Critical Analysis of Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay

As human beings we take everything for granted. We think not of the struggle that nature endures to blossom into something that we can find divine. Nor do we think about the hours and passion that a writer may have put into that piece of literature we pick up and read. We are expectant creatures who complain when it’s too hot outside, not even thinking that, that warmth is keeping us alive, or we get mad when it rains too much, not appreciating it for keeping nature flourishing. Ralph Waldo Emerson talks of humans’ disdain for nature and how detached we have become in his piece â€Å"Nature.† We’ll take a look at Emerson’s opinion on the lack of compassion and awe that mankind has for the world around them. Nature was not uncommon to be a†¦show more content†¦Emerson makes it very clear that it is absurd that we are ungrateful for the flora around us when it is never unkind or unforgiving. Whereas the busy industrialized world will eat you alive, the calm invitation of nature will accept you gladly in its presence every time. He writes about how it is rare for adults to be in awe of nature, and that we need to preserve a sense of childhood within us. The reason being, that children are more prone to the discovery of their surroundings. They have not yet become accustomed to trees blowing in the wind, or water gathering on the ground. They are not annoyed by the sounds of birds, and hold no disgust yet for crawling creatures. They are just simply in wonderstruck by it all, as if it is something too good to be true; this is the virtue that Emerson wants us all to hold dear. As a society, we have gotten so out of touch with the world as it should be, and now it’s all about trying to make everything â€Å"better.† The Swarthmore College of Environmental Studies says that â€Å"It is hard to argue that industrialization has not brought humans a greater ability to manipulate their environment (Industrialization and the Environment).† This is the very thing that Emerson is acting against. We have to get back in touch with nature, because then we will find ourselves closer to God. As it stands right now, it seems we are all trying to play our own â€Å"gods.† WeShow MoreRelated Ralph Waldo Emerson Essay1326 Words   |  6 PagesRalph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803 in Boston, Massachusetts. Early in his life, Emerson followed in the footsteps of his father and became minister, but this ended in 1832 when he felt he could no longer serve as a minister in good conscience. He experienced doubts about the Christian church and its doctrine. These reservations were temporarily alleviated by his brief association with Unitarianism, but soon Emerson became discontent with even their decidedlyRead MoreTranscendentalism And Its Impact On Society1491 Words   |  6 Pagessociety that thinkers found that conflicted with their identified ideology. The transcendentalists basically had this triangle where the basics of their beliefs were outlined, starting off with God at the top, the man in the left corner, and finally nature in the right corner, these could very well be the cornerstones of the transcendental belief system that they have in place. There were many areas that fell within in this triangle, but th ose are to be discussed later into this evaluation, but theRead More The Importance of Non-conformity and Independent Beliefs in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Self-Reliance2779 Words   |  12 PagesIn Ralph Waldo Emerson’s â€Å"Self-Reliance,† Emerson calls for each person in society to be wholly true to themselves. He claims that it is most rewarding to the individual and the society for people to believe in one’s own thoughts and not in the thoughts of others. Emerson believes that conformity will ultimately lead to an individual’s demise because by living for others, people are not being true to themselves. Therefore in order to have a well-formed society, citizens should focus inward andRead MoreThe Great Traversers By Ralph Waldo Emerson2868 Words   |  12 Pagesthree transcendental ideas, as presented by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau) In this spirit I have just discovered Emerson. For forty years I have known something about him, of course—that he was a mystical philosopher; the apostle of transcendentalism in America†¦.† (Abbot, lines 9-10). From within the text of the author of this quote, it can be seen the shear praise and gratitude held for a man by the name of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson as mentioned in the quote, is considered toRead MoreHenry David Thoreau1930 Words   |  8 Pagesnecessities of life (â€Å"Henry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ency. of World). As a child, he enjoyed exploring nature and was fascinated by its beauty. In his novel Walden, he remarks that â€Å"every morning was a cheerful invitation to make [his] life of equal simplicity†¦ with Nature herself,† and even contemplates that â€Å"[he had] never yet met a man who was quite awake† (Thoreau 70, 72). Thoreau believed that the true purpose of living resided in nature, and this is present not only in his wor k but throughout his personal life. InRead MoreEvolution Of Freedom Through History Essay1240 Words   |  5 Pagestrue freedom. Three such philosophic minds are that of G.W.F. (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich) Hegel, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Although each of the philosopher’s ideas on the role history plays in several ways, they all believe that its end result is significant in the eventual possibility of political freedom: Hegel discusses the methods of history and the Spirit within it, while Emerson believes in a more universal or individualistic mind and Nietzsche being less historical has moreRead MoreTranscendentalism in Civil Disobedience3710 Words   |  15 PagesDannheisig 1 Jan-Hendrik Dannheisig Susanne Hamscha, M.A. Re(dis)covering America: Emerson, Thoreau, and American Democracy 10 April 2012 Transcendentalism in Civil Disobedience Thoreaus Politics of Individuality and Nature Dannheisig 2 Contents Introduction 1. Transcendentalism a. Nature b. Introspective Conscience and Politics 2. Political Individualism a. Ethical and Political (In)justice b. Critique of Democracy Conclusion Bibliography 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Dannheisig 3 IntroductionRead MoreI Make An Impression It Must Be By Being Most Myself1115 Words   |  5 Pagescritic she called for equality of women. Fuller was thought of as â€Å"America’s first feminist† she pioneered the idea that women could argue philosophy with men. Fuller’s works all had a reoccurring theme that seemed to speak to her experiences. An analysis of her essay, Woman in the Nineteenth Century, she expresses many transcendentalist ideas. The main idea behind this essay is the growth of all individuals, women and men equally included. It show the enlightenment of men and women given someRead MoreHenry David Thoreau: The Grat Transcendentalist Essay1932 Words   |  8 Pagesto absorb every aspect of the education to the fullest. Upon his graduation Thoreau refused to pay the five dollar processing fee for his diploma because it was made of sheepskin, a tradition at Harvard University. This shows Thoreau’s respect for nature and the individual which is shown in much of his work. While studying at Harvard Thoreau was â€Å"influenced by Greek and Latin curriculum and developed a love of classical writers such as Homer who is reflected in the â€Å"reader† chapter of Walden† (SattelmeyerRead MoreHenry David Thoreau4404 Words   |  18 Pagesschool, but resigned after a few weeks rather than administer corporal punishment.[18]:25 He and his brother John then opened a grammar school in Concord in 1838 called Concord Academy.[18]:25 They introduced several progressive concepts, including nature walks and visits to local shops and businesses. The school ended when John became fatally ill from tetanus in 1842[19] after cutting himself while shaving. He died in his brother Henrys arms.[20] Meanwhile, he was spending a good deal of time writing