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'''Transcendentalism''' was a group of new ideas in [[literature]], [[religion]], [[culture]], and [[philosophy]] that emerged in [[New England]] in the early to middle 19th century. It is sometimes called '''American Transcendentalism''' to distinguish it from other uses of the word ''[[transcendental]]''.

'''Transcendentalism''' was a group of new ideas in [[literature]], [[religion]], [[culture]], and [[philosophy]] that emerged in [[New England]] in the early to middle 19th century. It is sometimes called ''American Transcendentalism'' to distinguish it from other uses of the word ''[[transcendental]]''.

Transcendentalism began as a protest against the general state of culture and [[society]] at the time, and in particular, the state of [[intellectualism]] at [[Harvard]] and the doctrine of the [[Unitarian]] church which was taught at [[Harvard Divinity School]].  Among Transcendentalists' core beliefs was an ideal [[spirituality|spiritual]] state that 'transcends' the physical and empirical and is only realized through the individual's intuition, rather than through the doctrines of established religions.

Transcendentalism began as a protest against the general state of culture and [[society]] at the time, and in particular, the state of [[intellectualism]] at [[Harvard]] and the doctrine of the [[Unitarian]] church which was taught at [[Harvard Divinity School]].  Among Transcendentalists' core beliefs was an ideal [[spirituality|spiritual]] state that 'transcends' the physical and empirical and is only realized through the individual's intuition, rather than through the doctrines of established religions.

:"So shall we come to look at the world with new eyes. It shall answer the endless inquiry of the intellect, — What is truth? and of the affections, — What is good? by yielding itself passive to the educated Will. ... Build, therefore, your own world. As fast as you conform your life to the pure idea in your mind, that will unfold its great proportions. A correspondent revolution in things will attend the influx of the spirit."

:"So shall we come to look at the world with new eyes. It shall answer the endless inquiry of the intellect, — What is truth? and of the affections, — What is good? by yielding itself passive to the educated Will. ... Build, therefore, your own world. As fast as you conform your life to the pure idea in your mind, that will unfold its great proportions. A correspondent revolution in things will attend the influx of the spirit."

In the same year, Transcendentalism became a coherent movement with the founding of the [[Transcendental Club]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], on [[September 8]], [[1836]], by prominent New England intellectuals including [[George Putnam]], [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]], and [[Frederick Henry Hedge]]. From 1840, the group published frequently in their journal ''[[The Dial]]'', along with other venues. The movement was originally termed "Transcendentalists" as a [[wikt:pejorative|pejorative]] term, suggesting their position was beyond sanity and reason.<ref>Loving, Jerome. ''Walt Whitman: The Song of Himself''. University of California Press, 1999. ISBN 0520226879. p. 185</ref>

In the same year, Transcendentalism became a coherent movement with the founding of the [[Transcendental Club]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], on [[September 8]], [[1836]], by prominent New England intellectuals including [[George Putnam]], [[Ralph Waldo Emerson]], and [[Frederick Henry Hedge]]. From 1840, the group published frequently in their journal ''[[The Dial]]'', along with other venues. The movement was originally termed "Transcendentalists" as a [[wikt:pejorative|pejorative]] term, suggesting their position was beyond sanity and reason. (Loving, Jerome. ''Walt Whitman: The Song of Himself''. University of California Press, 1999. ISBN 0520226879. p. 185)

The practical aims of the Transcendentalists were varied; some among the group linked it with utopian social change (and, in the case of [[Orestes Brownson|Brownson]], it joined explicitly with early [[socialism]]), while others found it an exclusively individual and idealist project. Emerson believed the latter. In his 1842 lecture "[[The Transcendentalist]]", Emerson suggested that the goal of a purely Transcendental outlook on life was impossible to attain in practice:

The practical aims of the Transcendentalists were varied; some among the group linked it with utopian social change (and, in the case of [[Orestes Brownson|Brownson]], it joined explicitly with early [[socialism]]), while others found it an exclusively individual and idealist project. Emerson believed the latter. In his 1842 lecture "[[The Transcendentalist]]", Emerson suggested that the goal of a purely Transcendental outlook on life was impossible to attain in practice:

==External links==

==External links==

* [http://www.emersoncentral.com/transcendentalist.htm The Transcendentalist], by Ralph Waldo Emerson, A Lecture read at the Masonic Temple, Boston, January, 1842.

* [https://www.emersoncentral.com/transcendentalist.htm The Transcendentalist], by Ralph Waldo Emerson, A Lecture read at the Masonic Temple, Boston, January, 1842.

* [http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/transcendentalism/ The web of American transcendentalism]

* [https://www.vcu.edu/engweb/transcendentalism/ The web of American transcendentalism]

* [http://www.transcendentalists.com/ The Transcendentalists]

* [https://www.transcendentalists.com/ The Transcendentalists]

* [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/icon/transcend.html The American Renaissance and Transcendentalism] - from a PBS series

* [https://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/icon/transcend.html The American Renaissance and Transcendentalism] - from a PBS series

* [http://womenshistory.about.com/bltranscend.htm What Is Transcendentalism?]

* [https://womenshistory.about.com/bltranscend.htm What Is Transcendentalism?]

* [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/transcendentalism/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry]

* [https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/transcendentalism/ Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry]

* [http://online.elcamino.edu/amhist1b/transcend.pdf Religious overview and comparisons to other religions] (use Google html cache)

* [https://online.elcamino.edu/amhist1b/transcend.pdf Religious overview and comparisons to other religions] (use Google html cache)

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category:Religion]]

[[Category:Religion]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]

[[Category: Languages and Literature]]