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What is the American stance on transcendentalism (in literature)? What do you, Americans, think of Poe, and especially Emerson? Is that poetry first-class to you, or what?
Thanks in advance.
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Jezikoslovac -
I find this a very interesting question (in fact I wish I'd thought to ask it myself) and am looking forward to hearing answers.
The study of English literature in so many Universities is so compartmentalised: students study The Romantics, Medieval Literature, Early Modern; etc. etc.,(and there are so MANY etceteras) and can do so exclusively. This means that many of them never get to see English Literature as a Whole but as seperate entities without ever even grasping the linear progression.
Because American Literature does not comprise such a huge, unwieldy corpus, most students of Literature, I'm guessing, are familiar with the same writers. But HOW do they study these giants? As part of a universal movement? As a completely independent corpus? As representative of a unique movement? And do they see them in relation to particular movements or schools of thought? Upon whose shoulders do they see them as standing? And what about the technical aspects?.....the more one thinks about it, the more questions arise.
I really hope that people will be inspired to respond because now, at least, there are TWO of us anxious to increase our knowledge of this topic.
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I agree with you, Romany... and this might be, or may been a very interesting thread.
The first thing that comes to my mind is Emerson's overly-famous "paragraph", which I realize many of you already know.
Quote… Live no longer to the expectation of these deceived and deceiving people with whom we converse. Say to them, O father, O mother, O wife, O brother, O friend, I have lived with you after appearances hitherto. Henceforward I am the truth’s. Be it known unto you that henceforward I obey no law less than the eternal law. I will have no covenants but proximities. I shall endeavour to nourish my parents, to support my family, to be chaste husband of one wife, -but these relations I must fill after a new and unprecedented way. I appeal from your customs.
I must be myself.
I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. If you can love me for what I am, we shall be happier. If you cannot, I will still seek to deserve that you should. I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me, and the heart appoints. If you are noble, I will love you; if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions. If you are true, but not in the same truth with me, cleave to your companions; I will seek my own. I do this not selfishly, but humbly and truly. It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men’s, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth. Does this sound harsh to-day? You will soon love what is dictated by your nature as well as mine, and, if we follow the truth, it will bring us out safe at last. end Quote
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
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Some people consider Emerson's Nature the definitive transcendentalist work in american literature. I'm not certain that Poe fits in there anywhere, other than being a macbre gothic or 'neogothic' early victorian romanticist.
Forgiving is Love, Love is For Giving.
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Jezikoslovac wrote:What is the American stance on transcendentalism (in literature)? What do you, Americans, think of Poe, and especially Emerson? Is that poetry first-class to you, or what?
Thanks in advance. Poe would get my vote for the most type-cast and under-appreciated of American poets. It's the nature of poets to be cast, recast and miscast according to the foibles of their readers, and the academia of the subsequent generations, but Poe has suffered worst under those two influences. Emerson. Gads, how to describe Emerson? Fundamental? Intrinsic? Primal? Developmentally essential? He is a primo-fundatrinsical requirement. Emerson is a strange bird on a bunch of levels when it comes to the American literary canon. He might be the literary equivalent of the role potty training has on children in Freudian psychology. He's the kind of thing that people often don't consciously consider, but remains part of the subconscious life that informs so much of the waking, literary world.
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Its a shame this thread seems not to have got off the ground: as the OP was specifically asking for the opinions of American posters I have been sitting back hoping that more discussion would ensue.
However, I will eternally be grateful to Geeman's contribution that Emerson "might be the literary equivalent of the role potty-training has on children in Freudian psychology."
If there was a possibility that Quotes of the Day could be culled from Forum members that would get my unqualified vote as qualifying. I, at least, would love to quote it!
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