AL-Chapt4.2-Henry-David-Thoreau

AmericanLiteraturePartTwoTheRomanticPeriod(1780-1860)Chapter4TheTranscendentalism4.2HenryDavidThoreau(1817—1862)HenryDavidThoreau(1817-1862)I.LifeandCareer1.LifeUnsuccessfulfamilybackgroundGraduatedfromHarvard,butonlystayedathomeandhelpedfamilybusinessAfriendofEmersonActiveinsociallifeandhadastrongsenseofjustice(Example:Heoncerefusedtopayapoll-taxof2dollarsbecausehefeltthetaxwasunfair,andthushewasjailed.AndlaterhewroteanessaynamedCivilDisobediencewhichadvocatedpassiveresistancetounjustlawsandinfluencedGandhiinIndia.)notsuccessfulasawriterandlivedinobscurityallhislifeI.LifeandCareer2.Contributions1.Hewasbynomeansanescapistorarecluse,butwasintenselyinvolvedinthelifeofhisday.2.Hehadmanyvirtuesbuthedidnotdojusticetohisowntalent,i.e.hewastedhislife.(Emerson’sspeechathisfuneral)3.Hespokeaheadofhistime.HisinfluencegoesbeyondAmerica.Hisstatuewasplacedinthe“HallofFame”inNewYorkin1969.+ThefirsteditionofWaldenItisnotenoughtobeindustrious,soaretheants.Whatareyouindustriousfor?光勤劳是不够的，蚂蚁也是勤劳的。要看你为什么而勤劳。——H.D.Thoreau梭罗III.PointsofView(1)HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.(2)Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.(3)LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureasagenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman’sspiritualwell-being.III.PointsofView(4)Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.(5)Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.(6)Hewassorelydisgustedwith“theinundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen’sodd-fellowsociety”.(7)HehascalmtrustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmenIV.WaldenAnIntroductionItisadescriptionofThoreau’slifenearthepondcalledWaldenbelongingtoEmerson;theauthorlivedtherefornearlytwoyearswithonlyanaxeatthebeginning.wasafailureinhisowntimebutbecameverypopularinthe20thcenturypresentedThoreau'sunusualinterestsinnatureandshowedhisindividualismwhichinheritedfromAmericanComparingwithEmersonwhowasagreatthinker.ThoreauwasagreatexperimentalistwhoputEmerson'sTranscendentaldoctrinesintopracticeintheactuallife.WaldenPondWaldenPondatsunset*经济篇(Economy)*我的生活所在；我的生活追求/我生活的地方；我为何生活(WhereILived,andWhatILivedFor)*阅读(Reading)*声音/声(Sounds)*孤独/寂寞(Solitude)*访客(Visitors)*豆田/种豆(TheBean-Field)*村子(TheVillage)*湖(ThePonds)*贝克田庄(BakerFarm)*更高的法则/更高的规律(HigherLaws)*禽兽为邻('BruteNeighbors)*室内取暖(House-warming)*昔日的居民/旧居民；冬天的访客(FormerInhabitants;andWinterVisitors)*冬天的禽兽(WinterAnimals)*冬天的湖(ThePondinWinter)*春天(Spring)*结束语(ConclusionEconomy:Thisisthefirstchapterandalsothelongestbyfar.Thoreaubeginsbyoutlininghisproject:atwo-yearandtwo-monthstayatacrudecabininthewoodsnearWaldenPond.Hedoesthis,hesays,inordertoillustratethespiritualbenefitsofasimplifiedlifestyle.Heeasilysuppliesthefournecessitiesoflife(food,shelter,clothing,andfuel).Hemeticulouslyrecordshisexpendituresandearnings,demonstratinghisunderstandingofeconomy,ashebuildshishouseandbuysandgrowsfood.Forahomeandfreedom,hespendsamere$28.12.ComplementaryVerses:Thischapterconsistsentirelyofapoem,ThePretensionsofPoverty,byseventeenth-centuryEnglishpoetThomasCarew.Thepoemcriticizesthosewhothinkthattheirpovertygivesthemsomesortofunearnedmoralandintellectualsuperiority.WhereILived,andWhatILivedFor:Afterplayingwiththeideaofbuyingafarm,Thoreaudescribeshiscabin'slocation.ThenheexplainsthathetookuphisabodeatWaldenWoodssoastolivedeliberately,tofrontonlytheessentialfactsoflife,andseeifIcouldnotlearnwhatithadtoteach,andnot,whenIcametodie,discoverthatIhadnotlived.Reading:Thoreaudiscoursesonthebenefitsofreadingclassicalliterature(preferablyintheoriginalGreekorLatin)andbemoansthelackofsophisticationinConcord,manifestedinthepopularityofpopularliterature.HeyearnsforautopiantimewheneachNewEnglandvillagewillsupportwisementoeducateandtherebyennoblethepopulation.Sounds:Thoreauopensthischapterbywarningagainstrelyingtoomuchonliteratureasameansoftranscendence.Instead,oneshouldexperiencelifeforoneself.Thus,afterdescribinghiscabin'sbeautifulnaturalsurroundingsandhiscasualhousekeepinghabits,Thoreaugoesontocriticizethetrainwhistlethatinterruptshisreverie.Tohim,therailroadsymbolizesthedestructionofthegoodoldpastoralwayoflife.Followingisadescriptionofthesoundsaudiblefromhiscabin:thechurchbellsringing,carriagesrattlingandrumbling,cowslowing,whip-poor-willssinging,owlshooting,frogscroaking,andcockerelscrowing.Solitude:Thoreaurhapsodizesaboutthebeneficialeffectsoflivingsolitaryandclosetonature.Helovestobealone,forIneverfoundthecompanionthatwassocompanionableassolitude,andheisneverlonelyaslongasheisclosetonature.Hebelievesthereisnogreatvaluetobehadbyrubbingshoulderswiththemassofhumanity.Visitors:Thoreauwritesaboutthevisitorstohiscabin.Amongthe25or30visitorsisayoungCanadianwoodchopper,whomThoreauidealizesasapproachingtheidealman,andarunawayslave,whomThoreauhelpsonhisjourneytofreedominCanada.TheBean-Field:Thoreaurelateshiseffortstocultivatetwoandahalfacresofbeans.HeplantsinJuneandspendshissummermorningsweedingthefieldwithahoe.Hesellsmostofthecrop,andhissmallprofitof$8.71covershisneeds.TheVillage:Thoreauvisi