Hello Friends, I'm a student of the Department of English,M.K.B.U. This blog is a part of a thinking activity which is assigned by Megha Ma'am. This blog is based on Transcendentalism and also on a movie which is based on Transcendentalism.
Introduction:-
Transcendentalism is an American literary, philosophical, religious, and political movement of the early nineteenth century, centred around Ralph Waldo Emerson. Other important transcendentalists were Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Lydia Maria Child, Amos Bronson Alcott, Frederic Henry Hedge, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and Theodore Parker. Stimulated by English and German Romanticism, the Biblical criticism of Herder and Schleiermacher, and the scepticism of Hume, the transcendentalists operated with the sense that a new era was at hand. They were critics of their contemporary society for its unthinking conformity, and urged that each person find, in Emerson’s words,
“an original relation to the universe”.
Emerson and Thoreau sought this relation in solitude amidst nature, and in their writing. By the 1840s they, along with other transcendentalists, were engaged in the social experiments of Brook Farm, Fruitlands, and Walden; and, by the 1850s in an increasingly urgent critique of American slavery.
Basic Information about Transcendentalism :-
TRANSCENDENTALISM is a very formal word that describes a very simple idea. People, men and women equally, have knowledge about themselves and the world around them that "transcends" or goes beyond what they can see, hear, taste, touch or feel.
This knowledge comes through intuition and imagination not through logic or the senses. People can trust themselves to be their own authority on what is right. A TRANSCENDENTALIST is a person who accepts these ideas not as religious beliefs but as a way of understanding life relationships.
The poets and a critic created a group called Transcendental club which consists of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller. They reacted against the ideals of Puritanism and its orthodoxy rigidity on society. They were non-conformists and believed in self-reliance and detachment from any political and religious views. They thought that religious point of view are subjective in nature and the subject of God varies from person to person and hence it completely depends on the notion of individual perspectives and their experiences with God.
The individuals most closely associated with this new way of thinking were connected loosely through a group known as THE TRANSCENDENTAL CLUB, which met in the Boston home of GEORGE RIPLEY. Their chief publication was a periodical called "The Dial," edited by Margaret Fuller, a political radical and feminist whose book "Women of the Nineteenth Century" was among the most famous of its time. The club had many extraordinary thinkers, but accorded the leadership position to RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
Presentation based on the major Transcendentalists. Like., Ralph Waldo Emerson,Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller. :-
Henry David Thoreau, Walden
"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail."
Characteristics of the Transcendentalism :-
1) The Transcendental believed that the power of divine or God can be known through the power of emotion and intuition. They rejected the rational and logical entity of mind to know God and reacted against the ideals of Unitarianism. They relied on intuition for all the answers and believed that knowledge comes from within and intuition resides within an individual. They wanted to go beyond or transcend the limitations of human senses and based their knowledge of spiritual and other knowledge by their emotions and inner voice rather than sensory perceptions.
2)They championed the idea of individualism and believed in the idea of self-reliance. They thought that individual entity is the spiritual center of the universe where the prime importance of individual presence on society is established to make progression and development. They critique the society and political aspects which destroy human mind and corrupt their souls. Hence, they believed in the independent of every individual and one should listen to their own mind and soul.
3).The other important philosophy is the philosophy of over soul. It is about the soul’s connection with God where every other souls are connected to God who is the over soul. It means to emphasize that God is omnipresent and is everywhere and hence there are no clear distinction between human soul and nature as the study of nature will help in better understanding the laws of nature which will lead them to understand God and other aspects of soul.
4)The nature also plays an important role in their philosophy as nature is the scared place of solitude and peace which the English Romantics finds it too. It is through nature one can understand God , self and soul which resides within us. They emphasized that man should spend time on nature and study nature which will enable them to attain spiritual guidance and morality than religious texts as God is omnipresent to them and studying nature will guide them to understand God and its relationship.
5) They believed in the idea of non-conformity and hence argued to restrain from any social and political doctrines. They clearly wanted to detach themselves from the set principles and conventions led by the society and urges every individual to become self reliant and independent. They believed that these set of principles destroy mankind and one cannot understand God from it and hence one should not conform to such rules and regulations constructed by the society.
6) They believed in the simplicity of life and sought to restrain from the materialistic and worldly desires. They detached themselves from the urban life and settled in the lap of nature to find solace and calmness instead of the material values which are easily accessible in the urban and city life.
Interpretation of the movie Based on Transendentalism :-
Summary of this movie :-
Dead Poets Society :-
In the movie Dead Poets Society, the literary philosophy of Transcendentalism is portrayed through the teachings of Mr.. Keating, a transcendentalist, at Walton, a private school grounded on conformity and Institution. The movie does not look at the school as a whole, but one can recognize the engagement concerning the transcendentalists and conformists In the movie when observing the fluctuations and activities taken by the group of boys who call themselves the Dead Poets Society. The Dead Poets Society is an organisation of a select few students who aspire to discover inspiration through appraisal of poetry.
The movie will address the doctrines of transcendentalism as they pertain to three key transcendentalist writers, relating them to the characters in the film and their particular discovered vocations. The vital indication is that the doctrines of transcendentalism from the 1 9th century persist definitely in the beliefs of American people, as is evident in this movie. Various transcendentalist ideologies frequently relate to each character, principally when in concern with individuality.
Transcendentalism asserts that every individual Is capable of discovering higher truth on his or her own through intuition. Transcendentalists believe that self-reliance and Individualism must outweigh external authority and blind conformity to custom and tradition. Qualities of transcendentalism are revealed in the scenes when Mr.. Keating tells Nell to talk to his father about being in the play, when Charlie makes up a “phone call from God” and does not give in to Mr.. Nolan, and when Knox goes to Chris’ school to make her accept his affection for her.
In the scene when Mr.. Keating tells Neil to discuss being in the play with his father, Mr.. Keating assumes the role of father and comrade to Neil the night before the play. This example is one of the exhibitions of the relationships that Keating has generated with his students. This scene represents Mr.. Keating as much more than Just a teacher. Mr.. Keating intended to help Neil with his struggle against conformity and tradition. Knell’s father is a very potent example of someone opposed to transcendentalism, a conformist or institutionally.
Keating listens and asks Nell If he has ever been as sincere with his own father to which Nell responds, “l can’t talk to him that way” to which Keating asks, “Have you ever told your father what you just told me? About your passion for acting. Have you ever shown him that? ” And Neil says sadly “I can’t. ” Seating’s words encourage Nil’s individualism, and self-reliance: “Then you’re acting for him, too. You’re playing the part of the dutiful son. I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is. Neil does not tell his father and lies to Keating. Mr.. Seating’s advice to Neil emulates the principle of civil disobedience as described in Henry David Thoreau excerpt from Civil Disobedience and Other Essays, “If the Injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of overspent, let it go, let It go: perchance It will wear smooth–certainly the machine will wear out… But If It Is of such a nature that It requires you to be the agent of Injustice to another, then say, break the law. Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine.What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn. ”
Unfortunately, Nil’s father does not give into son, Neil. In contrast, Charlie is a fugitive in the movie that does stimulate some progress against idealism. Furthermore, in the scene when Charlie makes "a phone call from God”, Henry David Thoreau principle of civil disobedience is also exemplified. Charlie’s uprising is to put out an article under the name of the Dead Poets Society demanding that girls be allowed to attend Walton. This is Charlie’s best moment. A general assembly is called and Mr.Nylon’s speech follows “In this week of Welter’s Honor there appeared a profane and unauthorised article. Rather than spend my valuable time ferreting out the guilty persons and let me assure you I will find them – – I’m asking any and all students who know anything about this article to make themselves known here and now. Whoever the guilty persons are, this is your only chance to avoid expulsion from this school. ” The sound of a phone ringing can be heard. It’s a false phone that Charlie has arranged. Charlie picks up a telephone and answers “Walton Academy. Hello. Yes, he is.Just a moment”. Charlie stands up, holding a phone and bell in his hands. “Mr.. Nolan, it’s for you. It’s God. He says we should have girls at Walton. ” This scene pools nonconformity, revolt counter to the institution, self- reliance and, notably, a non-transcendental theme, humour, a retreat liberator of free speech. Charlie’s boldness and intrepid outburst in this scene best emulates Henry David Thoreau ideology of civil disobedience as observed in the excerpt from Civil Disobedience and Other Essays ``Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government?
Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man? ” The notion that there is a possibility for greater development within the school is what stimulates Charlie’s rebellious nature and outbursts. Mr.. Nolan reprimands Charlie demanding Ames of the members of the Dead Poets Society but Charlie does not capitulate. On that note, when Neil asks, “So what happened? ” Charlie replies, “I’m to turn everyone in, apologise to the school and all will be forgiven. ” On Nil’s inquiry, “So, what are you going to do? Charlie! Charlie’s response in keeping with his defiance is “Damn it, Neil, The name is Undead. '' signifying that Charlie does not and will not give in. He has a lot of resilience and is a true radical. Similarly, another character that actually takes initiative in the movie to perpetuate the essence of transcendentalism is Knox. Likewise, when Knox goes to Chris’ school to make her accept his affection for her; he implements the instructions of self-reliance by Ralph Wald Emerson. Knox overcomes his “calmness” and takes initiative by going to Chris’ school with flowers.
He says, “Please, accept these. Please. ” Chris replies “No. No– l, I can’t. Forget it” and walk away. Impervious, Knox follows and reads his poem. The classroom becomes noiseless as everybody heeds his brave and powerful message for Chris. Knox's actions are enthused by the Dead Poets Society and Knox reveals the self-confidence he gained from the Dead Poets Society. The Dead Poets Society gave Knox the knowledge of Transcendentalism, which is expressed in Ralph Wald Emerson, Self- Reliance, “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood?
Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood. ” The point articulated in this quotation is that one must not quarrel over the truths of their beliefs, but embrace them. Only once Knox learns to embrace his love for Chris Chris venerates his resolve and moves toward progression and rebirth. This scene reaffirms Knock's self-reliance.
Conclusion :-
In summary, the subject is the principles of transcendentalism from the 19th century, which were expressed in this movie. During the course of the movie, both destructive and constructive consequences of transcendentalism in a conformist, institutional setting transpire. Unfortunately, nothing essentially reformed with the institution, but the boys established knowledge that would supersede new ideas for coming generations. The movie itself provided quality entertainment for the untrained mind.
