Naysayers: Poe, Hawthorne, and Melville

Abstract

This article takes on Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville calling them the naysayers among the Transcendentalists. The article enunciates that they brilliantly insisted upon themselves to resist effectively Transcendentalism. Their objections ranged from verbal obscurity to emotional reserve; their strongest shared concern was Transcendentalism's insubstantial treatment of the darker side of humanity. As the article explores, Poe's objections to Transcendentalism included what he considered its naïve reformism and its aesthetic inadequacy. Though Poe was keenly interested in the Transcendent, he was of an opinion that “Frogpondian” or “Bostonian” Transcendence could be problematic. The Transcendentalists of Boston were, to Poe, unreliable enthusiasts and unknowing zealots. Similarly Hawthorne and Melville had taken on Emerson's point of views, Melville's view of the social stringency of Emerson was already evident. His greatest objection to Emerson was his failure to recognize the reality of evil.

Analisis Cerpen untuk Pembelajaran Sejarah Amerika

“…"The Minister's Black Veil" ditulis oleh Nathaniel Hawthorne pada tahun 1836. Di awal karirnya, Hawthorne kerap menulis tentang pengaruh kejahatan terhadap kepribadian seseorang dan komunitasnya (Kaplan, 2018;Kopley, 2012;Strong, 2017). Topik kemunafikan dan kebutaan moral menjadi ciri pengarang Amerika abad kesembilan belas yang hidup seperti seorang pertapa di Salem, Massachusetts ini.…”

“…Meskipun cerpen "The Minister's Black Veil" terbuka pada pelbagai penafsiran, kisah ini mengikuti tema dan alur penceritaan khas Hawthorne, yakni kritik atas peradaban yang sarat dengan syak, purba sangka, dan berujung pada intoleransi dan kekerasan. Seperti Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, dan penulis-penulis zaman Dark Romanticism lainnya, Nathaniel Hawthorne menuliskan kisah-kisah kemunafikan atau kegagalan institusi agama dan budaya yang justru mengekalkan bukannya memberantas hal-hal yang dianggap dosa atau tak bermoral yang hendak secara paksa dihentikan itu (Kopley, 2012;Muse, 2014;Strong, 2017).…”