Textual Study Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖n nI am no more lonely
45、 than the loon in the pond that I am no more lonely than the loon in the pond that laughs so loud, or than Walden Pond itself. laughs so loud, or than Walden Pond itself. n nSolitude is not measured by the miles of space that Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a ma
46、n and his fellows. intervene between a man and his fellows. n nI do not wish to flatter my townsmen, nor to be I do not wish to flatter my townsmen, nor to be flattered by them, for that will not advance either flattered by them, for that will not advance either of us. We need to be provoked - goade
47、d like oxen, of us. We need to be provoked - goaded like oxen, as we are, into a trot. as we are, into a trot. 37Textual Study Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖n n瓦尔登湖在二十世纪已经成为了一本美国文学中的经典著作，在中国有多个译本，其中比较常见的一个译本由徐迟翻译，在中国非常流行。* 瓦尔登湖中的名句：“我可以用28.12元建立一个家，0.27元过一周的生活。每年我用6个星期赚一年的生活费，剩余的46个星期做自己想做的事。” 38Textual S
48、tudy Thoreau: Walden 瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖n n对于在对于在2020世纪的繁忙的现代社会中奔波的人，世纪的繁忙的现代社会中奔波的人，瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖中记述的作者亲近自然的简单生活中记述的作者亲近自然的简单生活自然别有一番魅力，它就像现代人的一个梦想，自然别有一番魅力，它就像现代人的一个梦想，这也是为什么此书在这也是为什么此书在2020世纪非常流行的原因之一。世纪非常流行的原因之一。* * 一位梭罗研究专家曾经说一位梭罗研究专家曾经说瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖有有5 5种读种读法：法：1 1，关于自然的书；，关于自然的书；2 2，关于自立更生，简单，关于自立更生，简单生活的书；生活的书；3
49、 3，对现代生活的批评；，对现代生活的批评；4 4，文学名著；，文学名著；5 5，神圣的书。，神圣的书。* * 梭罗在梭罗在瓦尔登湖瓦尔登湖记述的生活方式很像中国记述的生活方式很像中国古代的隐士古代的隐士 39Questionn nTranscendentalism n nappeared in 1830s in US；emphasis on spirit or oversoul and stressing importance of the individual；regarding nature as symbols of the spirit or God and emphasis on brotherhood of man；representatives: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau40个人观点供参考，欢迎讨论
