Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817 to a French-descendant family in Concord, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard College without any literary distinction but possessed a strong Saxon genius, as his ancestors were known. After graduation, he joined his brother in teaching at a private school before leaving to enter the manufacturing business.
This factory work was not to his liking, and he soon gave it up. In 1845, Henry David Thoreau decided to build a small one-roomed house on the banks of Walden Pond, near Concord, and live there for two years, two months and two days. This was the beginning of his great experiment in simple living.
Living at Walden Pond made Henry David Thoreau very happy. He had time to read and think and write. He also enjoyed walking in the woods and swimming in the pond. Every day he went for long walks, sometimes as far as 20 miles. Henry David Thoreau kept a journal of his thoughts and experiences, which was later published as “Walden.”
The publication of Walden made Henry David Thoreau famous, and people began to call him “the hermit of Walden Pond.” But he was not really a hermit. He had many friends, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, and he often went into Concord to visit them.
In 1846, Henry David Thoreau went to jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. This was because he did not want to support the government’s policy of slavery. While he was in jail, Henry David Thoreau wrote an essay called “Civil Disobedience.” In this essay, he said that people should not obey laws that are unjust.
He took a job teaching and delivering lectures at school; became a private tutor for children of rich families. He was employed, yet his life seemed without purpose because he wasn’t doing what he felt called to do. Only then would he find meaning in his existence. His friends saw him as full of courage, always cheerful and with great affection for his family. His love of nature led him to write mostly about the natural world and its history.
Henry David Thoreau was an American writer, poet, Transcendentalism, naturalist, and philosopher. Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience” has had a profound impact on many individuals, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, King Laboratory at Stanford University is named after Henry David Thoreau. Henry David Thoreau’s ideas and writings have been influential in the development of environmentalism and the American conservation movement.
His book Walden; or, Life in the Woods details his experience living in a self-sufficient manner in a cabin he built near Concord, Massachusetts. This work helped to shape the principles of the back-to-nature movement which later inspired people like John Muir and Leo Tolstoy. Henry David Thoreau was also a dedicated abolitionist and helped to hide escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad. Transcendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement that emphasized intuition, emotion, human spirituality, and the beauty of nature.
Henry David Thoreau was an important figure in this movement. Some of his most famous quotes are about civil disobedience, including “that government is best which governs least” and “that government is best which governs not at all.” He is also known for his statement “I heartily accept the motto, ‘That government is best which governs least’; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically.
Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe — ‘That government is best which governs not at all.'” Henry David Thoreau’s ideas and writings continue to be influential today. Many people are still inspired by his views on simple living, self-sufficiency, and the importance of nature. His essay “Civil Disobedience” is still relevant in discussions about protesting unjust laws and government actions.
His views on philosophy led him to write, and as a young Henry, he displayed independent thoughts that caught the eye of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
A strong friendship developed over time between Mr. Emerson and Henry Thoreau, which lasted despite their age difference and different temperaments. Thoreau worked for the family as tutor for Emerson kids. Through his friendship with Mr. Emerson, Thoreau became interested in Transcendentalism .
Henry was greatly impacted by the theories of transcendentalism and its creator Ralph Waldo Emerson
Henry David Thoreau is one of the most famous American writers and philosophers of the 19th century. He is best known for his book Walden, which details his experience living in a cabin in the woods near Concord, Massachusetts. Thoreau was also a strong advocate for civil disobedience and social reform, as seen in his essay “Resistance to Civil Government.” In addition to these works, Thoreau wrote numerous poems, essays, and journals throughout his lifetime.
Thoreau’s ideas on individualism, self-reliance, and simple living had a profound impact on the Transcendentalist movement. Transcendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement that emphasized the importance of the individual and celebrated nature. Other notable Transcendentalist writers include Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman.
Henry David Thoreau’s work is still relevant today because it promotes simple living, environmentalism, and civil disobedience. Thoreau’s ideas continue to inspire people to live more meaningful and intentional lives.
Transcendentalism first started out as a rebellious religious movement that went against traditional and established beliefs. However, the philosophy originated from Plato. According to Peter Carafiol, transcendentalism is an intellectual idea that came about from Kant but was then influenced by English and German Romanticism.
In the past, people who believed in transcendentalism were not content with Unitarianism or Protestantism/congregationalisn (branches of Christianity). Additionally, they were also displeased with Catholicism- again according to Carafiol.
Transcendentalism was a revolt against formal religion and an attempt to reassert the spiritual potential of human beings. Henry David Thoreau, an important figure in Transcendentalism, believed that humans were naturally good, but that society corrupted them.
Thoreau withdrew from society to live a simple life at Walden Pond. He wanted to strip down his life to the essentials and find out what was truly important. In doing so, he hoped to find a way to improve society. Many of Thoreau’s ideas were radical for his time and are still relevant today. He believed in civil disobedience, which is the refusal to obey laws that one considers unjust. This idea has been used by many people throughout history, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
Thoreau also believed in simplifying one’s life. He felt that people were too caught up in material possessions and social status. Thoreau thought that if people simplified their lives, they would be happier and more content. This is a idea that has gained popularity in recent years as people have become more interested in minimalism and living a “simple life.”