美国文学简史（六）

Section 2  Summit of Romanticism – American TranscendentalismI. Background: four sourcesII. AppearanceIII. FeaturesIV. InfluenceV. Ralph Waldo EmersonVI. Henry David Thoreau

V. Ralph Waldo Emerson拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生

1

works

(1) Nature
(2) Two essays: The American Scholar《美国学者》, The Poet

2

point of view

(1) One major element of his philosophy is his firm belief in the transcendence of the “oversoul超灵”.
(2) He regards nature as the purest, and the most sanctifying（神圣的）moral influence on man, and advocated a direct intuition（直觉） of a spiritual and immanent（无处不在的） God in nature.
(3) If man depends upon himself, cultivates himself and brings out the divine in himself, he can hope to become better and even perfect. This is what Emerson means by “the infinitude of man人的无限性”.
(4) Everyone should understand that he makes himself by making his world, and that he makes the world by making himself.

3

aesthetic 美学的 ideas

(1) He is a complete man, an eternal man.
(2) True poetry and true art should ennoble.
(3) The poet should express his thought in symbols.
(4) As to theme, Emerson called upon American authors to celebrate America which was to him a lone poem in itself.

VI. Henry David Thoreau亨利·戴维·梭罗

1

works

(1) A Week on the Concord and Merrimack River《康科德和梅里麦克河上的一周》
(2) Walden《瓦尔登湖》 
(3) A Plea for John Brown (an essay)《为约翰·布朗上校请愿》 

2

point of view

(1) He did not like the way a materialistic America was developing and was vehemently （强烈地） outspoken on the point.
(2) He hated the human injustice as represented by the slavery system.
(3) Like Emerson, but more than him, Thoreau saw nature as a genuine restorative（兴奋剂）, healthy influence on man’s spiritual well-being.
(4) He has faith in the inner virtue and inward, spiritual grace of man.
(5) He was very critical of modern civilization.
(6) “Simplicity…simplify!”
(7) He was sorely disgusted with “the inundations of the dirty institutions of men’s odd-fellow society厌恶男性肮脏时代的泛滥”.
(8) He has calm trust in the future and his ardent（虔诚的） belief in a new generation of men.
         本文为节选，来源：沪江网

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