On Emerson's Transcendentalism

This MA thesis aims to make a comprehensive study of Emerson's transcendentalism. As the greatest thinker, essayist, and poet in American literary history, Emerson and his transcendentalism exert a profound influence on American culture. Besides a detailed analysis of Emerson's core ideas: Over-soul and Self-reliance, the thesis also covers a comparative study between Emerson's transcendentalism and Confucianism.This thesis is made up of four chapters. The first chapter offers a detailed study of one of Emerson's core notion: Over-soul. Emerson's concept of Over-soul finds its source in Puritanism, Idealism as well as European Romanticism. Moreover, Emerson holds human has access to Over-soul only through intuition. As a consequence of Emerson's insight into Over-soul, he attaches great importance to the present.The second chapter focuses on the most important notion put forward by Emerson: Self-reliance. Self-reliance acts as the way that puts Over-soul into practice. This chapter mainly consists of two sections: the premise for being self-reliant, and how to be self-reliant. From Emerson's point of view, self-reliance is embodied mainly in three aspects: to be self-reliant in scholarship; to be self-reliant in religion, and to be self-reliant in viewing social progress.The third chapter tries to explore the influence of Emerson's transcendentalism upon American culture, especially upon literature. The influence on American culture can be summed up in terms of religion, moral outlooks, and literature, while its influence on literature can be analyzed in three respects.The last chapter then offers a comparative study between Emerson's transcendentalism and Confucianism. This chapter is divided into four sections, dealing with both their similar opinions on human nature; on deity as well as attitude toward deity; on the importance of learning; and on reform respectively.The concluding part of this thesis sums up the relationship between Over-soul and Self-reliance in Emerson's thoughts, and stresses the great influence Emerson and his transcendentalism brings upon American culture. Moreover, it points out that it is of significance to have a comparative study of Emerson and his transcendentalism.