2. Paraphrase
Spirit is the embodiment of the spirit within ourselves, and it is essential to our very existence and human beings. We can describe, or represent it in any way, but it will always be Spirit that dwells within humans, and it what has made humans to great.
Nature is religious in character, for instance, we can take what we learn from nature and apply into our lives.
Spirit is beyond description, just as our our thoughts can be. Just as when try to describe God, whose glory causes our minds to disperse of all descriptions. Thusly, our Spirit i what allows us to express such emotions.
You might think that Spirit isn’t what makes us human, therefore, presenting you with more information will prove you wrong.
Three questions arise when we think of nature; What is matter? When and where is it? To what is matter, the Ideal theory can say that matter is nothing but an presumed observation. There is nothing to prove that we exist, or anything exists. Thus, Idealism is a way to explain nature, and our Spirit, rather using physical, and scientific means. However you cannot deny our existence, it just leaves us empty from the very thing we are trying to appease: Spirit. Yet, this theory of nature doesn't suit , fancy.
Let these facts be absorbed by our minds, and these are only the beginning of explaining the difference between human Spirit and Nature.
Continually, there was a second question, when and where is matter? Our own mind can answer this, we find that our souls are what is important to our existence. All of the esteemed values and morals we seek to grasp, are in our own Spirit. nature isn’t formed around ourselves, but within ourselves. We have no bounds. We have the power to know all.. and see all, just as...
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...s and certainties of the day.” He says that we are not truly aware of what is out there. Moreover, what is really out there? Is any of it even real? Emerson had made me question my existence with the “matter” on this planet, and what humans are in relation the the other celestial bodies of the universe.
Furthermore, his writing was really difficult to comprehend, but after reading it a couple of times, and breaking down the essay to more understandable parts I was able to comprehend it. On the other hand, I might not truly understand his work until I have “the golden key that opens the palace of eternity.” In Conclusion, I really did enjoy Emerson’s writing, he masterfully confused me into loving his writing.
8. Presentation
I did all of it. My group were slackers, in fact, it was like they weren’t even there. I eventually had to take over and do all the work.
When Emerson states," The soul always hears an admonition in such lines, let the subject be what it may" he wants the reader to think about
(pg.292) “How dear, how soothing to man, arises the idea of God, peopling the lonely place, effacing the scars of our mistakes and disappointments! When we have broken our god of tradition and ceased from our god of rhetoric, then may God fire the heart with his presence.” There is a sharp contrast between a god of perception and the God of the universal over- soul. A god of perception is one defined by the senses or unstable, biased opinion and because of this is flawed like our senses. When analyzing Emerson’s “The Over- Soul” we must pay close attention to his rhetorical techniques because although we might not consciously see it, his rhetoric sways the audience reading his work in his favor. For example, in the preceding quote Emerson capitalization
It is a sense of separation rooted in the notion that man is a physical being, separate from the spirit of God. This belief in separation is at the root of all our suffering. The enjoyment of life begins as we rejoice in the spirit of Life here and now, realizing that the life we live and call our own is the infinite Life; and the mind we use and call our own is the infinite Mind that enlightens and inspires all.
Standing on the bare ground, - my head bathed by the blithe air, and uplifted into infinite space, -- all mean egotism vanishes. I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God" (942). The book Anthology of American Literature isn’t the only source that supports Emerson critic Eric Wilson say, “Emerson 's famous "transparent-eyeball" passage early in Nature is often taken to be an exemplary statement of the transcendental sublime. Yet, if we read it as a restatement of his vision in the Jardin des Plantes, we realize that it reveals Emerson as a sign in nature 's text, a hieroglyph, describing his own design, dissolving his own solution” (Wilson). The solution Emerson wanted was to find out who he was thru nature and still be divine. Emerson shows that it’s okay to find faith in yourself. For example, you have problems in your life, and you separate yourself from everyone around you. People tend to start this process of mediation asking themselves questions about the future, love, religion, and so much more. This is how you find who you are by joining nature and allowing yourself to be free.
Through this quote Ralph Waldo Emerson was trying to prove that the understanding of nature in human is very little, as all humans do is view nature as something that is materialistic. In the first chapter of his essay, "Nature", Emerson says that if humans were to let go of all the materialistic views they have and interact with nature and observe it beyond the items they would understand the true meaning of nature and its value. His theme through this passage is to show that every single object that humans see before their eyes is not nature. The objects that humans see is a piece of art that humans can easily change to become something different. When he describes the farms he sees, Emerson says that no one owns the farms because as a whole the farms are nothing but of the same, meaning they are a whole piece not individual pieces that are scattered. That is the theme that he is trying to portray through this quote and just like stars, though they are always there, everyone just views them as they are always there "for" the humans, but Emerson
Here Emerson metaphorically compares nature to the “plantations of God” in which the spirit of God is always present.... ... middle of paper ... ... But, he didn’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out his own inner voice.
When one lives in his body, he experiences fate. The spirit is forever free. When one live in the spirit, he experiences through and through freedom. “Our life as it is now is created by the results of
Emerson believed that everyone should have a developed understanding of life. Emerson's essay on Self-Reliance begins with a demonstration to believe in the true self, which is considered to be similar to the Universal Spirit. In the essay he urges the
In conclusion, Emerson’s Circles en omposes the meaning of many of his other works to masterfully craft an essay rich in etymology and spirituality, emphasizing the role of God and a Poet’s mind.
Since man can see all, it seems logical that therefore he can define it however he should choose (Emerson implies this later in the essay). Therefore, man also can define himself Man can create his own world in the world created for him. Unfortunately, this may again lead to the corrupt society that Emerson condemns.
nature is not as in the plant and tree kind of nature, but on the nature of man at a
In the opening paragraphs of his first chapter, Emerson finds that nature, like stars is always present and creates a reverence in the observer, but is also always inaccessible (14). Emerson also brings forth the idea that not everyone can really observe nature, but one must have the correct mental/spiritual state, as a child might. He discusses the improving aspects one can find in nature - youth, reason, and faith. Intrigued by visual perceptions, he claims that he looses contact with everything but nature becomes a 'transparent eye-ball' and feels that "I am part or parcel of God" (16). Emerson's emphatic words are perhaps the best description of the enthralling emotions of a 'sublime' experience as possible.
He was interested in nature’s relation to humans. Henry David Thoreau is best known for following in the footsteps of Emerson’s idea of transcendentalism. To get a better understanding of Thoreau’s ideas of transcendentalism, I will briefly talk about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay entitled “Nature.” It is written to show importance to nature. In the introduction of Nature, Emerson reveals the purpose of his essay, which is that man takes nature for granted. Emerson says that humans do not experience nature and God directly. Emerson makes the point that the goal of science is to come up for a theory about nature. However, man will never understand the true form and spectacles of nature. Emerson makes another point saying nature and spirit are the only true mechanisms of the Earth. Emerson continues in his introduction to explain that nature is everything other than the human spirit. He speaks of nature and the spirit as if they were a form of “Yin and Yang.” In order for the spirit to exist, nature must exist. In the next eight chapters Emerson gives mediated high praise to nature. In the beginning of the first chapter Emerson expresses his belief that most adults lost the ability to approach nature as an awareness to separate us from our material world. As children, we see nature for the beauty it truly is. However, as we grow old nature becomes so accustomed to us that we forget the magnificence about it. Chapter 2, “Commodity” Emerson
Emerson's message is one of non-conformity and individuality. He views every man as unique within, and feels society, exterior elements and tradition are man's downfall. He urges us to be a product of ourselves, to live in the present, rather than measure our worth against man's past accomplishments or live by old ideas.
Imagine, only being able to see the stars or the sun once every thousand years, think about how privileged one would feel to be in its presence. Emerson writes in the following quote; "If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had shown! ”. We do not need to wait every thousand years to see the stars, they are always present in the sky, we do however need to learn how to appreciate the beauty and the feelings of inspiration one might get when gazing up into the cosmos; the feelings, and the impression of wisdom, happiness and simplicity. Furthermore, Emerson believed that the cosmos could create a feeling of reverence; due to their inaccessibility despite this one must remain open-minded to their