LA3: American Transcendentalism-Course Overview

This course will focus on the literary movement known as American Transcendentalism.  This movement-which began in the early 19th century-is centered on the cultivation of groundbreaking new ideas in literature, culture and philosophy.  The transcendentalists were focused on 'going beyond' traditional literary patterns and establishing a style of literature that was strictly American.  Based primarily on a deep conviction and appreciation for the natural world, the movement also serves as a reaction against the American industrial revolution.  This course will focus primarily on the seminal works of Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller.