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One of the seminal literary works revealing the theme of historical legacy is The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, written as the memoirs of a dark-skinned American slave. The book proper consists of eleven chapters describing, in chronological order, childhood, the stages of learning to write, the periods of emotional and psychological crises, the moves, and Douglasss becoming a famous abolitionist. Notably, this literary work reflects the profound socio-philosophical transcendent ideas and theories of abolitionism that can be found in two critical essays, Resistance to Civil Government and Self Reliance. This essay seeks to discuss the connection found and demonstrate a deep understanding of these ideas core.
The lives and existence of slaves in America can hardly be described as happy, but there is no doubt that slaves were deprived of the ability to reason and dream under such monstrous conditions. Douglass autobiographical work is a perfect illustration of the presence of transcendent thoughts about personal freedom, the limits of happiness, and true knowledge that cannot be attained by experience. Nevertheless, the pursuit of the ideal is at the core of the philosophy of transcendence. Similar sentiments were expressed by Emerson in his essay Self Reliance, which is an exploration of solitude, individualism, and the pursuit of ones ideals. Thus, it can be seen that both authors have a clear tendency to identify the tool for achieving the ideal, namely the continuous process of gaining knowledge (Emerson 73). In the fifth chapter of his memoir, Douglass spoke of learning how to write, and near the end of the book, he passed on this knowledge to the rest of the slaves (Douglass 20). On this basis, it might be postulated that there is a correspondence between the two works as to what defines the path to happiness.
It is fair to discuss other ideas found in the comparative analysis of the works presented: one serious aspect is the nature of the relationship between state and society. The critical question here is to determine whether the government can embrace societys interests and demonstrate equal treatment of all. Douglass and Thoreau gave a negative answer to this question, which is generally not surprising given mens abolitionist worldview (Thoreau 319; Douglass 35). Douglass recognized inequality on all levels, including legislative practices regarding black and white Americans (Milloy). Thoreau also believed that states should not show social injustice by not recognizing a government that endorses slavery (320). This leads to the idea that both authors were not inclined to evaluate statehood positively and recognized the government in place at the time as ineffective and illegitimate.
Douglasss autobiographical notes define his difficult path to achieving public recognition, and based on them, it is appropriate to call the speakers life a dedicated abolitionist. The core of this current defines the philosophical recognition of the importance and equivalence of all lives regardless of differences, and hence abolitionism was directed toward the struggle against slavery. In his memoirs, Douglass repeatedly urged the reader to understand the monstrosity and cruelty of such experiences through descriptions of the physical and psychological pressures from white slave owners (Douglass 16). The philosophical ideals of abolition acts of gratuitous assistance to slaves and participation in the lives of the poor briefly described in the essay make Thoreau as much of an abolitionist as Douglass. On the other hand, although Emerson did not join the formal abolitionist movement, his ideas also allow the essayist to be seen as an abolitionist.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the mid-nineteenth-century era enormously influenced the philosophical and literary, as can be found in reading the proposed works. Douglasss memoirs describe the travails of his lifes journey, but even in them, the correspondences to the transcendent ideals of freedom, cognition, and self-identity examined by Thoreau and Emerson are noticeable. This essay is a useful material for examining the nature of the slave-owning American era, which received a backlash in the form of the development of the abolitionist movement.
Works Cited
Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, 1853.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Self-reliance. Caxton Society, 1909.
Milloy, C. Frederick Douglasss Fourth of July Speech Called out America for its Hypocrisy. Trumps Takeover of the Holiday Shows We Havent Learned Much. The Washington Post, 2019.
Thoreau, Henry David. Resistance to Civil Government. Revista Filosofía UIS, vol. 15, no. 1, 2016, pp. 317-333.
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