Transcendentalism – “a belief in a higher knowledge than achieved by human reason.” is a philosophical and social movement beginning in the 1830’s, thinkers like Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were the focal points of the movement. Some of their writings such as The Dial, Nature, and Walden are all transcendentalist pieces that were revolutionary at their time of release, and can be related to Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne embodies transcendentalism by her nonconformist
puritan thought. These things are concepts/key features of transcendentalism, whilst it is never said directly that she is transcendentalist, she naturally leans towards those thoughts. She also quite literally transcends the puritan way and calls her sin holy in her eyes, directly and extremely defying puritan thought. Even stronger than that is her forced and embraced self-reliance, caused by her scarlet letter. When she gets her scarlet letter she is described as haughty, which means she still holds
Anti-Transcendentalist perspectives on realism, the inner evil of men, spiritual forgiveness, and the feeling of guilt. His portrayal of anti-transcendentalist concepts and symbolism appear throughout the characters of The Scarlet Letter. One pillar of anti-transcendentalism is realism. Hawthorn creates characters who have realist’s views. They are observant of their surroundings and have an appreciation for fate and destiny. To this end, the characters see what has happened in the past or to others
INTRODUCTION AMERICAN LITERATURE American literature is the literature written or produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. During its early history America was a series of British colonies on the eastern coast of the present day United States. Therefore it is literary tradition of English literature. However, unique American characteristics and the breadth of its production usually now cause it to be considered a separate path and tradition. The New England colonies