beliefs but yet so distant in the details of the beliefs. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau are two Transcendentalist authors who wrote on the downfalls of the American society of their time. However, yet the corruptions of their time can still be seen today. Emerson and Thoreau was both active Transcendentalist whose philosophies differed slightly. One of the most common topics for Transcendentalist was nature. Emerson views on the nature suggested four uses of nature: Beauty, Discipline
this is easier said than done for most people. The writers Thoreau and Emerson attempt to set guidelines for a meaningful and pleasant life in their essays. Although both writers have similar ideas, Thoreau actually lives out the beliefs at multiple points in his life. His actions indubitably represent Emerson’s opinions what it means to contribute to society. The idea of simplicity expressed by Emerson is specifically seen when Thoreau willingly lives in a poorly built home in the woods. He also
similar, romantic perspectives, Emerson and Thoreau describe the spiritual growth they experience within nature. The idea that God exists in every aspect of nature is constantly voiced in both chapters, and both men explain how they achieve enlightenment. The ways in which both Emerson and Thoreau regard youth relate to the romantic notion that humans are born innocent, but are corrupted over time by social conventions and thus become less virtuous. Emerson likens the “lover of nature” to a
spirituality and intellectualism. Transcendentalism emphasizes interrelated relationships between nature, divinity, and human kind; a faith in intuition, by way of passive perception. Among this movement arise two philosophers: Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Thoreau was Emerson’s student and adopted many of Emerson’s views, but also used those views as a base for his own. Based on Emerson’s and Thoreau’s work such as “Self-Reliance” and “Walden,” major philosophical differences in their approach