Oneness in Walden, Nature and American Scholar Essay

Oneness in Walden, Nature and American Scholar Some of the most prominent works which express a relationship between the individual and nature are undoubtedly Walden by Henry David Thoreau and the essays written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, specifically Nature and The American Scholar. In each of these works, an idea of wholeness, oneness, with nature is expressed. Thoreau and Emerson both believe that man, in order to live a full, happy life, must live in harmony with nature. Both writers share several ideas as to how this oneness with nature can be achieved, and its significance. Emerson, in his Scholar address, states that nature is the most important influence on man and his thinking. Because in nature there is no beginning†¦show more content†¦Emerson and Thoreau both urge people to go out and experience life for themselves instead of merely reading about it. Reading is necessary for growth, but one should not depend on it to change their lives; for that, they have to live simply in nature. In this way, to both authors, books seem to be a direct hindrance to achieving the wholeness that nature offers because reading keeps man from experiencing nature himself. Once they experience lifes richness through nature, they are better able to develop spiritually and experience the divine. Emerson believed that mans mind is creative; he does not need only receive a sensory perception of God, but can actually create a consciousness of God. In creating this consciousness, man becomes god-like. In this way, man can experience God, know God, not just know of Him, and realize a way of life that is better (more god-like) than his own. Emerson believed that this ideal, this experiencing the divine, was possible through building a harmonious relationship with nature. Thoreau saw this ideal way of life in nature as well. He believed that the key to this spiritually rich, ideal existence was to simplify ones life. If one were to give up all unnecessary and materialistic ties, and live with the bare necessities (fuel, clothing, shelter, food) then one may spend more time concentrating on developing spiritually.Show MoreRelatedDavid Thoreau s Life And The Early Works Of The Poet2145 Words   |  9 Pagesmet several literary figures and officially became a Transcendentalist, he would come to be known for the major works this conversion would produce. Upon his return to the states in 1833 Emerson began writing about his new insights into the personal nature of spirituality and divinity. In 1834 he moved to Concord, Massachusetts where he would meet and marry again in 1835. Emerson wrote and lectured on Transcendentalism and related subjects well into the 1870’s. He died on April 27th, 1882 at the age

Compare and contrast Storm on the Island Essay Example For Students

Compare and contrast Storm on the Island Essay The situations described by these two poems have much in common; both present a severe storm on the Atlantic coastline, which causes a struggle between man and nature. But the key idea, in these poems, is the different responses by the two poets to their situation. Both are in the first person, and the sensuous information and the thoughts of the poets about the situation. Storm on the Island shows the sheer terror felt by those in the storm, whilst Patrolling Barnegat is a tribute to the coastguards whom Whitman very much admires. They are similar in some features of language; they use military imagery to describe the winds actions, and techniques such as alliteration and. They differ massively in their structure; Storm on the Island uses a distinct sentence structure, whilst Whitman writes his poem without using a single finite verb. To engross the reader in the situation, Whitman uses alliteration in Patrolling Barnegat that in reminiscent of the sounds of a rough sea (spirts of snow fierce slanting). He also compares the storm to a wild animal; indeed, he repeats the word wild, wild, and uses the word roar; this emotive language perhaps suggests a dangerous lion, or another such animal; a natural danger. This runs parallel with something even more sinister; the noise of the storm is described as shouts of demoniac laughter, an extremely emotive term that suggests something evil about the storm; in 1856, demons and evil spirits were still thought of, by most, as a real threat. A similar idea is suggested in the phrase savagest trinity; the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, a key idea in Christian tradition, is paired with this idea of savageness; this presents an image, to the reader, of a malevolent deity, or perhaps even Satan himself. Whitman would want to create this effect, as it further increases the apparent braveness of the coastguard, whom he admires. Storm on the Island also wishes to depict the danger of the storm, but for different reasons. Like Patrolling Barnegat, it also uses a metaphor compares the storm to an animal; the spray spits like a tame cat turned savage. This is a similar idea to the roar in Whitmans poem, but further developed; usually, the sea is calm, and a provider of food in the form of fish, but today, the storm has turned against its master and become savage. Heaney also, towards the end of the poem, uses military imagery; amongst many examples, he tells us that the wind dives and strafes, like a fighter plane, and that we are bombarded by the empty air. This idea brings a further element of danger; with war generally comes mass death, and Heaney is likely to want to include this perilous threat to emphasize the fear that the islanders feel. The attitude of the people, in Storm on the Island, becomes gradually more frightened of the storm throughout the poem. At the very beginning of the poem, we are presented with a short, crisp sentence, which makes it seem definitive, and its importance is stressed by its positioning. But, this sense of preparedness does not continue through the poem; the confidence deteriorates gradually, with every plural first person used, the rest of the phrase becomes less and less hopeful; near the end of the poem, we just sit tight is followed by we are bombarded, followed by the last two words of the poem we fear. Despite the personas preparations for the storm, they still end up living in fear of the fearsome tempest. .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .postImageUrl , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:hover , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:visited , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:active { border:0!important; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:active , .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639 .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6010e9f7aca9c93e8b4ef5334757b639:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Red Spot Commentary EssayIn Patrolling Barnegat, the poem is made up of one very long phrase, without a single finite verb (apart from those in the brackets). This could stress how the storm is seemingly never-ending, and thus furthers the impressive nature of those confronting the nights weather. The people are not, at first, apparent in the poem; certainly in the first six lines, they are not mentioned whatsoever; their actions are described from line seven, but, in fact, they themselves are not described until the penultimate line; this lack of clarity emphasizes the lack of clarity that one experiences during a storm, due to the heaviness of the rain. It also develop s a sort of suspense; the reader wonders what is breasting and advancing through this storm, before realising that this is some sort of coastguard. This is effective, and adds to the feeling of admiration that Whitman feels towards these three noble men.