A Comparison Of Ralph Waldo Emerson And

Henry David Thoreau Essay, Research Paper

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were both born in

Massachusetts. Emerson was born in Boston in 1803. Thoreau was born in

Concord in 1817. Emerson attended Harvard and so became a Unitarian curate merely like his male parent had been. Thoreau besides attended Harvard but upon graduating, became a instructor and opened up a school. Both Emerson and Thoreau gave up their callings to prosecute Transcendentalist doctrine. Emerson was one of the first to get down the Transcendental Club. Thoreau became Emerson & # 8217 ; s pupil after he had moved into his house. Thoreau simplified his demands and began to experiment with Transcendentalism through experience. Although Emerson & # 8217 ; s Hagiographas achieved national acknowledgment during his life-time, Thoreau did non see such celebrity during his ain life. They were both active Transcendentalists, but their doctrines and methods differed somewhat.

Emerson believed one should populate in harmoniousness with nature. One of his

essays, suitably titled, & # 8220 ; Nature, & # 8221 ; was the first published essay on

Transcendentalist doctrine. Emerson theorized that adult male was one and the same with nature and he wrote about his experiences with nature. In & # 8220 ; Nature, & # 8221 ; Emerson wrote that, & # 8220 ; In the forests, we return to ground and religion. & # 8220 ; Although he was the 1 to compose this, it was Thoreau who went to extremes and took this literally.

Though Emerson

and Thoreau both believed in life in harmoniousness with

something, they differed on what it was they were to populate in harmoniousness with. While

Emerson lectured about Transcendetalist doctrine, Thoreau exhaustively practiced it. Emerson believed in life in harmoniousness with nature. Thoreau believed in life in peace and harmoniousness with ourselves.

Thoreau took Transcendentalism to the extremes. He simplified every

facet of his live and went & # 8221 ; back to nature & # 8221 ; to prove the experiences of

Transcendentalism. He focused on how he could populate in peace and harmoniousness with himself in nature while Emerson lectured about life in harmoniousness with nature. Thoreau took Emerson & # 8217 ; s instructions and expanded on them.

Emerson played his function as instructor and Thoreau played his function as pupil. They did this both whle life in the same family and throughout their lives. Emerson taught Transcendentalist doctrine and Thoreau non merely expanded on those instructions, he used them for experimenting with Transcednetalism. They both had a similar end in common ; nature. They wanted to populate in harmoniousness with nature. Emerson said that adult male is portion of nature and should populate in harmoniousness with it. Thoreau said adult male should be in harmoniousness with himself. One could state that to be in harmoniousness with oneself is to be in harmoniousness with nature. Together, Emerson an Thoreau shaped a whole new manner of thought in America. This manner of thought, lives on today.