Wikipedia defines transcendentalism as “a religious and philosophical movement that developed during the late 1820s and ’30s in the Eastern region of the United States as a protest against the general state of spirituality and, in particular, the state of intellectualism at Harvard University and the doctrine of the Unitarian church as taught at Harvard Divinity School”
In other words, transcendentalism was a movement that disliked any form of authority and felt that religious hierarchies strayed away from the true methods and teachings of the religion (specifically Christianity). It was also known as Light Romanticism, so if you were ever wondering who the opposite of the Dark Romantics were; here they are!
Dark Romanticism and Light Romanticism actually have a lot in common (they really liked spending time in nature), except Light Romantics don’t believe in the supernatural and they also feel that the unknown and “higher” things in life can be discovered and understood by humans (the “lesser beings”).
Key transcendentalists include Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. You can find signs of transcendentalism in popular works today from Star Wars (especially the one with the ewoks) to The Lion King.
Not too much today, but I’ll try to come up with more for next time. May the force (fourth) be with you!
Temporarily Thoughtful 