Comparing Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

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The years 1840-1855, also known as the New England Renaissance, marked a time of great activity in American literature. A new movement called Transcendentalism influenced American culture during this time period. Transcendentalism is a belief that the most basic truths about life and death can only be reached by allowing ourselves to be individuals and going beyond the world of senses. The prime transcendentalists were Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Emerson and Thoreau were close friends who shared many ideas and wrote about similar subjects, but their approaches to their experiences differed significantly. Although most of Emerson’s work focuses on the subject of nature, he had no hands-on experience with it. He gained most of his inspiration by reading books and studying the spiritual aspects of nature. He wanted his readers to trust in the “divine providence of nature.” Unlike some transcendentalists, Emerson focused on society and wondered what lessons it could teach us. He wrote to inspire others in hopes of improving society. In his work, he used a scholarly and formal tone. Through his writing, we can see much intelligence. …show more content…
He had multiple hands-on experiences, such as living at Walden Pond, isolated from civilization, for two years in a cabin he built with his own two hands. He believed that in order to find deep meaning in life, we must live as simple as possible. Also, he believed in individualism. He wanted individuals to be curious about nature and to go out into the world and experience it. He wrote about many personal experiences with nature. For example, in “Walden” he writes about the many experiences he had while living in isolation from society. In his work, he used a conversational tone. Just like his way of living, his writing style was simplified. Also, his works are easy to understand and relatable to his
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