Saturday, May 23, 2020

An Example Of Romanticism In Walden, By Henry David Thoreau

Within the passage of Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, it demonstrates multiple examples of Romanticism. The concepts being mentioned are ideas about going transcending ordinary societal beliefs, following ones’ intuition, and creating a new moral law. A main reason why Walden is a representative of Romanticism is because it contains examples of mystery within nature. Thoreau mentions, â€Å"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.† If the narrator did not follow his own intuition and lessons learned from within the woods, then he is not doing was he is intended to do.†¦show more content†¦To live their life based on what their intuition is telling them to, not based on what others do. Thoreau is making a point that a new moral law is being established when following ones’ intuition. He suggests that, â€Å"He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded and interpreted in his favor in more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a high order of beings.† This quote means that when man continues to pursue their free will to follow the path that is intended for them based on their intuition, it will push more societal boundaries and create new moral laws. These moral laws are concerned with ideals of equality and humanitarian reforms. Therefore, when man has pushed the boundaries to create these moral laws, they eventually work out for man. Thoreau’s point in this is that man should go beyond conscious purpose, moral instinct, and spontaneous freedom. He suggests, â€Å"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.† The drummer mentioned in this quote is symbolic for ones’ intuition. TheShow MoreRelated The Romantic Point of View in Walden, Life in the Woods Essay645 Words   |  3 Pages In my opinion, Walden, or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau is an excellent example of a Romantic point of view. Thoreau successfully conveys his Romantic ideas through his literature, and makes clear where he stands. When one reads Walden carefully, one can find many of the characteristics of Romanticism in it. 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