Transcendentalism was a literary movement during the first half of the 19th century. The philosophical theory embraces aspects of self-examination, the celebration of individualism, and the belief that the fundamental truths existed outside of human experience. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) and Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) were key figures of American Transcendentalism, expressed the challenge to all the forces of age, tradition, stability, custom, and prescribed authority. As loyal individualists, Emerson and Thoreau emphasized defending the …showed first 75 words of 1549 total…

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