The Relationship Between Man and Nature in Emerson and Thoreau

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.

Early on, he describes himself as a "transparent eyeball." In this passage, he expresses his view that nature is purity. Emerson believes being in pure nature brings mankind closer to the way God intended life to be. Through nature man and God are brought together. Emerson starts with a description of one who has the ideal relationship with nature, "The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood."

(Rickett, 1916). Emerson and Thoreau are the two transcendentalists in nineteenth century who inspired and encourage people to love nature. Since Thoreau was Emerson’s student, they shared ideas and knowledge about the American transcendentalism because Thoreau was affected by Emerson’s ideas about individualism and society. They encourage Individualism and self-reliance; the theories of Emerson and Thoreau had not only influenced the nature lovers but also the dominant part of political and social people as a whole, sensitising the people that their ideas are the most important than everything. Therefore, Emerson and Thoreau followed the same theory about the relationship between man and nature as both were transcendentalist; they also have different ideas and views such as writing essay on Government, nature as a teacher, relationship between man and nature, understanding the nature as it provides basic living to a man.

Nature in which people of the entire universe mostly depend upon is found as the true source of happiness in their own life. This great spectacle of the nature is what most of the people appreciate a lot. However the development taking place all over the world does not seems that people are now appreciating the creation of the mighty God. To live happily we the people have to be associated with nature as both Emerson and Thoreau believes in order to live a happy life people must learn to live in harmony with nature without destroying the nature. Both Emerson and Thoreau tends to have similar ideas upon the nature.

In both Nature and Experience, what we see is what we can comprehend, and once the surface can be broken through, spiritual unification may be attainable. In Experience, Emerson states, “Nature and books belong to the eyes that see them. It depends on the mood of the man whether he shall see the sunset or the fine poem.” This idea corresponds closely with Emerson’s concept in Nature, again, where the unification of nature and our conscious selves is cited as occurring only when men are aptly responsive to the experience of nature. “..all natural objects make a kindred impression when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance....To speak truly, Most persons do not see the sun.

Wordsworth loved nature for its own sake alone, and the presence of Nature gives beauty to his mind, again only for mind’s sake (Bloom 95). Nature was the teacher and inspirer of a strong and comprehensive love, a deep and purifying joy, and a high and uplifting thought to Wordsworth (Hudson 158). Wordsworth views everything as living. Everything in the world contributes to and sustains life nature in his view. This can be seen in the following quote from Wordsworth, “He who feels contempt for any living thing hath faculties ... ... middle of paper ... ...w Jearsey: Prentice Hall, 1972.

Thoreau's love and devotion to nature and his writing was a key to his excellence in writing. Henry David Thoreau also felt that individualism was a great necessity to his writing style. In his piece of literature titled "Civil Disobedience", he expressed his belief in the power and the obligation of the individual to determine right from wrong, independent of the dictates of society. Thoreau's friends agreed with his views, but few practiced it in their own lives as consistently as he. Thoreau demonstrated his idea of independence in many ways.

In Walden the reader is able to discern how Thoreau makes use of nature and aspects of life in his own process of discovery and self-growth. He understands that all creation exists in order to contribute to man’s quest for perfection and self-discovery. Thoreau claims that nature is nothing else but the endless source of physical and spiritual rebirth and invigoration to man. Everything in nature has spiritual value, full of symbols of the

According to Tagore the notion of art covers all the creative human expressions. The main content of this story is sanyasi is a spiritual man. He creates harmony within himself. In creating harmony he creates truth, beauty and good. The artist has the freedom to break or re-creative new harmonies which would help him create new essences, also his freedom, expressions and creativity help to create new art forms.sanyasi leaves the darkness of the cave to enter the unreliable world and he promises to remain detached from all emotions and cravings.

He also sees it as a place of rebirth, a way to escape his old life and start anew. Additionally, he doesn’t need other people, because he holds nature closer to his heart than anyone human he knows. Finally, he finds spirituality within the wilderness, for he directs all of his positive feelings towards a tangible image of higher power. All of those reasons support the fact that Chris is a true believer. Because Chris enjoys being in nature, draws a spiritual meaning from it, and sees it as a place of rebirth, he is a prime example Transcendentalism.