This document compares Transcendentalism and Puritanism. Transcendentalism was a 19th century philosophical movement that believed true reality exists beyond the physical world. It emphasized spiritual intuition and the inherent goodness of nature and people. Puritanism was an early American religious philosophy that believed religion is a personal experience, people should be self-reliant, and God reveals himself through the Bible and signs in the physical world. The two movements differed in that Transcendentalism saw God as present in all of nature while Puritanism viewed nature with more fear and suspicion. Both had an influence on American culture though Transcendentalism may have been less widespread.

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Name::- Sneha Agravat
Batch:- 2020-22 (MA sem 2)
Paper 8:-The American literature
Roll no.:-16
Enrollment no.:-3069206420200001
E-mail Id :- snehaagravat2000@gmail.com
Submitted to:- S.B.Gardi Department Of English
Maharaja krishnkumarsinhji Bhavngar University
Differences between
Transcendentalism and Puritanism

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What is Transcendentalism?
 Transcendentalism was a nineteenth century
philosophical Movement. Transcendentalist
belived that true reality transcend, or exists
beyond, the physical world.
 A literary movement that established a clear
“American voice”.
 Emerson first expressed his philosophy in
his essay” Nature”.
 A belief in a higher reality that than achieved
by human reasoning.

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What is Puritanism?
 Puritanism was an early American religious
philosophy.
 The Puritans believed that
 Religion is a personal, inner experience that
should not be filtered through clergy or
government.
 People should be self-reliant
 God’s presence reveals itself primarily through
the Bible, but also through signs in the physical
world.

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Transcendentalism
Puritanism
V/s

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Transcendentalism
 Maintains that every person can reach
ultimate truths through spiritual
intuition that transcends reason and
sensory experience.
 Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasized the
importance of each individual, and his
outlook was optimistic.
 Transcendentalism is a religion of
revelation, not of history as is
Puritanism. By going into nature, man
feels the presence of the Sublime and
is enlightened to truths
Puritanism
 Maintains that every person can
reach ultimate truths through
spiritual intuition that transcends
reason and sensory experience.
 Ralph Waldo Emerson emphasized
the importance of each individual,
and his outlook was optimistic.
 Transcendentalism is a religion of
revelation, not of history as is
Puritanism. By going into nature,
man feels the presence of the
Sublime and is enlightened to truths

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Transcendentalism
 Transcendentalists, God is
present in every aspect of Nature
including every human being.
 Transcendental thought holds
that Nature is divine and symbolic
of the spirit, so the human soul is
inherently good and evil is
virtually non-existent.
 Transcendentalism is based upon
idealism and self-reliance.
Puritanism
 In Puritan thought, hard work and
worldly success are signs of God’s
grace.
 In Puritan thought, grace from God
makes people “reborn” as a
member of the community of saints.
 Puritanism is based upon
practicality and industriousness.

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Transcendentalism
 Transcendentalism affected
have not been as widespread.
 Transcendentalism came to
value self-reliance,
industriousness, temperance,
and simplicity.
 Transcendentalism is the
transcending, or going
beyond, empiricism, and
ascertaining a priori the
fundamental principles of
human knowledge.
Puritanism
 Puritanism has greatly
affected American culture.
 Puritanism came to value
self-reliance,
industriousness,
temperance, and simplicity.
 Puritanism is (theology)
strict and austere religious
conduct.

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Transedentalism
 Loved nature. Nature is a
teacher. Nature brings wisdom
and teaches you about yourself.
 Nature is equal to man and in
some ways superior. Man has to
be connected to nature in order
to truly know himself.
 God is in nature. Man connects
to him through nature. God can
exist with man.
Puritanism
 Feared nature suspicious
of nature.
 Man is higher than nature
and can use nature for his
own purposes.
God is all powerful. He is our
Creator and judge. We are
separate from God.

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Conclusion
 Both Puritanism and Transcendentalism
have evolved from religious doctrine and
pervaded the American culture, politics,
and identity, becoming more secular in
their visions. However, Puritanism
possesses a darker perspective from that
of Transcendentalism.

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Reference
 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "New England". Encyclopedia
Britannica, 3 Jun. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/place/New-England.
Accessed 22 June 2021.
 Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Puritanism". Encyclopedia
Britannica, 15 May. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Puritanism.
Accessed 22 June 2021.
 Views of transcendentalism versus puritanism. (2016, Jul 21). Retrieved from
http://studymoose.com/views-of-transcendentalism-versus-puritanism-essay.
 "What are the differences between Transcendentalism and Puritanism
(Transcendentalism vs. Puritanism)?" eNotes Editorial, 18 Dec. 2013,
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/transcendentalism-vs-puritanism-
465649. Accessed 23 June 2021.

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