The Importance of 19th Century Transcendentalism

Nathaniel Hawthorne uses his own personal experiences at Brook Farm for the basis of the novel "The Blithedale Romance." The foundation of both Brook Farm and the fictional Blithedale are the principles and values of transcendentalism. Transcendentalim was a new set of ideas in literature, religion, culture, and philosophy that were formed as a protest against the general state of culture and society at that time. Louisa May Alcott was also a strong follower of transcendentalism and was a resident of Fruitlands, another Utopian-like society at that time. From her stay at Fruitlands, Alcott published "Transcendental Wild Oats." The formation of these societies and the transcendental basis of these societies created a new era of literature and culture. Nathaniel Hawthorne and transcendentalism had a huge impact on the society and culture of the 19th century.