Henry David Thoreau And Transcendatalism Essay, Research Paper

Henry David Thoreau harbored many anarchist thoughts toward

the American

government of the decades before the Civil War, which he

collected and wrote

about in the essay, “Civil Disobedience”, which, in fact

was originally

called “Resistance to Civil Government”, giving the essay a

powerful message

that would not only reflect Thoreau’s own views toward the

Mexican war, but

also give the essay a powerful anti-slavery message, as

well as affect the

whole idea of Civil Rights, as well as shape the leaders of

Civil Rights.

In examining the essay, “Civil Disobedience”, we must also

immerse ourselves

into the reasoning of the essay. Henry David Thoreau lived

a quiet life in a

small cabin he had built in Walden. Thoreau thought paying

his taxes was

wrong in principal, “Thoreau declares that he cannot

associate with the

American government, because it is a slave’s government”

(BECK Index).

Thoreau jails himself after being asked about taxes by the

Constable of

Concord, Sam Staples, a friend of Thoreau. Thoreau refuses

to pay the tax,

and is only released after some family member pays the tax

for him. Thoreau

is infuriated that someone would pay his tax for him after

he would not

(About.com).

Thoreau refuses to pay taxes due to their use in the

Mexican War. As Thoreau

declares “Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few

individuals using the

standing government as their tool.” Thoreau, “gives ‘civil

Disobedience’ its

urgency… as a result of the leadership of imperialists

like President

James Polk and Southern planters who were determined to add

new land to

their cotton culture, was making war on Mexico and would

take away half its’

territory” (Smith, 60). The action of the government is

more like that of a

monarchy to Thoreau. “Witness the present Mexican war, the

work of

comparatively few individuals,” (Thoreau, 1). Thoreau

speaks by the basic

Transcendentalist though of self-reliance. Thoreau also,

“questions the personal morality involved in the Mexican

war” (Hildebidle,

69). In “Civil Disobedience”, we can see the stark

contrasts between the

attitude of the state and Toreau’s own views.

Thoreau explains why slavery is a moral evil. Thoreau only

disagreed with

the principle behind slavery, “he knew no Negroes, had

never experienced the

slightest social oppression, but was a radical

individualist” (Smith, 62).

Thoreau was a staunch supporter of John Brown, and went as

far as to honor

his death at Harper’s Ferry. Thoreau influenced many

leaders of later Civil

Rights movements. “Thoreau’s essay is a noble ringing

reiteration of the

highest religious individualism as a self-evident social

principle”

(Emerson, 5)

The essay also had a power with great minds who were

looking to break free

of oppressive governments. It has been well documented that

King and Gandhi

were both affected by the essay in threir quest for civil

equality, “for

Gandhi, as a young leader of the oppressed Indians in South

Africa, was

looking for a political strategy by which to resist a

totally oppressive

government.” (Hildebidle, 74) “Civil Disobedience” gives

each reader a

message about speaking out about what you believe in. “For

Thoreau, the

problem is simply of putting the highest possible value on

the individual

rather than on the state,” (Salt, 174). Again, Thoreau

light s the fire in

the reader, to think of what is good for himself or

herself.

John F. Kennedy said in his inauguration speech, “Ask not

what you country

can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” This

thought

expresses many values a person may have towards an action,

taking place.

Thoreau has this to say about the government, “It does not

keep the country

free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate.”

Bibliography

Hildebidle, John. “The Eye and hand of Thoreau,” The

Chelsea House Library

of Literary Criticism. New York. Pgs 4366-4390

Salt, Henry S. The Chelsea House Library of Literary

Criticism. New York.

Pgs 4690-4691

Smith, Frederick M. “Thoreau” The Chelsea House Library of

Literary

Criticism. New York. Pgs 4691-4704

About.com.

Http://www.about.com/Transcendentalism