Introduction
Ralph Waldo Emerson is a great American thinker and the representative figure of Transcendentalism. His transcendental thoughts have greatly influenced American culture such as philosophy, religion and literature. His Individualism has become one of the most important characteristics of American culture and traditional values. As a philosopher, Emerson puts forward Transcendentalism，a creative thought which originates from his age. Transcendentalism emphasizes intuition by which man can find truth, beauty and goodness embodied in nature. It urges man to rely on himself rather than conventions and traditions. The only thing that conventions and traditions can do is to prevent man from finding the truth.
In the past thirty years, scholars have studied Emerson’s works from philosophical, literary and political perspectives. They focus on a question. That is why Emerson's Individualism, in a certain sense, is the fundamental condition of American democracy. And the question this paper focuses on is what the condition of Individualism is. Nature can be regarded as the basis of Emerson's thoughts. It is a representative essay which expresses Emerson's transcendental theory. In it, we see that nature is a symbol just as words are the symbols of natural facts. God expresses himself in nature. Emerson employs his poetic description to present a true, beautiful and good nature in front of readers. The concept of transcendence originates from Plato who believes that absolute goodness exists and it could be perceived only through intuition rather than logos or rationality. Kant is the first one to state that God and soul are transcendent. In Nature, Emerson argues that human has a close relation to nature. Man and nature come from the same root---Spirit. Nature is the expression of spirit. Therefore, human spirit has the same qualities as it. As the fundamental basis of Emerson's Transcendentalism, Nature states the intimate relation between human, God and nature and points out that human spirit is as great as nature so that human being can become the nucleus of nature. We are all parts of "God", who is really the Universe Being. God is in everyone and everything. All we have to do is to directly contact with nature and find the truth. By intuition, man will behold the truth in nature and find his own Oversoul. Man should trust his own mind, be active and creative. It is because of the creativity that human being has a higher position than other things in the world.
This paper intends to explain the concepts of nature from three perspectives---poetic, theological and philosophical. From poetic perspective, the paper is aimed to illustrate that Emerson's nature is full of beauty, truth and goodness. In nature, man can find comfort for his soul and man should hold a modest attitude towards nature. From theological perspective, this paper intends to point out that since man and nature originates from the same root---Spirit, every man has a God in his heart and man can find it only by intuition, not any other things. From philosophical perspective, the paper states that everything in the world is in constant change. The fluid mind is as powerful as river and can conquer any obstacle. From these three perspectives, the paper points out that nature is beautiful, divine and fluid, and the exterior expression of God. Human spirit should also be beautiful, divine and fluid. Man should respect himself as well as others. Therefore, nature is used as a symbol to justify Emerson's Individualism, which has become an important part of American culture.
I Nature Is Beautiful
One meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is beautiful. Beautiful nature refers to the complete, mysterious, useful and moral beauty of nature. Influenced by Romanticism in Britain, Emerson emphasizes the beauty of nature. As Emerson writes in the chapter III of Nature, “Not less excellent, except for our less susceptibility in the afternoon, was the charm, last evening, of a January sunset. The western clouds divided and subdivided themselves into pink flakes modulated with tints of unspeakable softness; and the air had so much life and sweetness, that it was a pain to come within doors.” ① For Emerson, nature’s beauty lies in several aspects. First, nature’s beauty lies in its completeness. As we can see with our own eyes that nature is complete rather than partial. It can give us a sense of integration. All the things in nature come together to make up a beautiful scenery which exhibits perfection and harmony in front of us. Besides, nature is colorful and consists of things with various forms. The horizon at dawn, rays of evening sunshine, billows of the sea and the vigorous woods, all these prove that nature is colorful. Second, nature’s beauty lies in its mystery. It is not planned as clearly as civilized society in which there are distinctions between good and bad. What we have learned of nature is merely a small part of it which has a part unknown to us. Third, nature’s beauty lies in its usefulness. Nature provides man with material resources without any benefit. We grow food on the fertile land; we get delicious fruit from trees; the rain falls down onto the earth and makes our plants grow up; the air and water which are so important to human being can be got easily. However, Emerson’s beauty not only refers to the beauty of nature but also the beauty of human virtue. As nature is the symbol of human spirit, the beauty of nature is that of human soul. Man is kindhearted and sympathetic especially when he contacts with nature. The deeds of heroes are beautiful when they fight for justice or sacrifice their own lives for other people. Man’s action also can give us a sense of beauty. A boy who is picking up little stones for collection is as beautiful as nature. Man’s thoughts are likewise beautiful. Wisdom is beautiful as it can find the absolute order of the world and is able to apprehend and pursue beauty. Creation which makes everything active is beautiful. It originates from people’s love for beauty and is used to satisfy the desire of beauty.
For Emerson, nature is not an object but an expression of man’s soul and the beauty of nature can be recognized by man because of the beauty of man’s soul. Then, the purpose that Emerson praises the beauty of nature is to make man re-recognize his own soul. First, as we can see, the development of modern industry makes man lose his own nature---completeness and richness. Mechanized assembly line makes man mechanical and monotonous. Man becomes alienated and strange to nature. As opposition to civilization, nature makes man think about the defects of modern civilization. By returning to nature and approaching it, man can find his own nature that he loses. Second, with the development of modern science, man begins to pursue partial and precise knowledge, and ignore the unknown part of nature which is broader. We do not use logic to understand but employ intuition to experience. To say that nature is mysterious means that nature has an unknown aspect that cannot be manipulated. Only when he holds a sincere respect for nature, can man feel the mysterious beauty of nature. The nature which is totally known by man apart from the elements of beauty will arouse man’s disrespect and plunder to nature. Third, Emerson praises the beauty of nature to hint that nature also has moral beauty, which is his ultimate intention. In the course of pursuing fame and gain, man falls and loses his morality. Nature can purify man’s soul and its moral beauty can save a fallen soul.
Emerson’s beauty of nature mainly refers to the beauty of man’s soul. Influenced by Romanticism in Britain, Emerson believes that in nature, man’s soul will be purified and can find the inner connections between apparently different things, thus finding the truth of the universe. For Emerson, nature functions as a therapy remedy for modern people. Nature comforts and instructs the soul of people. During 1830s and 1860s, Transcendentalism is in a developing period when American industrialization has largely developed and the concept of nature is aimed at the developing industrial civilization. With the development of industrialization, man becomes alienated and materialistic. Civilization brings man advance and convenience, while his soul needs comfort and instruction from nature. Nature is a therapy for human soul and can help man to withdraw from civilization. As Robert Frost says in his poem “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,”.②
The man who contacts closer with nature than ordinary people is the poet. Emerson thinks that man should learn from the poet and pay attention to spiritual life. Emerson’s definition of the poet does not only mean those who write poems but also those who are able to express thoughts. Emerson thinks that “The poet is representative.”③ The poet is one of the ordinary people, but he has one thing that others do not have. That is, he is willing to see and has the ability to express the beauty of nature which exists for everyone. Emerson believes that every man has the potentiality to become a poet but these potentialities are not brought out as much as that of Plato or Shakespeare. The way man brings into play his inner potentiality is to contact with nature embodying truth, goodness and beauty. Man has all the qualities that belong to more advanced creatures and meanwhile has the characteristics of other animals which are lower than him. He stands between the spiritual world and the material world and becomes the bridge that combines the two worlds.
To sum up, for Emerson, nature is complete, colorful and mysterious, which can provide the things that man wants for his soul. Thus, our attitudes toward nature should be respectful and modest rather than manipulating and dominant. Civilization brings man advance and convenience but it makes people become alienated and indifferent. Nature can comfort and instruct man’s soul by its beauty. Nature is a symbol of spirit, which embodies truth, goodness and beauty. These qualities can also be found in man’s soul if he is willing to open his heart to see the beauty of nature.
II Nature Is Divine
Another meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is divine. In fact, the concept of nature has its root in the old New England Puritan thought. From a Puritan perspective, man has original depravity and nature is evil. For them, nature is Satan’s residence and primitive New England is a land which used to belong to devil. Puritans believe that God has absolute authority and man should totally obey Him. Man is sinful and should atone. Puritanism, as a part of European culture, restricts individual freedom of Americans in the nineteenth century. God in Puritan’s eye is too strict to approach. God should be merciful and kind to human beings. Channing，the leader of New England Unitarianism，suggests that “The beauty and glory of God’s works are revealed to the mind by a light beaming from itself.”④ Channing maintains that people should look for God in nature rather than orthodox theology and ritualistic practice. Influences by Channing as regard to the nature of God, Emerson learns from him the superiority of direct intuition over reasoning.
Emerson’s concept of nature is contrary to Puritan concept of nature. For Emerson, nature is liberal and autonomous for it is God’s incarnation and an appendix to the soul. Nature is an implement which the Oversoul uses to talk to every man’s soul. The theory of Oversoul can be found in ancient Chinese philosophy. Lao Tsu in ancient China advocates the integration of the universe and believes that all the things of the universe are in harmony and can be united as one. Influenced in a way by Chinese ancient philosophy, Emerson believes that all the things in the world come from the same root---the Oversoul. The abstract, invisible Oversoul exists in everyone’s soul, which man can only communicate with by introspective intuition. Influenced by Channing, Emerson believes that God is the Supreme Being which “does not build up nature around us, but puts it forth through us.”⑤ Emerson believes that man can find God in his own heart by direct contact with nature, the apparition of God.
Emerson’s nature mediates between man and God. It connects man to Spirit, shows him God and helps him to know himself. There are reasons for this mediation and connection. Man and nature have a close relation with each other. They come from the same root—Spirit or Oversoul. Nature originates from Spirit which is absolute. It is the common root of all the things in the world. Man is also from Spirit and can see the absolute truth of the world by imagination. Because man and nature come from the same root, man can recognize himself in nature and find his own soul which has the qualities of truth, beauty and goodness. Nature is divine and has the eternal order which should not be violated. Ever since the world comes into being, the order has existed and played its functions. If anyone tries to disturb it, nature will punish him. Emerson thinks of nature as an appendix to the soul. Once he touches nature and becomes a part of it, man will become divine himself. Nature has permeated all aspects of human life and Spirit embodied in nature exerts influence upon us. Nature inspires man and gives him power. Man should find the truth, goodness and beauty in his own soul and bring into play his potentiality as human being. Then, he will become himself “All that Adam had, all that Casar could, you have and can do". ⑥ Since the Oversoul is in everyone's heart and man can find it through nature and intuition, it is unnecessary for man to seek help from the outside help such as authority, institutions and customs; since God exists in everyone's heart, man can behold it by seeking help from himself; since the Oversoul exists in every man’s heart and everyone can communicate with it by intuition, every man has divinity in his heart. Then, the relationship between men is equal, so is their possibility of communicating with the Oversoul. Everyone should get the same recognition and respect. This becomes the foundation of Emerson's Individualism. In Emerson’s mind, the development of the whole society is dependent on moral enhancement of everyone. Actually, for Emerson, the individual is potentially the most divine and any organization or existing idea can not limit the development of individual.
There is much difference between Emerson’s concept of nature and Puritan concept of nature. Puritan’s view of nature serves for its theory that man has original depravity and should atone. This predetermination greatly limits freedom of man. According to Puritan theory, man has to observe the authority of God and abandon his own thoughts, which Emerson quite objects to. Emerson’s concept of nature is aimed to serve for the establishment of American Individualism. Puritan’s definition of man common to European culture makes Americans lose confidence for himself and can not bring into play their potentialities. Emerson believes that every man can find his inner divinity by contact with nature embodying truth, goodness and beauty. Since he has inner divinity, man can be sublime, liberal and autonomous. Everyone has freedom which should not be restricted.
As we know, Emerson’s concept of nature originates from the condition of his own country at that time. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, America was becoming increasingly developed. The society got entirely changed by people's efforts during the two hundred years. The wildness changed into fertile land; the villages changed into cities; the country became prosperous. The earliest immigrants came to the continent with an ideal life in their minds. They wanted to escape from persecution and seek for happiness in life. What they desired are not background or privilege but energy and wisdom. Ever since the establishment of country, the explorers from generation to generation have constantly changed the American society. They are willing to meet challenges and innovation. The class system in feudalism finds no basis in American society. The concept of equality has infiltrated into all aspects of human life. Besides, Emerson also absorbs thoughts of the Confucian, an ancient Chinese philosopher, who believes that man is divine if he pays attention to self-culture. Emerson had an insight into the individualist and democracy elements in Confucian thoughts and developed his own concept of man. With the divine concept of nature, Emerson tries to make man believe and liberate himself.
Emerson witnesses the rapid economic development at odds with traditional religion in New England. Emerson’s concept of nature is used to reform old religion and helps man regain his belief. Emerson quite objects to the formalism in Christianity. In his mind, rite, minister and church, even The Bible are superfluous and cannot improve morality in essence. Content is more important than form. For Emerson, man can find God by returning to his own heart rather than rely on exterior forms. In this point, Emerson shares the same view with some ancient Chinese philosophers who regard contemplation and intuition as a way of finding the truth. By referring to oriental concept of nature, Emerson reforms religion and entrusts divinity to man. The purpose of this reform is to liberate man from limitation of old religion and make man liberal and autonomous. Thus man can regain energy and wisdom before he proceeds to create.
III Nature Is Changing
The third meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is changing. Emerson says in Nature that “They shall come to pass what my poet said, ‘Nature is not fixed but fluid. Spirit alters, moulds, makes it. The immobility or bruteness of nature is the absence of spirit; to pure spirit it is fluid, it is volatile, it is obedient.’”⑦ Emerson believes that everything in nature is in a process---growing, withdrawing and falling into the ground. The flowing of nature comes from a force which impels it to develop. For instance, a river is always in constantly flowing. It originates from mountains, flows along great plains and ultimately converges into the sea. There are no obstacles which can prevent it from going forward because it has a driving force. The fluidity of nature is one of laws of nature and also the law of human mind because nature is the symbol of human spirit. Nature is a mirror that reflects our minds. As Emerson says in The American Scholar “So much of nature as he is ignorant of, so much of his own mind does he not yet possess. And, in fine, the ancient precept, ‘Know thyself,’ and the modern precept, ‘Study nature,’ become at last one maxim.” ⑧ From nature, man can see the fluidity of his own spirit which is also in the process of changing and developing. With his active mind, man can find the cause hidden behind various phenomena of nature.
The debate about whether nature is fixed or fluid started between two ancient philosophers in Greek, Pythagoras and Horaculius. Pythagoras believes that the world shows certain rational order which is the root of nature. The order is interior and inherent, which governs things as it should be. He thinks that the abstract number is the common root of everything in the world, and the root has strict certainty. Though it suggests that man's abstract thinking has achieved a high level, the world can not be justified by number. Other philosophers believe that nature is a living organism which is infused with inner godhood and in a process of constant changing. Their concept of nature is fluid. Namely, nature is not a generalization of all the specific things in nature, but a common root of them; nature is a living process which includes coming into being and development by its own effort. Horaculius, another ancient Greek philosopher, is a representative of them. He believes that everything in the world is fluid and changing everyday. He says that man can not walk through the same river two times. That is, a river changes all the time. The river in this minute is different from the river in the latter one though they are the same river in our eyes. Actually, all the things are changing all the time. The change of the river is most obvious, which we can see by our eyes. Nature changes in its inner part, which we can not see by our eyes but by our heart. Man will find the inner changes of nature by intuition and the law of nature. And change is the outcome of the conflict between antithesis. The conflict in the inside of things will come into a state of harmony when it rises into a certain height. Emerson's thought is close to Horaculius. Emerson thinks that nature is not fixed but fluid, which changes all the time like the river. The fixed river is identical with the stillness while the fluid river is identical with change and development, and thus with reform.
Since nature is changing, a social institution and cultural thought should changes with times. For Emerson, nature can be used to exclude external influence from authorities, institution and custom in European culture. As we know, America is deeply influenced by European tradition and values. Actually, after its political independence, American needs to get rid of these influences and establish its own culture and literature as an independent being. The thoughts of the past are valuable, which exerts great influence on people. Books can give people knowledge. They are precious fortune of human being and record great thoughts of predecessors. However, their more important function is to inspire man to think and create. Emerson defines “the American scholar” as “Man Thinking”. ⑼ He believes that the most valuable thing in the world is the active soul which every man has and that supposition and imagination are more valuable than experiment and systems. Emerson urges man to see the old books as precious resource which can give him inspiration and read them actively rather than receive the thoughts of others passively. Just as Emerson says that knowledge is dead, man is active, some American writers such as Washington Irving and James Fenimore Cooper can be seen as the pioneers of American national literature, but they are still under the strong influence of English writers. Irving imitates Johnson while Cooper imitates Scott. Emerson urges man to stick to his own thoughts rather than imitate others. Emerson states that imitation is suicide. Inspired by Emerson, some original writers appear. Walt Whitman writes the poem Leaves of Grass which concerns the importance of common life. It establishes him as a great national poet of America. Emily Dickinson whose subjects are always God, death and love writes her poems with creativity and imagination. In her poem “Wild Nights---Wild Nights” she uses the boat and the sea as symbols of the lovers, which is very original. Another one is Herman Melville who expresses the American view of nature in his masterpiece Moby Dick. Inspired by Emerson’s thoughts, they contribute a lot to the establishment of American national literature and identity.
Since nature is changing, a person should also change with times. Man living in the 19th century had his mentality rooted in traditional culture. To reform means changing one’s mentality. Man in the nineteenth century should try to exclude the outside influence from Europe concerning religion, culture and “enjoy an original relation to the universe”.⑩ That is, man should pay attention to the development of each individual human being and know the potentiality within himself and put aside all institutions and books. Emerson believes that America has its new land, new people and nature. If they uncover the creative potentiality, they can create their own culture. Life is the source of man’s thoughts. Man should trust himself and know himself in daily life. Emerson attends to significance of common life and believes that every man has an active soul and can find the eternal law of nature.
Emerson’s fluid concept of nature is used to encourage creation of new culture. As a new-born country, America needs its own culture to establish national identity. Nature is a symbol. By saying that nature is changing, Emerson intends to liberate American’s minds so as to create new thoughts and culture. Americans should try to overcome those European traditions and values rather than receive them passively. As long as man uses his own creative mind to pursue truth, the outworn traditions and values will become weak and can not prevent him from going forward.
Conclusion
Nature is a representative essay of Emerson's transcendental thoughts. In it, Emerson employs nature as a symbol to demonstrate his transcendental philosophy. Nature symbolizes freedom, independence and change. These are Individualism elements which attend to significance of common life. Therefore Emerson's nature is the theoretical base of American Individualism---one of the characteristics of American culture. As the symbol of Spirit, nature helps to prove that man's soul is beautiful, divine and fluid. Man should pursue spiritual fulfillment. Emerson's concepts of nature give man a chance to recognize himself and find his own truth, beauty and goodness. Nature is used to explain and justify the Individualism.
Words are the signs of natural facts. Every word, if traced to its root, is found to be borrowed from some material facts. One meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is beautiful. Beautiful nature refers to the complete, mysterious, useful and moral beauty of nature. Here, nature symbolizes a therapy remedy for man’s soul. It can help man to withdraw from corrupted civilization and comfort and inspire his soul. Nature is also the symbol of spirit, which embodies truth, beauty and goodness. The beauty of nature is that of human soul. The latter one includes virtue, diligence and intellect. They contribute to the creativity of human being. The poet is man who is willing to see and has the ability to express the beauty of nature that exists for everyone. Emerson urges man to live his life like a poet who contacts closely with nature and find comfort and inspiration in it.
Another meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is divine. Divine nature means that nature is God’s incarnation and an appendix to the soul. It symbolizes the divinity of man. Thus, man can be liberal, autonomous and sublime. Everything in the world has inner divinity. Therefore, man also has divinity in himself and should believe himself by lifting himself to a higher platform. Every man has his own nature in heart. God exists in everyone's heart which man should contact with. Therefore, man is put in the same position with God. Man can be combined with him rather than submit and worship. Man can find God in his heart by self-recovery and it is unnecessary to find help from any other things.
The third meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is fluid. Changing nature means that everything in nature is in a process of changing, which symbolizes the creation of new culture. Everything in the world is in constant change. The fixed river is identical with the stillness while the fluid river is identical with the change and development. Emerson believes that man also has a soul which constantly adapt to the new conditions.
Emerson's nature is metaphorical and has multiple references. It symbolizes the special natural and cultural environment in America which is different from Europe. Emerson uses it to solve the problems that the new-born country encounters. America should establish its national identity by excluding the outside influence from Europe concerning religion, culture, etc. In Emerson's eyes, America is the last blessed land given by God. One important factor which contributes to America's development is its geographical condition. As an American writer claims:" Heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation." ○11 It has abundant land and all kinds of natural resources. The America is known as "melting pot". For it is made up of immigrants from nations all over the world. Many immigrants are poor or persecuted in their mother country, but they achieve success after immigrating into America. They believe that God help those who help himself and judge a man by the success he achieves through their own efforts.
To sum up, nature is the driving force of Individualism and the theoretical base of it. It urges man to rely on Self which is not a small self but a big Self. The traditional concept of nature gives man shackles; man’s original sin restricts man’s nature and thoughts. Emerson gives man a brand-new concept of nature: by the guidance of intuition and sudden understanding, man’s soul can be lifted to a higher platform, beautiful, divine. With firm confidence in oneself and constant self-culture, man will bring into play his potentiality and get to know his own nature. Nature is the mirror of man and man should believe in his potential divinity.
Notes:
① R. W. Emerson, Selected Essays of Emerson, 北京：中国人民大学出版社，1998，P8
② 汪冷，《美国文学作品选读》，上海：上海交通大学出版社，2003，P166
③ Julia Reidhead, The Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol.1, New York: w. w. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998，P1145
④ Cleanth Brooks, American Literature The Makers and the Making Vol.1, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1973，P673
⑤ R. W. Emerson, Selected Essays of Emerson, 北京：中国人民大学出版社,1998，P33
⑥ Ibid，P39
⑦ Ibid，P39
⑧ Julia Reidhead, The Norton Anthology of American Literature Vol.1, New York: w. w. Norton & Company, Inc., 1998，P1103
⑨ Ibid，P1102
⑩ R. W. Emerson, Selected Essays of Emerson, 北京：中国人民大学出版社1998，P1
○11来安方，《新编英美概况》，郑州：河南人民出版社，1991，P194
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8. 来安方，《新编英美概况》，郑州：河南人民出版社，1991
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Emerson's Concepts of Nature
Ralph Waldo Emerson is a great American thinker and the representative figure of Transcendentalism. His transcendental thoughts have greatly influenced American culture such as philosophy, religion and literature. His Individualism has become one of the most important characteristics of American culture and traditional values. As a philosopher, he puts forward Transcendentalism, a creative thought which originates from his age. Transcendentalism emphasizes intuition by which man can find truth, beauty and goodness embodied in nature. It urges man to rely on himself rather than conventions and traditions. The only thing that they can do is to prevent man from finding the truth.
Nature can be regarded as the basis of Emerson's thoughts. It is a representative essay which expresses Emerson's transcendental theory. In it, we see that nature is a symbol just as words are the symbols of natural facts. God expresses himself in nature. Emerson employs his poetic description to present a true, beautiful and good nature in front of readers. The concept of transcendence originates from Plato who believes that absolute goodness exists and it could be perceived only through intuition rather than logos or rationality. Kant is the first one to state that God and soul are transcendent. In Nature, Emerson argues that human has a close relation to nature. Man and nature come from the same root---Spirit. Nature is the expression of Spirit. Therefore, human spirit has the same qualities as it. As the fundamental basis of Emerson's Transcendentalism, Nature states the intimate relation between human, God and nature and points out that human spirit is as great as nature so that human being can become the nucleus of nature. We are all parts of "God", who is really the Universe Being. God is in everyone and everything. All we have to do is to directly contact with nature and find the truth. By intuition, man will behold the truth in nature and find his own Oversoul. Man should trust his own mind, be active and creative. It is because of the creativity that human being has a higher position than other things in the world.
One meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is beautiful. Beautiful nature refers to the complete, mysterious, useful and moral beauty of nature. Here, nature symbolizes a therapy remedy for man’s soul. It can help man to withdraw from corrupted civilization and comfort and inspire his soul. Nature is the symbol of Spirit, which embodies truth, beauty and goodness. The beauty of nature is that of human soul. The latter one includes virtue, diligence and intellect. They contribute to the creativity of human being. The poet is man who is willing to see and has the ability to express the beauty of nature that exists for everyone. Emerson urges man to live his life like a poet who contacts closely with nature and find comfort in it.
Another meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is divine. Divine nature means that nature is God’s incarnation and an appendix to the soul. It symbolizes the divinity of man. Thus, man should be liberal, autonomous and sublime. Everything in the world has inner divinity. Therefore, man also has divinity in himself and should believe himself by lifting himself to a higher platform. Every man has his own nature in heart. God exists in everyone's heart which man should contact with. Therefore, man is put in the same position with God. Man can be combined with God rather than submit and worship God. God is absolute spirit and the symbol of original truth. Man can find God in his heart by self-recovery and it is unnecessary to find help from any other things.
The third meaning of Emerson’s concepts of nature is that nature is fluid. Changing nature means that everything in nature is in a process of changing, which symbolizes the creation of new culture. Everything in the world is in constant changing. The fixed river is identical with the stillness while the fluid river is identical with the change and development. Emerson believes that man also has a soul which constantly adapts to the new conditions.
Emerson's nature is metaphorical and has multiple references. It symbolizes the special natural and cultural environment in America which is different from Europe. Emerson uses it to solve the problems that the new-born country meets. America should establish its national identity and exclude the outside influence from Europe concerning religion, culture, etc. In Emerson's eyes, America is the last blessed land given by God. One important factor which contributes to America's development is its geographical condition. As an American writer claims:" Heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man's habitation."⑾It has abundant land and all kinds of natural resources. The America is known as "melting pot". For it is made up of immigrants from nations all over the world. Many immigrants are poor or persecuted in their mother country, but they achieve success after immigrating into America. They believe that God help those who help himself and judge a man by the success he makes through their own efforts.
To sum up, nature is the driving force of Individualism and the theoretical base of it. It urges man to rely on Self which is not a small self but a big Self. The traditional concept of nature gives man shackles; man’s original sin restricts man’s nature and thoughts. Emerson gives man a brand-new concept of nature: by the guidance of intuition and sudden understanding, man’s soul can be beautiful, divine. With firm confidence in oneself and constant self-culture, man will bring into play his potentiality and get to know his own nature. Nature is the mirror of man and man should believe in his potential divinity.
