Transcendentalism revealed itself in the beginning of the 19th century with
talented writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Walt
Whitman. These well-educated men brought such ideas as individualism,
imagination, and nature to life through their works. Many writers in the
transcendentalism period included such characteristics in their pieces. Some of
the characteristics are spiritual well being, individualism, nature, and
imagination. There are some that make these characteristics more evident than
others are such as, Walden by Henry David Thoreau, I Sit and Look Out by Walt
Whitman, and I Hear America Singing also by Walt Whitman. Walden by Henry David
Thoreau, was a well-written piece and thoroughly explains and describes nature
and the spiritual utopia that comes with it. “ The bullfrogs trump to usher in
the night,” this explains the likeness of nature’s bullfrogs to musical
beauty and song. “ What sort of space is that which separates a man from his
fellows and makes him solitary? I have found that no exertion of the legs can
bring two minds much nearer to one another…” In response to the men who
frequently pester him about loneliness he says this and it clarifies that when
one is alone in the wilderness or just solitary in general, far away from the
cities, fellow humans, and busy life, he isn’t farther away because of the
distance there is between he and the other. He insinuates that the mind could
distance one from any other more or less than the exertion of one’s legs, and
that a journey far from civilization could bring two people closer together
mentally than ever before. “ Like the marmots in the surrounding hills, it
closes its eyelids and becomes dormant for three months or more.” Here,
Thoreau describes the pond in the winter. He describes it as once lively and
busy in the fall and summer, now is dormant and still, like a picture. The fish
don’t scurry about as they did in the frisky winter, but now they just float
and are motionless, like the waves that were once evident in the summer months.
This work of Thoreau’s just describes nature, one of the characteristics that
make up transcendentalism. Walt Whitman was a man who could write about a
subject in two opposing ways, but still is the same story in a different
perspective. I Hear America Singing is about a man watching, hearing the sounds
of the people and their many contributions to society. The song of everyone
merrily doing their job and liking it, getting things done with a smile on their
face and having an incredible outlook on life. “ The delicious singing of the
mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing.” This
states that each person who is being mentioned is singing, rejoicing to what is
his or hers, whether it be their duties as an individual, or life in general.
“ The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows,
robust, friendly, singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.” This
says that the night is filled with young men singing of their lives, robust and
loud with open mouths singing their full, euphonic song of life. This is a piece
of a happier outlook on the life of the people all around and of the positive
attitudes of many. Illustrating individualism and showing what one can make of
their lives by being themselves and enjoying their own life. I Sit and Look Out
is of complete contrast to I Hear America Singing. I Sit and Look Out describes
a dark, sad, corrupted, sorrowful world. Whereas I Hear America Singing depicts
a brighter and more upbeat society. Walt Whitman uses sad words describing
emotion, and just all sorts of corruption imaginable. “ I see the wife misused
by her husband, I see the treacherous seducer of women,” Here he paints the
picture of the ignored, badly treated wife by her husband, and the wicked,
devious, womanizer/ seducer of innocent women. “I see the workings of battle,
pestilence, tyranny, I see the martyrs and prisoners.” He observes the evil of
war, and plague, of famine and tyranny, of helpless prisoners and sufferers. But
chooses to be silent, to watch and be silent still. Individualism is illustrated
here by him being only that of an individual and not able to put an end to all
the sorrow. In conclusion, the transcendentalism period was one of great
literary works. Bringing nature, imagination, and individualism to our eyes.
Showing all that nature can bring one to a mental utopia and by making one
serene can aid in the mental well rounding of a person. Whitman’s works tell
us that everyone plays a part in life. And that you can make your experience a
good or bad one. Singing and rejoicing of the splendors of life can bring you
the pinnacle of your existence. On a darker note however, sitting back and
watching as the world is being corrupted and not having anything to do with
trying to help the situations makes life unbearable. By Whitman’s pieces, I
can tell you it is all how you look at life. The two contrasting pieces show
that when you focus on the brighter points of life than you are rarely pestered
by life’s predicaments. But when you sit back and don’t make the most of
your existence you tend to notice the problems a lot easier than one who was
enjoying their life would. It just goes to show you that transcendentalism is an
important part of American literature and without it we would not realize any of
the points brought up in Whitman, or Thoreau’s works. These were intelligent
men and put their emotions and deep thoughts on paper for us to debate upon or
agree with.