Watson in her lecture titled "Emerson and Transcendentalism," Transcendentalism was a religious, philosophical, and literary movement which rejected Enlightenment empiricism and the thoughts of John Locke (Watson 17 Feb 2015). ... (Baym 271) Emerson repeats the words "I must be myself" in order to emphasize the importance of individuality even when society seeks to produce puppets (Baym 280). He also stresses the importance of diligently working alone in order to improve the world around him. ... In Nature, Emerson challenges the accepted enlightenment views and declares t...

• Word Count: 1963
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Rabelais, accordingly, has a similar take on the importance of acquiring knowledge. ... For both Montaigne and for Rabelais, avoiding blind acceptance of authority is of utmost importance. ... In doing so, they both emphasize the importance of truth and reason before accepting authority. ... In teaching our children, Montaigne emphasizes the importance of teaching them the importance that truth and reason have. ... The Abbey at Theleme is based upon the importance of freedom of thought and free will. ...

• Word Count: 2020
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In Henry David Thoreau's autobiography Walden, Thoreau informs us of his odyssey to enlightenment through communion through nature. ... Since ice is the only product of Walden Pond that is useful, it becomes a symbol of the social use and social importance of nature, and of the exploitation of natural resources. ...

• Word Count: 1851
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

In his epigraph, he not only expresses the importance of community, but also emphasizes that all people are connected together, that one man's death can diminish him. ... Due to the Enlightenment Revolution, people started to focus on the importance of independent thinking, and nowadays people even started use the popularity of individualism as a business opportunity. ...

• Word Count: 1341
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Both emphasized the importance of nature and distrusted societal pressures and norms. ... Romanticism emphasized the importance of emotions and individual liberties, particularly with respect to the artist. ... The exact origins of Romanticism are still in debate today, but it is generally agreed upon that it came about as a challenge to the Age of Enlightenment (1660s-1780s). ...

• Word Count: 1786
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate