Post by chrisd02 on May 19, 2008 10:25:09 GMT -5
Chris DeLaFuente
5/18/08
Pd. 2
Hudson River School Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism for Thoreau and Emerson is the ideology that allows for an individual to find his/her inner self. In order for the individual to accomplish this, he/she must form his/her own opinions and ideologies that are not tainted by the rest of society. Thoreau and Emerson believe that in order to discover the inner self, one must dive into nature and leave corrupt society behind so as to truly experience the self without distractions from the social order. Only when the person is truly submerged in nature can he/she experience the feeling of connection with the universal soul, which is the idea that everyone is in the world is connected. However, in order to truly understand the meaning of this oversoul, one must learn from experience. If society continually tells man what and how to do things, then there will never be any original thought. In David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience he declares “that government is best which governs least” (Thoreau 85). Thoreau believes that government hinders the individual’s freedom and thought, even though it exists for the sole purpose of protecting these rights. Emerson also explains the importance of the self over society's beliefs in Self Reliance. He notes that, “For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure” (Emerson 24). However, he nevertheless feels the “great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps the perfect sweetness the independence of solitude” (23). This person, even though he is surrounded by society’s ideologies, is able to retain his oversoul and not fall into the conformity of society. Once the person is truly one with nature, he/she can experience the connection to the universal soul: the connection one feels with all men. The combination of these components allow for the experience of the self, which permits the individual to achieve the oversoul and experience the connection between nature, man, and God.
Frederick E. Church’s painting “Rainbow over a Hilly Landscape” accurately conveys this idea of the oversoul and the connection that one experiences with nature. In the foreground of the painting, there are rocks and shrubbery that are not beautiful unto themselves, but they are part of the wonderful whole. Church notices that even the small shrubs contribute to the overall painting and allow for the connection of everything else. Similarly, the transcendentalists believe that in order to tap into the oversoul, they must realize that everything in nature is linked together, and they learn this connection by delving into nature and experiencing things first hand, just as Church did.
Also, on the horizon of the painting, the hills give the impression that the landscape is endless. Since the scene is isolated from all civilization and the corrupt ideologies of society, the painting gives the viewer the aura of experiencing solitude by immersing him/her in the painting. The vast sky also plays along, reinforcing the concept that, once the individual is alone in nature, its power is eternal and all-encompassing. If one is truly immersed in nature, then the landscape and the sky that surround the individual create a bubble that shields him/her from the corruption of society.
Finally, the rainbow that Church paints connecting one side of the canvas to the other demonstrates the connection between all things in nature. This connection links everything together. Thus, when someone becomes one with nature he will be able to access the oversoul. As Emerson states, “that Over-soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other” (Emerson 52) is crucial to a full understanding of life.
Through this painting, Church displays everything the transcendental ideology calls for. He has journeyed into nature and observed its surroundings and can now better understand himself, according to transcendentalist theory. The painting that he creates is formed from first-hand experience, which is what Emerson and Thoreau believe is needed for one to form his own spiritual existence. Church escapes society’s restraints and forms his own opinions about how to represent the world, inspiring him to create this incredible painting of nature.
5/18/08
Pd. 2
Hudson River School Transcendentalism
Transcendentalism for Thoreau and Emerson is the ideology that allows for an individual to find his/her inner self. In order for the individual to accomplish this, he/she must form his/her own opinions and ideologies that are not tainted by the rest of society. Thoreau and Emerson believe that in order to discover the inner self, one must dive into nature and leave corrupt society behind so as to truly experience the self without distractions from the social order. Only when the person is truly submerged in nature can he/she experience the feeling of connection with the universal soul, which is the idea that everyone is in the world is connected. However, in order to truly understand the meaning of this oversoul, one must learn from experience. If society continually tells man what and how to do things, then there will never be any original thought. In David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience he declares “that government is best which governs least” (Thoreau 85). Thoreau believes that government hinders the individual’s freedom and thought, even though it exists for the sole purpose of protecting these rights. Emerson also explains the importance of the self over society's beliefs in Self Reliance. He notes that, “For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure” (Emerson 24). However, he nevertheless feels the “great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps the perfect sweetness the independence of solitude” (23). This person, even though he is surrounded by society’s ideologies, is able to retain his oversoul and not fall into the conformity of society. Once the person is truly one with nature, he/she can experience the connection to the universal soul: the connection one feels with all men. The combination of these components allow for the experience of the self, which permits the individual to achieve the oversoul and experience the connection between nature, man, and God.
Frederick E. Church’s painting “Rainbow over a Hilly Landscape” accurately conveys this idea of the oversoul and the connection that one experiences with nature. In the foreground of the painting, there are rocks and shrubbery that are not beautiful unto themselves, but they are part of the wonderful whole. Church notices that even the small shrubs contribute to the overall painting and allow for the connection of everything else. Similarly, the transcendentalists believe that in order to tap into the oversoul, they must realize that everything in nature is linked together, and they learn this connection by delving into nature and experiencing things first hand, just as Church did.
Also, on the horizon of the painting, the hills give the impression that the landscape is endless. Since the scene is isolated from all civilization and the corrupt ideologies of society, the painting gives the viewer the aura of experiencing solitude by immersing him/her in the painting. The vast sky also plays along, reinforcing the concept that, once the individual is alone in nature, its power is eternal and all-encompassing. If one is truly immersed in nature, then the landscape and the sky that surround the individual create a bubble that shields him/her from the corruption of society.
Finally, the rainbow that Church paints connecting one side of the canvas to the other demonstrates the connection between all things in nature. This connection links everything together. Thus, when someone becomes one with nature he will be able to access the oversoul. As Emerson states, “that Over-soul, within which every man’s particular being is contained and made one with all other” (Emerson 52) is crucial to a full understanding of life.
Through this painting, Church displays everything the transcendental ideology calls for. He has journeyed into nature and observed its surroundings and can now better understand himself, according to transcendentalist theory. The painting that he creates is formed from first-hand experience, which is what Emerson and Thoreau believe is needed for one to form his own spiritual existence. Church escapes society’s restraints and forms his own opinions about how to represent the world, inspiring him to create this incredible painting of nature.