How does civil disobedience relate to transcendentalism?

How does civil disobedience relate to transcendentalism?

Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two of the most influential Transcendental writers of that era. Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” and Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience” both suggested social responsibility, intuition, and non-conformity to society. In Emerson’s “Self-Reliance,” social responsibility is important.

Which transcendentalist used civil disobedience?

Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau, (born July 12, 1817, Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.—died May 6, 1862, Concord), American essayist, poet, and practical philosopher renowned for having lived the doctrines of Transcendentalism as recorded in his masterwork, Walden (1854), and for having been a vigorous advocate of civil liberties, as …

Which of these quotations reflects a key idea of transcendentalism?

Transcendentalists were interested in the human spirit. Which of these quotations reflects a key idea of Transcendentalism? “Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.”

What are some beliefs ideas of transcendentalism transcendentalism?

Transcendentalists advocated the idea of a personal knowledge of God, believing that no intermediary was needed for spiritual insight. They embraced idealism, focusing on nature and opposing materialism.

What are the main points in civil disobedience?

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

What are the two main claims of civil disobedience?

Thoreau argues that there are two laws: the laws of men and the higher laws of God and humanity. If the laws of men are unjust, then one has every right to disobey them.

What is the main theme of civil disobedience?

What is the main theme of Thoreau’s civil disobedience?

Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience espouses the need to prioritize one’s conscience over the dictates of laws. It criticizes American social institutions and policies, most prominently slavery and the Mexican-American War.

What are two central ideas of Civil Disobedience?

The main themes in “Civil Disobedience” are individual conscience and action, just and unjust laws, and democracy in the United States. Individual conscience and action: Thoreau emphasizes the importance of each citizen’s discernment in assessing the correct course of action.

What is the central idea of Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience *?

What are the major themes of civil disobedience?

Major Themes. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

Which is higher civil law or civil disobedience?

Civil Government and Higher Law. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate.

Why did Henry David Thoreau write civil disobedience?

In Civil Disobedience as throughout his other writings, Thoreau focuses on the individual’s ultimate responsibility to live deliberately and to extract meaning from his own life; overseeing the machinery of society is secondary. Thoreau asserts that he does not want to quarrel or to feel superior to others.

What do you need to know about Transcendentalism?

Transcendentalism believes that nature and people are inherently positive, and that people must follow their own understanding of what is right or wrong. Social constructs such as government or slavery interfere with this natural understanding and should therefore be disregarded.