TRANSCENDENTALISM AND UTOPIAN SOCIETIES IN AMERICAN CULTURE FROM 1815-1848

Rachel Bryan and Kate Barnes

TRANSCENDENTALISM

TRANSCENDENTALISM WAS… A literary and

philosophical movement associated with 19th century writers and a small but active circle of  New England educators, religious leaders, and social reformers during the time.

Began as a discussion club, but grew to affect the beliefs of later U.S writers and Americans in general.

Its main ideas and concerns (individualism, self-improvement, spiritualism, and moral protest) are still part of U.S. cultural practices and political attitudes.

IN LITERATURE

THOREAU HIS WORK

One of the loudest Transcendental voices

Secluded himself in a cabin above Walden pond where he wrote his most famous work, Walden.

Although not seen as an exemplary figure of Transcendentalist views during his time, Thoreau is now considered the philosophical model of a Transcendentalist in the mid 19th century.

Thoreau preached religious tolerance, moral soundness, love of nature, and the right to disobey unjust authority.

His most famous writings were Walden and Resistance to Civil Government.

Three thousand copies of Walden were printed, but fewer than three hundred copies were sold. Walden is now regarded as one of the most monumental pieces of literature.

PRINCIPLES OF TRANSCENDENTALISM Idealism

The loud Transcendental figures such as Whitman and Emerson had religions, but did celebrate physical relationships. “Yet each of these figures shared a fundamental belief in a higher reality of ideas--in a metaphysical realm of spirit that is screened, and yet symbolically revealed, by the material world.”

Pantheism Also known as “Natural Supernaturalism,” and considered by

some as an American natural religion. Similar to the Deist of the 18th century, the universe and

Enlightenment theories were extremely influential. Optimism

Transcendentalist were overall optimists in that they knew the hardships of the human experience, but were convinced of the essential goodness and purposefulness of life.

TRANSCENDENTALISTS AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD

By many, transcendentalist figures were seen as questionable and “conspirators.”

However, most people looked at transcendentalists as doing something worth doing, but it just wasn’t for them, much like we look at the hippies from the 1960s.

Edgar Allan Poe severely criticized the movement, calling its members “frogpondians” and discredited their writings as “mysticism for mysticism’s sake.” He wrote a short story attacking the movement, referring to it as a disease.

One of Nathanial Hawthorne’s more popular novels, The Blithedale Romance, criticizes his short encounter with Brook Farm, a failed Utopian Society.

UTOPIAN SOCIETIES Brook Farm, New Harmony, Oneida, Shakers, and Mormons

WHAT WERE UTOPIAN SOCIETIES?

The western idea of utopian societies originated from ancient times– such as in the Garden of Eden and the Golden Age of Greek mythology.

The word “Utopia” originated from a 16th century writer who introduced the word as a fictional paradisal island in the Atlantic ocean.

Deism, the second Great Awakening, and Enlightenment philosophies prepared the western world for Transcendentalist thought.

BROOK FARM West Roxbury, Massachusetts Organized by George Ripley Many famous names held shares in Brook Farm; e.g.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Fuller.

The community provided all necessities and education for its members.

A fire that burned down a brand new building, financial trouble, and a suit by Nathanial Hawthorne to regain hisinvestment in the site led to its end in 1847. Fueled Hawthorne’s novel The Blithedale Romance.

ONEIDA COMMUNITY John Humphrey Noyes

Born in Brattleboro, Vermont in 1811

Joined Andover Theological Seminary in November of 1831

Became involved in the nascent abolitionist movement

Founded the New Haven Anti-Slavery society and New Haven free church where he preached his radical beliefs.

Great emphasis on perfection being attainable in this life.

Onedia Community Mansion House, Madison County, New Yorkhttp://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amana/buildings/Oneida.jpg

ONEIDA MEMBERS FALL His followers;

Became known as Perfectionists. Practiced “complex marriage”

and considered themselves married to the group, not one partner.

Practiced “bible communism” Members were not accepted by

the community of Putney, New York, so the group moved to Madison in 1847

Whole community lived together in one house in the 1850s

Ate communal meals, worked together to raise and educate children, and collaborated to achieve manufacturing success.

At it’s height 270 members lived together in the house.

In 1847 a meeting of ministers was held in Syracuse where the community was condemned.

Mede members uneasy, and Noyes fled to Canada on June 29, 1879

The community was officially ended in January 1881 when reconstructed as a Joint Stock Company.

SHAKERS

Beliefs; Communal Living Productive labor Celibacy

Abstaining from marriage and sexual relationships for religious reasons.

Pacifism The belief that violence, including war,

is unjustifiable under any circumstances, and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.

Equality of sexes

formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Coming

MEMBERS

6000 members before the civil war

Successful in making items for the outside commercial world Moved focus from

agriculture to handicrafts

e.g Furniture Became known as

“Shaker Style”

Had two main communities

Began in 1780s, but peaked from 1830-1860

Lived in same sex housing

Worked in it’s garden-seed industry

THE SHAKER COMMUNITY

Community had 15 buildings: The Great Stone

Dwelling The Stone Mille Building The West Meadow Barn Laundry and Dairy The East Brethren’s

Shop Mary Keane Chapel Ministry House West Brethren’s House

The inside makeup of a Utopian Society

Hancock Shaker Village Sabbathday Lake Shaker

Village Last remaining

community

MORMONS

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7, Book of Mormon

Held the common Christian ideas until the early 1800s, when they believed Joseph Smith was a prophet. Joseph Smith was considered a

prophet similar to Moses or Abraham. God had always sent messengers to tech His plan.

The Mormons believed God gave Joseph Smith permission to baptize and teach others the steps they needed to take in order to return to live with God.

BOOK OF MORMON

Considered a continuation of the Bible

The book of Mormon contains the history and God’s word between 600BC and 400 AD.

Compiled by a man named Mormon onto golden plates.

The book of Mormon answers ‘questions of the soul’

1. “Is there really a God?”2. “Did I exist before I was

born?”3. “What happens after I

die?”4. “Does my life have a

purpose?” Divided into books like

the bible

BRIGHAM YOUNG

Second President of the Mormon church Born June 1st 1801 Died August 29th 1877 Years as President 1847-1877

Brigham Young University Multiple Universities founded and directed

by the church

“'Mormonism' has made me all I am; and the grace, the power, and the wisdom of God will make me all that I ever will be, either in time or in eternity.”

LATTER DAY SAINTS

A branch of Mormon faith Belief statement

“We are all spiritual children of a loving Heavenly Father who sent us to this earth to learn and grow in a mortal state. As Mormons, we are followers of Jesus Christ. We live our lives to serve Him and teach of His eternal plan for each of us.”

FIN

WORKS CITED

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/amana/utopia.htm 11-10-10 New Oxford American Dictionary http://www.shakermuseum.org/history.htm 11-10-10 http://www.mormon.org/faith?gclid=CKrw_ujNmaUCFYdc2god

dgoZGw 11-10-10

http://lds.org/churchhistory/presidents/controllers/potcController.jsp?leader=2&topic=facts 11-10-10

http://www.byu.edu/webapp/home/index.jsp 11-10-10 What Hath God Wrought http://condor.depaul.edu/~dsimpson/awtech/amertran.html

11-10-10 http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/poebio.html 11-10-10 Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol. 2 http://www.toptenz.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Brook-Far

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