42875 (History of American Literature), страница 4

«Nature» is a lyrical expression of the harmony Emerson felt between himself and nature. «Self – Reliance» (a treatise) is also at the core of Emerson’s ideas.

Whenever the romantic mind turns to philosophical speculation, it is quick emphasize that which is innate or intuitiul in preference to that which is rational or intellectual. In America during the first half of the nineteenth century there grew up a coterie of such thinkers who came to be known as Transcendentalists, although the name was used very loosely and vaguely to define almost any writer of mistical indinations. There was general agreement, however, that a «transcendalist» believed for the most part that man’s ideas, ideals, and beliefs were not to be based on experience alone, but rather should transcend exp. The whole tendency of these thinkers was to revolt against the empirical, «take-the-world-as-you-find-it» philosophy of the seventeenth and eighteenth century deists.

Among these American transcendentalists Emerson was by far the greatest and most influential. He was born in Boston, the son of a minister, and prepared himself to follow in his father’s path. He graduated from Harvard in 1821, an average student with, however, some unusual promise in the writing of poetry and in oratory as well as general intellectual aliveness. He proceeded at once to divinity school and in 1829 became pastor of the Second Church in Boston.

But his inquisitive mind had already outgrown the limitations of creed and dogma. He found himself unable to administer with conviction the Sacrament of the Last Supper, proposing to omit it from his ministerial service: and when his congregation failed to support him on this issue, he resigned from the ministry (1882). After a trip to Europe, in the course of which he met Wordworth, Coleridge, and Carlyle, he returned to settle in the quiet village of Coneord, Massachusetts (1834), where he became known as the great secular preacher of his age. His full recognition asa a major American writer had been achieved by the tince if the American Civil War.

Emerson wrote essays and distinguished verse. The long line of useful essays was inaugurated by «Nature» (1836), which is an admirable statement, not only of the romantic veneration and warship of Nature, expressed it in verse, but also of the majority of Emerson’s favourite moral ideas. «The American Scholar» (1837) is in most respects the true Declaration of Independence for American thought and American literature;» The Divinity Shcool Address» (1838) caused a sensation and alienated Emerson from Harvard for some thirty years. His essays and lectures were gathered into three collections: one in 1841, another in 1844, a third in 1849.

«Representative Men» (1850) consists of a group of biographical essays suggested by his friend Carlyle’s «Heraes and Hero-Worship»; these two works are classic statements of the importance to 19th century thought of the lonely but mighty individual genius, are idea which reaches a logical conclusion in Nietzsche and his concept of the Superman.

«English Traits» (1856) recounts his pleasant experiences on a trip to England» The Conflict of Life «(1860) is in reality a fourth book of essays. His poems were collected in 1847. No consederation of Emerson’s work, moreover, canomit the Journals, not published for the first time as a whole until1909–1914.

Emerson is not a systematic philosopher; rather he gives the impression of one thinking about in comptete freedom. It is useless to attempt to outlinein brief a typical Emerson essay. His style is aphoristic; his paragraphs are often strings of pithy sayings, and his sentences are more often terse than periodic. His gift of utterance is always arresting, however and his felicity of phrase is often memorable. Moreover, always there lies a fundamental unity down underneath all his superticial formlessness. This unity comprehends and is altrehed to one or more of the following tenets of his thought, most of them obviously Platonic; reality is of spiritual nature: to rely on oneself rather than on others is of supreme significance: man is born to hope and fight toward some chosen goal. With such valiant weapons in his arsenal, Emerson fully deserves the encomium of Matthew Arnold, who called him «the friend and aider of those who would live in the spirit».

In America during the first half of the XIX century there grew up a coterie of such thinkers who came to be known as Trauceudentalists, although the name was used very loosely and vaguely to define almost any writer of mistical inclinations. There was general agreement, however that a «transendentalist» believed for the most part that man’s ideas, and were not to be fasel on experrience alone but rather should transcend experience. The whole tendence of these thinkers was to revolt against the emprical «take-the-world-as-you-find-it» philosophy of the 1718 century deists. Among these transcendentalists Emerson was by for the greatest and most influental. He was born in Boston the son of a Uniterian minister and prepared himself to follow in his fathers path. He graduated from Harvard in 1821 an avarage student with however some unsual promise writing of poetry and in the writing as well as in general intellectual aliveness. He proceeded at once to divinity 1829 became of the Second Church in Boston.

But in his inquisitive mind had already outgrown the limitations of creed and dogma. He found himself unable to a minister with conviction the Sacrement of the Last supper proposing to omit it from his ministerial service and when his congregation failed to support him on this issue he resigned from the ministry (1832).After a trip to Europe in the course of which he met Wordsworth Coleridge, and Carlyle he returned to settle in the quite village of Concord Massachusetts (1834), which was to be his home for the remaining half-century of his life. Here he became known as the great secular preacher of his age his sermons were delivered chiefly from the lecture platform where he proved himself an ideal man to fill the part demanded by the Cravings of XIX century Americans for culture and «uplift» by way of the lyceum and later the Chantauqua circuits. his full recognition as a major American writer had been achieved by the time of the American Civil War.

The recognition was based in chief measure upon Emerson s essays, although he wrote some often distinguished verse. The long line of useful essays was inaugurated by «Nature» (1836), which is an admirable statement, not only of the romantic veneration and warship of Nature expressed in prose where Worsworth expressed it in verse but also of the Emerson s favourite moral ideas. «The American Sendar» (1837» is in most respects the true declaration of independence for American thought and literature it is the first notable plea for America to stand on her own culturally speaking.» The Divinity School Adress» (1838), in which Emerson sought to justify his unorthodox beliefs before graduating class of the Harvard divinity school caused a sensation and alienated Emerson from Harvard for some thirty years. Subsequently his essays and lectures were gathered into three collections: one in 1841, another in 1844, a third in 1849.» Representative men» (1850) consists of a group of biographical essays suggested by his friend Carlyle s ‘Heroes and Hero – Worship». These two works are classic statements of the importance to XIX century thought of the lonely but mighty individual genius an idea which reaches a logical conclusion in Neitzsche and his concept of the Supermen. «Entglish Traits» (1856) recounts his pleasant experiences on trip to England «The conduct of life» (1860) is in reality a fourth book of essays. No consideration of Emerson s work, moreover can omit the «Journals», not published for the first time as a whole until 1909–1914.

It is a manifest impertience to attempt to compress a men such intellectual range as Emerson s work certain ideas keep recurring these are helpful in making just opinion concerning the man s mind and personality. He is not a systematic philosopher rather he gives the impression of one thinking aloud in complete freedom. It is useless to attempt to outline in brief a typical Emerson essay. His style is suprisingly aphoristic his paragraphs are often only strings of pithy sayings and his sentences are more often terse than pariodic. His gift of utterance is always arresting however, and his felicity of phrase is often memorable. Moreover, always there lies a fundamental unity down underneath all his superficial farmlessness. This unity comprehends and is attached to one or more of the following tenets of his thought most of them obviously platonic reality is of spiritual nature; to relay on oneself rather than on others is of supreme importance; God is to be refeved to as spiritual «Over-Soul» which permeates all existences and harmonies all things to form the Universe; character is of supreme significance out weighing all material considerations; man is born to hope and fight toward some chosen goal. With such valiant weapons in his arseual Emerson fully deserves the encomium of Matthew Arnold who called him «the friend and aider of those who would live in the spirit» (1).

Concord Hymn by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sung at the complition of the Battle monument, July the 4,1837.

By the rude (roughly made) brige that arched the flood,

Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruind bridge has swept

Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,

We set today a votive (dedicated to fulfill a vow) stone;

That memory may their deed redeem,

When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Philip Freneau (1752–1832)

Philip Freneau wrote a college poem in 1772 entitled «The Rising Glory of America». The future of his country was always a subject of interest for poet and citizen Freneau.

During the Revolutionary War Freneau became an ardent supporter of the American cause. While on sea duty he was captured by the British and placed aboard prison ship, an experience which inspired a long poem entitled «The British Prison Ship». He wrote a number of other long poems, but he was at his best in his short lyrics, such as «The Wild Honey Suckle». Many of these short works, including «On the Emigration to America», «The Indian Burying ground», and «To the Memory of the Brave Americans», deal with American subjects, and it is for these poems that Freneau is best remembered today.

Freneau can be considered one of America’s first great nationalist poets.

During the last years of his life he criticized severely the anti-demoeratic charaeter of the America bourgeois State and was opposed to the realtirnany policy of the Federalists. During the Anglo-American war of 1812 he wrote a number of poems against England.

Though his political poetry was his most important contribution to American letters, he is remembered also for his lyrical poems, of which «The Indian Burying Ground» and «The wild Honey-Suckle» deserve mention as examples of sentimentalism to American poetry. Philip Frenean was a fearless exposer (accuser кораловчи-фош этувчи) of soeial iujusfice, Untiring = (tiveless) (чарчашни билмайдиган – неутомимый) defender of the interests of his people. He graduated from the Princton University in 1771. He became a poet of the American revolution, its herald (=messenger – глашатай-жарчиси) At Jefferson’s proposal he created «The National Gareble», which became a fighting organ of the demoeratic party, Philip Frenean contiuned Peine’s works. Philip hated monarchy and clespotism he critized new capitalist relations. He considered verb artist only those poor = (камбагал) writers = (men off pen) as the latter are independent and incovcuptable (неподкупный – сотилмайдиган).

In this poem «Mack Swiggen. Sative» шеър (1775) he creates sativical image of a (dull, untalented) ungifted poet, dullard = (blockhead) – трища Mack Swiggen. Mac sevved the stroug people of the time and sained glory and money.

In 1793 he wrote about the tasks of American Verbs and writers. In his article «True Purposes of the Theatre» (1797) Frenean cypressed his deep thoughts on the dask of the art.

Frenean was one of the pioneers who fought for independent American literature. And his poem (шеър) «Literary Import» (1788) is about it.