The Legacy of Transcendentalism in Contemporary American Literature: The Critical Study of Emerson (1841-1836)

Abstract

Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that developed at the beginning of the 19th  century that focused on the power of individualism, independence, and spiritual relationship between the humans and nature. The purpose of the current research is to discuss transcendentalism in modern American literature and to analyze the social change in the learning setting using the essays by Emerson, Self-Reliance and Nature. The research aims to reveal the knowledge gap regarding the role of transcendentalism in the contemporary social transformation to the self-knowledge and self-independence. The research has examined in a detailed discussion of the chosen literature pieces how the principles of transcendentalism are living in the contemporary society in the perception of individualism, self-reliance, and spiritual bonding between a human being and nature. Transcendentalism, in the field of education, was influential on how individuals were thinking about the learning process and intellectual exploration. The study is found to have contributed to the formation of self-reliance, cultural factors as well as investigation on the merits and obstacles of self-reliance in various situations. The paper also highlights the social change towards individualism and self-knowledge in contemporary society and the principles of transcendentalism have shaped the contemporary American literature. Through this study, other studies can rely on this research to understand transcendentalism in literature and interpret and analyze any text in its context. This research eventually assists the readers and scholars to understand better the purpose of literature in influencing values, beliefs and attitudes to self-reliance and the spiritual relationship that exists between the human and nature. The research will help to improve the understanding of transcendentalism and its influence on the American literature and the society and form a basis of the future research in that field.