William Cullen Bryant's Walden, Or Life In The Woods

“Thanatopsis” and Walden, or Life in the Woods are two types of Romantic Literature that both share the common romantic characteristic, Awe of Nature to show that humans have emotional connections to nature. In William Cullen Bryant’s poem, “Thanatopsis,” Bryant creates a relationship with Nature that gives comfort and peace, even in contemplating death. In Henry David Thoreau’s essay, Walden, or Life in the Woods, Thoreau’s actions throughout the woods displays nature as an infinite source of beauty and wisdom, which leads to his simplified and comforted life. In these two texts, when humans are need of guidance, nature is a figure humans look up to. William Cullen Bryant’s poem, “Thanatopsis,” uses personification to reveal the fact that nature can be comforting in times of distress, especially during death. Nature, as a comforting figure, speaks only the truth about the connections between Nature and man. Often, Bryant personifies that nature has

Throughout the poem, Nature teaches humans many things about life and death by using vivd imagery. Nature convinces humans to view death in an optimistic way. Death is part of the return back to nature. This becomes apparent when the speaker explains that “Thy image. Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim / Thy growth, to be resolved to earth again” (Bryant 220), meaning that earth once nourished humans to grow, now humans will be resolved back into earth again. Death is just a phase of nature that is common. Nature also convinces humans that everyone is going to die at some point. Humans are all going to be laid to rest in “one mighty sepulchre” (Bryant 221), that sepulchre, of course, is earth. The tone this creates is assuring, ensuring that humans will not feel alone. Through viewing death in an optimistic way, Nature reaches out to humans to provide assuring and comforting tones to alleviate the stress from the thoughts of