Comparing Emerson and Thoreau Compare & Contrast Essay

Introduction.

Bibliography

Ralph Emerson and Henry Thoreau are now viewed by many literary critics as the most prominent representatives of such school of philosophy as transcendentalism, which is mostly based on the belief that a human being can learn the truth only through intuition. It also emphasizes the role of nature and its relationship to people. Both authors explore this issue; however, they regard it from different perspectives. In his essay “Nature” and “Divine School Address”, Ralph Emerson opposes it as the perfect “City of God” to the City of Men or society (Emerson, 5). He argues that people are no longer able to see the nature and that the bonds between them have significantly weakened. In his turn, Henry Thoreau stresses the importance of being self-sufficient or independent. In his view, a person can acquire these qualities through nature; this idea is reflected in his autobiographical book “Walden”. Ralph Emerson believes that nature is an example that people should follow, whereas Henry Thoreau regards it only as an escape from human society.

First, it should be mentioned that the works, created by these authors, differ from each other in terms of genre. For instance, Ralph Emersons “Nature” is written in the form of speculative essay. The author wants to be as objective as possible, for example he often employs personal pronoun “we”. On the one hand, such formulation is typical of an essay, and it should not be considered as something unusual. However, it should be taken into account that “we” can denote humankind or society as well (Emerson, 8). In this respect, we can say that in the address in Divine School, Emerson is also reluctant to use the personal pronoun “I”, which means that his intention is to remain impartial. In sharp contrast with him, Thoreau gives preference to the first-person narration. The authors work “Walden” is a form of autobiography, though it is intertwined with philosophical speculations.

Another aspect that we should discuss is the way these writers perceive nature. For example, Emerson associates nature with God; he says, “Within these plantations of God, a decorum and sanctity reign… In these woods, we return to reason and faith”(Emerson, 8). In addition to that, he views nature as an animate being, able to respond to a person. According to him this response, depends upon the persons mood or spirit, “Nature always wears the colors of the spirit” (Emerson, 8). Emerson states that people should regard themselves only as an inseparable part of nature or “particle of God” (Emerson, 8). The author believes that through nature, a person can become enlightened and free. The main message that he wants to convey is that for God and subsequently for nature, people are equal, irrespective of their social status.

In his “Divinity School Address”, Emerson elaborates this idea, by saying that the rules, established in the society contradict the laws of God. He states that a human being can judge the morality or immorality of ones actions by “intuition”, which should act as a guide (Emerson, 2). The main problem is that people often disregard it and pay more attention to the external laws. Moreover, Emerson argues that the church misinterpreted the main ideas of Jesus Christ; his principles are only officially declared, but they are not followed (Emerson, 1).

Unlike him, Henry Thoreau does not draw parallels between nature and God, but he also thinks that it is an animate being. For instance, throughout the text he capitalizes this word and says “Nature herself”(Thoreau, 154). The author wants to prove that we should not afraid of solitude, because it gives us a chance to turn to nature. He says, “I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”(Thoreau, 235). He argues that a person can be lonely even remaining with other people. Thoreau believes that only nature can give people real joy, “”I am monarch of all I survey, My right there is none to dispute.” (Thoreau, 144).

It is very difficult to say which of the two writers has the most effective message, because they interpret the concept of nature from different standpoints. Emerson mostly discusses it in connection with divinity, believing it to be Gods masterpiece, while Thoreau mostly explores the phenomenon of spiritual solitude. According to him, nature fills the emptiness inside, and it cannot be done by society. Nevertheless, it seems that Emersons ideas have far-reaching consequences because he points out that the rules of man and even those ones of Christian church often contradict the main law of nature, love. Apart from that, Ralph Emerson shows that a person should follow his or hers intuition as a guideline. Later, this idea was supported by many philosophers.

Probably, it would be better to consider the works of these authors together because their ideas only supplement each other, especially if we are speaking about the intuition and self-sufficiency. The concept of self-sufficiency also implies the ability to make independent decisions. Moreover, Ralph Emerson and Henry Thoreau argue that nature is animate. Thus, we should not discuss the works of these authors separately; it would be more prudent to analyze them within the context of transcendentalism.

The main difference between them is that Emerson explores nature mostly in connection with human society, particularly; he thinks that people should follow their intuition, which is the most natural way. Unlike him, Thoreau does not draw parallels between nature and society, more likely, the writer opposes these notions, for him, nature is a way to become free from other people.

Henry David Thoreau, Will H. Dircks, Richard Whiteing. “Walden”. Plain Label Books, 1996.

Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Divinity School Address ”. Web.

Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Nature” J. Munroe & company, 2006.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 31). Comparing Emerson and Thoreau. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparing-emerson-and-thoreau/

"Comparing Emerson and Thoreau." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/comparing-emerson-and-thoreau/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Comparing Emerson and Thoreau'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Comparing Emerson and Thoreau." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparing-emerson-and-thoreau/.

1. IvyPanda . "Comparing Emerson and Thoreau." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparing-emerson-and-thoreau/.

IvyPanda . "Comparing Emerson and Thoreau." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/comparing-emerson-and-thoreau/.

  • Transcendentalism: Ralph Emerson vs Henry Thoreau
  • Transcendentalism: The Role of Emerson and Whitman
  • Redefining Self in Whitman’s Poem “Song of Myself”, Thoreau’s “Walden” and Emerson’s “Nature”
  • Transcendentalism in American Literature
  • Emerson's The American Scholar, Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience, Douglass' Narrative of the Life‎
  • Querencia and Thoreau, Thoreau’s “Walden”
  • "Walden" a Book by Henry David Thoreau
  • Life in Works by Emerson, Thoreau and Melville
  • Art as a Reflection of Reality in Thoreau’s Walden
  • Life Thoughts in “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau
  • Frederick Douglas: Learning to Read and Write
  • Wallace Stevens: An American Modernist Poet
  • Historical Criticism of Ivanhoe’s Book
  • “Contemporary Literary Criticism” by Lowell
  • Phillis Wheatley: The First Published African-American Poet

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Course: US history   >   Unit 4

  • The Second Great Awakening - origins and major ideas
  • The Second Great Awakening - influence of the Market Revolution
  • The Second Great Awakening - reform and religious movements

Transcendentalism

  • The development of an American culture
  • Antebellum communal experiments
  • The early temperance movement - origins
  • The early temperance movement - spread and temporary decline
  • Women's labor
  • Women's rights and the Seneca Falls Convention
  • African Americans in the Early Republic
  • The Cotton Kingdom
  • The society of the South in the early republic
  • Culture and reform in the early nineteenth century
  • The philosophy of transcendentalism arose in the 1830s in the eastern United States as a reaction to intellectualism. Its adherents yearned for intense spiritual experiences and sought to transcend the purely material world of reason and rationality.
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two of the most famous and influential transcendentalists.
  • Some influential transcendentalists, such as Margaret Fuller , were early pioneers of feminism .

The philosophy of transcendentalism

Women and transcendentalism, transcendentalism and reform, what do you think, want to join the conversation.

  • Upvote Button navigates to signup page
  • Downvote Button navigates to signup page
  • Flag Button navigates to signup page

Good Answer

emerson and thoreau comparison essay

  • My Preferences
  • My Reading List
  • Thoreau, Emerson, and Transcendentalism
  • Literature Notes
  • Essay Questions
  • What Is Transcendentalism?
  • Introduction
  • Major Tenets
  • Reasons for the Rise of the Movement
  • Forms of Expressing Transcendental Philosophy
  • Lasting Impact of the Movement
  • Introduction to the Times
  • Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • Life and Background of Emerson
  • Introduction to Emerson's Writing
  • Selective Chronology of Emerson's Writings
  • Emerson's Reputation and Influence
  • Emerson's "Nature"
  • Summary and Analysis
  • Major Themes
  • Emerson's "The Divinity School Address"
  • Emerson's "Experience"
  • Emerson's "Hamatreya"
  • Henry David Thoreau
  • Life and Background of Thoreau
  • Introduction to Thoreau's Writing
  • Selected Chronology of Thoreau's Writings
  • Thoreau's Reputation and Influence
  • Thoreau's "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers"
  • Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience"
  • Thoreau's "Walden"
  • Thoreau's "Walking"
  • Practice Projects
  • Cite this Literature Note

Study Help Essay Questions

1. Compare and contrast the views on nature expressed in Emerson's Nature and in Thoreau's "Walking."

2. Examine the attitudes toward reform expressed in Emerson's "Divinity School Address" and "Experience" and in Thoreau's Civil Disobedience .

3. Discuss the significance of perception and perspective as developed in the writings of Emerson and Thoreau.

4. Compare and contrast Emerson's and Thoreau's attitudes toward society as expressed in their lives and writings.

5. Examine and discuss Thoreau's views on technological progress as expressed in Walden . Refer specifically to his presentation of the railroad.

6. Discuss, with specific reference to Emerson's writings, the following Transcendental concepts: the Oversoul; correspondence; intuition ("reason" as opposed to "understanding"); perfectibility; and self-reliance.

7. Discuss the circle imagery in Emerson's Nature .

8. Transcendentalist Elizabeth Palmer Peabody wrote in her 1858 piece "Egotheism, the Atheism of To-Day" (reprinted in 1886 in her Last Evening with Allston ):

. . . when faith stagnates in the mere affirmation of the spiritual, men deify their own conceptions; i.e., they say that their conception of God is all that men can ever know of God. In short, faith commits suicide . . . at the summit of the moral life, and the next step to this is necessarily EGOTHEISM, which denies other self-consciousness to God than our own subjective consciousness; — not recognizing that there is, beyond our conception, inconceivable Power, Wisdom, and Love, — of the immanence of whose substantial being within us our best conception is but a transient form. Thus Egotheism, in the last analysis, is Atheism; and we find this "latest form of infidelity," as the understanding has rather blindly denominated it, — though not without a degree of religious instinct, — in the science, philosophy, and politics of the age, — at once glorifying it and saddening its poetry; — for man proves but a melancholy God."

Is Miss Peabody's criticism applicable to ideas expressed in Emerson's Nature and "Divinity School Address"?

9. Discuss the image of the river in Thoreau's A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers .

10. Discuss Thoreau's presentation of the Hannah Dustan story in the chapter "Thursday" in A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers , and the story's connection to the major themes of the book.

11. Choose a symbol from Thoreau's Walden (the rooster, loon, chimney, pond, sand foliage, for example), and explain its development and significance.

12. Comment on the battle of the ants in "Brute Neighbors" in Thoreau's Walden . What does Thoreau say in it of the relationship between man and nature?

13. Comment on the dialogue between "Hermit" and "Poet" at the beginning of "Brute Neighbors" in Walden . How does it relate to themes explored in the book as a whole?

14. Discuss Thoreau's thoughts on poetry and writing.

Previous Quiz

Next Practice Projects

has been added to your

Reading List!

Removing #book# from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title.

Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# and any corresponding bookmarks?

  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Information Science and Technology
  • Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Literature Ralph Waldo Emerson

Comparison of Emerson's and Thoreau's Concept of Transdescentalism

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

writer logo

  • Magna Carta

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Comparison Essay on Emerson and Thoreau

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a visionary in his time. He believed in Transcendentalism and lived his life telling others how to find their true self. Through his club, the Transcendental Club, he met with others of like minds and helped them on their journey as well. One such person was Henry David Thoreau. After a personal tragedy, Thoreau would take Emerson’s words to heart and set out to prove it could be done. Although Emerson was a great talker with many words on how to find one’s true self, we see how Thoreau’s actions spoke volumes and how he put Emerson’s words into actual practice through his detailed journey of self-discovery in “Walden”; he told of his time in nature, how he was self-reliant, and his implementation of the three influences heralded by Emerson.

One of the ways Thoreau lived what Emerson said was by getting back to nature. Emerson believed and taught that in order to be reborn, one must go through nature to find themselves. Once we were immersed in nature, we could strip ourselves down, see nature through the eyes of a child, shed our earthly bodies and become our soul, or true self. In contrast with what he said, Emerson never emerged himself in nature. Through his writings, the respect for nature is present, but not the wonderment of nature that is found in Thoreau’s works. Thoreau did what Emerson had spoken of doing. His accounts in “Walden” tell how he lived in the woods and fully immersed himself in nature. Some days he would simply lose himself in nature and marvel at the wonderment he saw before him. He tells many occasions of lessons he learned through nature just by being present within it. Many of these nature encounters are written with a childlike wonderment of what was seen and learned. Emerson talked about getting back to nature and the importance of doing so while Thoreau lived it, learned from it, and wrote about. 

Emerson believed that each person held the answers within themselves if they would only listen to themselves. This concept of self-reliance encouraged them to turn away from what everyone else said or did, shun society, and listen to our true inner self. He taught how one should not care about what other thought, but to follow your own instincts. If we look at Emerson’s life, we can see irony in this. Whereas he may not have followed society in form, he also did not listen to his own thoughts and teachings enough to put them into practice. Again, we see where Thoreau put Emerson’s words into practice. He left everything, built his own house in the woods away from society, learned how to grow and make his own food, and fully depended upon himself for survival. In contrast, Emerson never left his home, fully shunned society, thereby never becoming fully self-reliant. 

Emerson also believed that every scholar should have three influences. First, nature. This importance has already been discussed earlier. To paraphrase, by studying nature, we were essentially studying and getting to know ourselves. Second, books. Emerson and Thoreau were both highly educated graduates from Harvard. Emerson did caution that one should not get caught up in the just the past things learned from books. Furthermore, he encouraged people to write and create new books. Lastly, life experiences. Again, he is telling how one should be self-reliant and do things for themselves. Similar to this thought was Emerson’s idea of Man Thinking vs Thinking Man. Here he talked about man having singular skills and not being fully self-reliant due to being so specialized and lacking in other skills. This was largely aimed at other scholars who were well educated but lacked many life skills. Once again, although Emerson and Thoreau were both scholars themselves, we never hear of any life skills or manual work performed by Emerson. On the other hand, Thoreau lived a variety of life experiences and wrote of his many learned skills. Besides being able to read and write, he wrote telling of how he built his house, learned to grow his food, learned different ways to cook, and many more.  

From all this, we can ascertain the similarities as well as the differences between Emerson and Thoreau. Both men were Harvard scholars as well as Transcendentalists. Emerson was the one who pushed Thoreau and helped him become the man he was. They favored many of the same concepts born of Transcendentalism, with some variations not relevant here. What is relevant however, are the differences between Emerson and Thoreau. Emerson was a prolific man of words. Where he failed was in his actions. It is often easy to tell one how best to act, but another altogether to follow those actions oneself. This is one of the main differences between Emerson and Thoreau. Thoreau took the teachings, ideas, and theories of Emerson and Transcendentalism and applied them to his life. As a result, Thoreau lived the life Emerson only spoke of. Emerson spoke of the importance of nature, shunning society, and being self-reliant and yet he never changed how the core of how he lived. Sure, he made small changes and adapted certain aspects of his life, but he never truly immersed himself in what he taught. He may have seen himself as living by the three influences, but his actions spoke otherwise. As a result, Thoreau’s actions spoke louder than the words of Emerson.

Related Samples

  • Essay about Jean-Paul Sartre
  • What Is Truth? Essay Example
  • Utopia Essay Example
  • Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Essay Example
  • An Essay on Criticism Analysis of the Passage by W.E.B. Du Bois
  • Time Travel Example 2021: If I Could Travel Back in Time
  • Reflection on Freedom (Essay Sample)
  • Personal Reflective Essay Example: Overcoming Obstacles
  • A New Look in Man's Eyes: The Renaissance Essay Example
  • Language Essay Example: A Tool of Communication

Didn't find the perfect sample?

emerson and thoreau comparison essay

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Sample details

Henry David Thoreau

Related Topics

Emerson and Thoreau Comparison

Emerson and Thoreau Comparison

Emerson and Thoreau

When prominent literary theorists come to mind, many think of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau . These men are both brilliant and share many of the same pleasures, such as a love of their surroundings and the importance of nature. They both shared views towards an alternate government and lived the lives of individualistic, laid back non-conformists. Thoreau and Emerson were among the elite writers in the Transcendentalist movement. Both men found the need for change in the American system but took slightly different philosophical routes. Transcendentalism began amidst the middle of the nineteenth century as a religious concept rooted in the ideas of American democracy. A group of Boston ministers, Emerson being one, decided that the Unitarian Church had become too conservative; in response they adopted a new religious philosophy that focused on inherent wisdom in the soul over doctrine. Emerson began publishing works that became essential to the movement, Nature, “The American Scholar” and “ Self Reliance .” His works, such as other transcendentalist works, focused on the divinity of nature.

ready to help you now

Without paying upfront

Emerson writes in Nature, “Let us interrogate the great apparition that shines so peacefully around us. Let us inquire, to what end is nature?” For Emerson, nature is a direct line to God, and its “meaning” is directly linked to God’s “meaning.” Emerson created his own definition of God, varying from the church he’d formerly been a part of. He is regarded as central to the transcendentalist movement although he strongly encouraged others to think for themselves. Many have interpreted Emerson’s transparent eyeball as a key symbol for transcendentalism, its ability to see the divine and “transcend” the soul. Nature also animates intangible philosophies such as reason, understanding, truth, love, and freedom. Thoreau embraced nature, he completely isolated himself at Walden Pond. In Walden he states, “I went to 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 had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” While the movement may not have been cohesive, it was very influential to many American writers. Regarding social issues, transcendentalists were considered visionaries in their attitudes toward social protest, women’s rights, slavery, the child’s role in education, and labor reform. The transcendentalist movement struck at the right time with the American populous. Transcendentalist writers had a curious position in relation to abolitionism.

Thoreau had the strongest sentiment against slavery and wrote about it in his essay “Resistance to Civil Government.” General distrust of organized government was a common theme, such as the separation of morality from church doctrine was the separation of men from the government. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government. The standing army is only an arm of the standing government. The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience”

The American government was losing face with its People. Thoreau claimed it was not living up to the expectation that the great American government should. Thoreau argues that government rarely proves itself useful and it derives its power from the majority because they are the strongest group not necessarily the best, most legitimate group. Emerson focused on the idea of self-government and a smaller established government. “The less government we have, the better, – the fewer laws, and the less confided power.” But he also points out that political institutions are built by the people, which is where self-governing comes into play. Thoreau, on the other hand, doubts the effectiveness of government reform and argues that petitioning for change does little to nothing.

Social and political reform comes both from the masses and the individual. If the individual does not see or understand the importance in change, they will not join a cause or a group that supports change and the state would lay stagnant. “Transcendentalism can be summed up as the individual’s quest for an “original relation to the universe.” This is much of what drove Emerson from the pulpit into his study to become a writer and thinker. It is why Henry David Thoreau went to Walden Pond.” (Felton 5) Brian Walker, writer for the Encyclopedia of Political Theory, surmises “Thoreau believed that only moral suasion and the ethical cultivation of the hearts and minds of the population will bring about lasting change in the nation because political mobilization without ethical cultivation simply empowers and gives voice to an unprincipled population. –Thoreau thus calls on the moral heroism of individual citizens as a spur to change public opinion and government policy.”

Emerson and Thoreau are both great men with fantastic ideas on American culture, development, and reform. They share a multitude of ideals but vary, distinctly on how to achieve their goals. Through the transcendentalist literary movement they help shape the Antebellum political movement and successfully define and illustrate American literature.

Works Cited

Bevir, Mark. Encyclopedia Of Political Theory. London: SAGE, 2010. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

Buell, Lawrence. Emerson. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2003. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

Felton, R. Todd. A Journey Into The Transcendentalists’ New England. Berkeley, Calif: Roaring Forties Press, 2006. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Mariotti, Shannon L. Thoreau’s Democratic Withdrawal : Alienation, Participation, And Modernity. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 2010. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

Petrulionis, Sandra Harbert. Thoreau In His Own Time : A Biographical Chronicle Of His Life, Drawn From Recollections, Interviews, And Memoirs By Family, Friends, And Associates. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2012. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost).

Cite this page

https://graduateway.com/emerson-and-thoreau-comparison/

You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers

Check more samples on your topics

Emerson and thoreau transcendentalism beliefs.

Emerson and Thoreau both employ imagery of eyes, vision, and perception to effectively convey their transcendentalist convictions. Transcendentalism is characterized as the notion that our spirits are intimately linked with nature and our ideas surpass the physical realm. Through the utilization of the concept of the "transparent eyeball" and other instances of perceiving the entirety

Transcendentalism: Ralph Waldo Emerson versus Henry David Thoreau Compare and Contrast

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalism calls on people to view the objects in the world as small versions of the whole universe and to trust their individual intuitions. Transcendentalism was a literary movement that has writing at its heart. Writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau utilized the essay form. The authors, Emerson and Thoreau, are considered

“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson and “Economy” by Thoreau Analysis

Society is nothing but a corrupter of the individual and the captor of man’s thoughts, at least this is what transcendentalists believe. In his work, “Self-Reliance,” famous transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson dissects this philosophy, and explains what society specifically does to entrap its members, how they can escape it, and discover who they are as

Henry David Thoreau In Comparison To Chris McCandless

Chris McCandless

He had very strong feelings against slavery. And very much opposed government from waging war. This is just one way of how he showed that he was all for the freedom Of people. He lived alone in a cabin he built on his good friend Ralph Wald Emerson land in Walden pond for 2 years.

Thoreau’s Poetic Shift to Nature Poetry Analysis

            Since time in memorial poetry has been taunted to be the most elite of all literary art forms; this is so because poetry requires a certain level of intelligence to appreciate.  Through the years poetry has taken on its own life, even … Thoreau’s Poetic Shift to Nature Poetry             Since time in memorial poetry has

Reflections on Thoreau’s Solitude

The best time for solitude exists in those few minutes between wakefulness and sleep. The best time for company exists just prior to the best time for solitude, with friends, family, or lovers, talking about the ills of the world or the triumphs of the day. So it goes throughout the day, solitude interwoven with

Mexican War Thoreau Position

Is Thoreau`s position on the Mexican War an anomaly for an otherwise popular war? Was it a popular war? Does dissent play a role in any of the other wars such as the American Revolution and the War of 1812 that we have studied to date?Thoreau’s position on the Mexican War was far removed from

Henry David Thoreau and Resistance to Civil Government

Henry David Thoreau was the most active participant in the Transcendentalist motion. He was a pupil and mentee of Ralph Waldo Emerson. While Emerson had nonnatural thoughts. Thoreau would move on them and to the full pattern them. Hence. he felt that he and others should defy America’s Civil Government. I heartily accept the slogan.

Thoreau’s Main Statement of The Concept of Government

For Thoreau’s main claims, he opened this statement “I heartily accept the motto-”That government is best which governs least,” and he defined his true conviction “That government is best which governs not at all.” Thoreau said that government is nothing but imaginary or abstract perception that people decided to choose to live by. Up until

emerson and thoreau comparison essay

Hi, my name is Amy 👋

In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready to help you write a unique paper. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and she'll connect you with the best match.

COMMENTS

  1. Comparing Emerson and Thoreau

    Ralph Emerson and Henry Thoreau are now viewed by many literary critics as the most prominent representatives of such school of philosophy as transcendentalism, which is mostly based on the belief that a human being can learn the truth only through intuition. It also emphasizes the role of nature and its relationship to people.

  2. Thoreau and Emerson

    Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Thoreau," a text which has for generations set the standard image of Thoreau in the context of American and British scholarship,1 reveals the crucial aspects of this famous relationship more clearly than any other text by either writer or their biographers.

  3. Transcendentalism (article)

    The philosophy of transcendentalism arose in the 1830s in the eastern United States as a reaction to intellectualism. Its adherents yearned for intense spiritual experiences and sought to transcend the purely material world of reason and rationality. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two of the most famous and influential ...

  4. Emerson--on Thoreau

    Thoreau [Eulogy, 1862] Henry David Thoreau was the last male descendant of a French ancestor who came to this country from the Isle of Guernsey. His character exhibited occasional traits drawn from this blood, in singular combination with a very strong Saxon genius. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts, on the 12th of July, 1817.

  5. Comparing and Contrasting Thoreau and Emerson

    Thoreau and Emerson's writings reflect that belief, but it should be noted that their motives differed. While Thoreau's message was to reject government, Emerson's was to embrace the nature that we are part of. Ultimately, however, their writings were a major part of the transcendentalist movement and inspired others to follow the same goal.

  6. A Comparison Of Henry David Thoreau And Ralph Waldo Emerson ...

    A Comparison of Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson's Beliefs concerning Simplicity, the Value and Potential of Our Soul, and Our Imagination.Henry David Thoreau tests Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas about nature by living at Walden Pond, where he discovers that simplicity in physical aspects brings deepness to our mind, our soul to its full...

  7. Comparing Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

    Emerson and Thoreau An influential literary movement in the nineteenth century, transcendentalism placed an emphasis on the wonder of nature and its deep connection to the divine. As the two most prominent figures in the transcendentalist movement, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau whole-heartedly embraced these principles.

  8. Comparing Emerson And Thoreau

    Thoreau and Emerson urge people to live a peaceful, simplistic life and they think that spending time in nature, which is essentially good, is the key to doing so, while Melville thinks that nature is a destructive force that people should either avoid or fight.

  9. Compare Emerson and Thoreau's views on nature, individuality, and

    Expert Answers Sebastian Normandin | Certified Educator Share Cite Both Emerson and Thoreau were Transcendentalists. This meant that they quite literally wanted to "transcend" the religious...

  10. Essay Questions

    Study Help Essay Questions. 1. Compare and contrast the views on nature expressed in Emerson's Nature and in Thoreau's "Walking." 2. Examine the attitudes toward reform expressed in Emerson's "Divinity School Address" and "Experience" and in Thoreau's Civil Disobedience. 3.

  11. Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Transcendentalism

    Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement that occurred in America after the Enlightenment and before the Civil War. Transcendental authors espoused closeness with nature while at the same time nonconformity with mainstream society. These ideals were clearly expressed in the literature ...

  12. Comparison of Emerson's and Thoreau's Concept of ...

    To conclude, Emerson and Thoreau both demonstrated gratitude towards the allure of nature and were pioneers of individualism. Each believed that getting away from the regular world, avoiding public opinion, and uniting with nature would strengthen individualism, helping to distinguish one's identity.

  13. Thoreau And Emerson Comparison

    Thoreau And Emerson Comparison. 727 Words3 Pages. In Ralph Emerson essay Self-Reliance Emerson emphasizes his displeasure with society's lack of originality, and discusses the importance of self expression and solitude. Emerson and Henry Thoreau both express how society contradicts themselves in the aspect of believing in something and doing ...

  14. Compare Emerson's and Thoreau's attitudes toward society, as expressed

    Emerson wrote, in his essay called Self Reliance, "Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members . . . Self-reliance is its aversion . . . Self-reliance is ...

  15. Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Essay

    Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Essay 524 Words 3 Pages Nature are always a hot topic in American Literature. Emerson and Thoreau contributed their views of nature through their books. They show how one lives with integrity in nature and in society.

  16. Comparison Essay on Emerson and Thoreau

    Home / Samples / Philosophy Comparison Essay on Emerson and Thoreau Ralph Waldo Emerson was a visionary in his time. He believed in Transcendentalism and lived his life telling others how to find their true self. Through his club, the Transcendental Club, he met with others of like minds and helped them on their journey as well.

  17. Emerson And Thoreau: A Comparative Analysis

    Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two of the most influential transcendentalist writers of their time. Both men rejected the idea that knowledge could be fully disocvered through sheer experience and observation and asserted that some information can only be discovered through extrasensory perceptions such as intuition or spirituality.

  18. ⇉Emerson and Thoreau Comparison Essay Example

    Without paying upfront Emerson writes in Nature, "Let us interrogate the great apparition that shines so peacefully around us. Let us inquire, to what end is nature?" For Emerson, nature is a direct line to God, and its "meaning" is directly linked to God's "meaning."

  19. Compare and contrast emerson and thoreau Flashcards

    Emerson believed that the government should have power but not control our lives. Explain thoreau and emersons views on individualism. Both authors were nonconformists,however, their views slightly differ. Emerson believed that individualism should be found through nature. Thoreau believed that to be happy with who you are you have to truly live.

  20. Comparing Emerson And Thoreau

    Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Good Essays 1290 Words 6 Pages 4 Works Cited Open Document In the year of 1600's, the United States of America was being colonized by European countries especially by England.

  21. A Comparison Essay Example: Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Emerson and Thoreau, important American thinkers, defended the ancient idea of philosophy as a deliberate way of life, concerned with critical self-improvement or self-improvement. Both fought the restriction of philosophy to an only academic subject for pure intellect. Emerson, in his essay "History" praises the artist for his "power to awaken ...

  22. Thoreau And Emerson Comparison

    Though, Thoreau and Emerson share common ground when it comes to the importance of individuality and personal freedom - and, therefore, a common ground regarding nature as well - Thoreau seems to depart from Emerson when it comes to the amount of pressure that is put on society, as well as government, to reform.

  23. Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Essay

    Comparing Emerson And Thoreau Essay Better Essays 1434 Words 6 Pages Open Document While "the Enlightenment" prized rationality and science, Romanticism preferred emotion, imagination, and intuition of the individual. During this era, there was a period of literary creativity in New England circles that became known as Transcendentalism.