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Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading figure in the transcendentalist movement that emerged in the United States in the early 19th century. This philosophical and literary movement was a reaction against the prevailing materialism and rationalism of the time, emphasizing the inherent goodness of both people and nature, and advocating for personal growth and independence, (Tikkanen.) The transcendentalist movement was deeply rooted in American cultural history and had a significant impact on the development of American thought and literature. 
This movement had a profound influence on the development of dark romanticism. These two literary movements emerged in the same historical period, and while they shared some common themes and ideas, they also diverged in significant ways. Transcendentalists such as Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller, emphasized the importance of intuition, imagination, and the interconnectedness of all things. They believed in the inherent goodness of humanity and the divinity of nature, advocating for personal growth and spiritual development through self-reliance and self-exploration. On the other hand, dark romanticism, also known as gothic literature, emerged around the same time as transcendentalism but focused on darker aspects of human nature and the natural world, (Culture.) Dark romantics were interested in exploring the darker side of the human psyche, delving into themes of madness, mortality, and the supernatural. Writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Herman Melville were key figures in this movement Despite their divergent themes and interests, the transcendentalist movement had a significant influence on dark romanticism. Transcendentalists' focus on individualism, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of all things resonated with dark romantics, inspiring them to explore themes of inner turmoil, existential angst, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world, (Tikkanen.) One key aspect of the transcendentalist influence on dark romanticism was the emphasis on the individual's inner world and subjective experience. Transcendentalists believed in the importance of intuition and self-exploration, encouraging individuals to look inward for meaning and purpose. This emphasis on the interiority of the self found its way into dark romantic literature, as writers such as Poe and Hawthorne delved into the depths of the human psyche, exploring themes of guilt, obsession, and madness. Another influence of the transcendentalist movement on dark romanticism was the emphasis on nature and the natural world. Transcendentalists saw nature as a source of spiritual inspiration and renewal, believing that the natural world held profound truths about the human experience, (This reverence for nature can be seen in the works of dark romantics such as Hawthorne and Melville, who often set their stories in natural landscapes and used nature as a symbolic backdrop for exploring themes of sin, guilt, and redemption.

Works Cited:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ralph-Waldo-Emerson

https://culturemakesamerica.weebly.com/transcendentalism-vs-dark-romanti...