Luke Kline

Transcendentalism began to develop in the 1820s. It was the idea that our human spirits were involved with yet went beyond the natural world.  The natural world is not the only real thing.  Transcendentalists tend to view nature as a way of communicating the condition of the human soul.

An example of the transcendentalist worldview is displayed in Walt Whitman’s poem “The Ship Starting.”  Whitman uses extremely figurative language and personifies ordinary natural objects to represent human souls.  In the poem the ship represents humans sailing on the vast ocean.  The vast ocean represents the ever-changing and unpredictable life of humans.  Upon reading this poem literally one may just observe a narrative about a large ship sailing on the ocean.  However, each item in the poem represents something bigger than itself.  Everything is a symbol for something else.  This is the embodiment of transcendentalism itself.

For transcendentalists nothing is merely physical.  Spiritualism and divinity are a part of all aspects of life.  This is why you will rarely find a transcendentalist writing literally.  Almost everything in their works stands for something else.  The natural world represents the spiritual world.

Another aspect of transcendentalists is the idea of individualism.  Every individual is made equal and all are called to a certain purpose.  An excellent example of this worldview is found in another of Whitman’s poems entitled “I Hear America Singing.”  In the poem Whitman describes all different types of people performing their duties.  Everyone is “singing” while they perform their duty.  This can be interpreted as everybody is happy and satisfied with what they are doing.  Another aspect of a transcendental view of human nature is revealed here.  It is that all humans are inherently good.  When people perform their duty there should be no grumbling and complaining.  By fulfilling their duties they are good and satisfied.

Besides secular aspects, transcendentalists also have their religious views of religion.  In general, they tend to denounce the traditional creeds and traditions of the church.  Rather, they seek to find God in their soul and in spirit.  Instead of studying the Bible to receive the Holy Spirit, they desire a special revelation from God Himself.  Transcendentalists are firm believers in oracles and direct inspiration from God.  Here we again observe this reoccurring idea of putting aside the physical world and searching for the true things of the spiritual world.

Finally, the idea of coming out of the old and into the new is prevalent in a transcendentalist’s worldview.  Transcendentalists were not satisfied with the church or the political parties.  When the movement commenced, many separated themselves from church and state and sought fellowship with people who had the same mindset as them.  This idea of embracing the new is what caused them to not take faith in the “old church” and seek God in His present day being.  Transcendentalists support modernization of religion.  With all this, it is clear to see that transcendentalism centers around the idea of change and the embracing of new things.

Bibliography

Miller, Perry. The American Transcendentalists: Their Prose and Poetry. New York: Doubleday Anchor. 1957. Print.

Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. Philadelphia: D. McKay, 1900. Print.