TheEmbodimenofTranscendenalisminWalden_开题报告

Transcendentalism is an American political, spiritual, philosophical, and literary movement that flourished in New England. As one of the most important representatives of American transcendentalism, Henry David Thoreau is a great thinker, novelist and poet in the American literary history. He is considered as “one of the few writers of the nineteenth century who deserve the appellation ‘great’”.Thoreau’s masterpiece Walden is his personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, and manual for self–reliance. With regard to the analysis of transcendentalism in the Walden, many scholars at home have made related studies. For instance, from the aspects of transcendentalism principals: Over-soul, Individualism and Concept of nature. Wang Mingkai analyzes the translation of Walden, emphasize the necessary of Individualism development to deal with the Individualism. According to Thoreau, our work should be an occasion for self-development and we should judge our work and economic activities generally by whether they further our self-development. At the same time, the scholars abroad also have made similar studies. For instance, the famous American critic Philip, analysis the transcendentalism in Walden, appeals human beings to pursue Over-soul in our material-oriented society. In Walden, Thoreau advises us to save our time to make more investment in spiritual self-culture. Economic growth depends upon freedom for individuals to exercise enlightened self-interest, Thoreau shows his fellow travelers that they have choices about how to use their time of which they are unaware, this freedom allows them to seek their full spiritual rather than monetary potential. This paper is going to analysis the principles of transcendentalism reflected in Walden to help readers get a better appreciation of transcendentalism in Walden.

Walden is believed to have been inspired by American Transcendentalism,a philosophy developed by Thoreau's friend and spiritual mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson owned the land on which Thoreau built his cabin at Walden Pond,and Thoreau used to walk over to Emerson's house for a meal and a conversation.

Thoreau regarded his sojourn at Walden as a noble experiment with a threefold purpose. First,he was escaping the dehumanizing effects of the Industrial Revolution by returning to a simpler,agrarian lifestyle. Second,he was simplifying his life and reducing his expenditures,increasing the amount of leisure time in which he could work on his writings (most of A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers was written at Walden). Third,and most important,Thoreau was putting into practice the Transcendentalist belief that one can best transcend normality and experience the Ideal,or the Divine,through nature.

It should come as no surprise that Walden is now an icon for environmentalists,and a touchstone for Americans seeking to "get in touch with nature."

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Characteristics of transcendentalism

3. The reflection of transcendentalism in Walden

3.1. Transcendentalism reflected in Thoreau’s solitary life experience in Walden

3.1.1. Over-soul reflected in the simplicity of Thoreau’s solitary life

3.1.2. Individualism reflected in the self-sufficiency of Thoreau’s solitary life

3.2. Transcendentalism reflected in the natural environment in Walden

3.2.1. Concept of nature reflected in the natural surroundings around his house

3.2.2. Concept of nature reflected in the beautiful scenery of Walden Pond

4. Conclusion

5.References

References

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Channing, W. E. Sources of American Spirituality. New York: Paulist Press, 2005.

Emerson, R. W. “Self-Reliance” the Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. New York: Random House, 1995.

Emerson, R. W. “The Over-Soul” the Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson. New York: Random House, 1995.

Emerson, R. W. Natrue. New York: Random House Inc, 2003.

Philip, C. Thoreau’s Living Ethics: Walden and the Pursuit of Virtue. Athens: the University of Georgia Press, 2004.

Thoreau, H. D. Walden and Other Writings. Ed. Joseph Wood Krutch.Haikou: Hainan Press, 2004.

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