【正文】 transcendental philosophy of Immanuel Kant (and of German Idealism more generally), which the New England intellectuals of the early 19th century embraced as an alternative to the Lockean sensualism of their fathers and of the Unitarian church, finding the alternative in Vedic thought, German idealism, and English Romanticism.The transcendentalists desired to ground their religion and philosophy in transcendental principles: principles not based on or falsifiable by, sensuous experience, but deriving from the inner, spiritual or mental essence of the human. Immanuel Kant had called all knowledge transcendental which is concerned not with objects but with our mode of knowing objects. The transcendentalists were largely unacquainted with German philosophy in the original, and relied primarily on the writings of Thomas Carlyle, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Victor Cousin, Germaine de Stael, and other English and French mentators for their knowledge of it. In contrast, they were intimately familiar with the English Romantics, and the transcendental movement may be partially described as a slightly later, American outgrowth of Romanticism. Another major influence was the mystical spiritualism of Emanuel Swedenborg. Thoreau in Walden spoke of the debt to the Vedic thought directly, as did other members of the movement.Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a novel, The Blithedale Romaine (1852), satirizing the movement, and based it on his experiences at Brook Farm, a shortlived utopian munity founded on transcendental principles. Edgar Allan Poe had a deep dislike for transcendentalism, calling its followers Frogpondians after the pond on Boston Common. He ridiculed their writings in particular by calling them metaphorrun, lapsing into obscurity for obscurity39。 the publication of the transcendentalist literary and philosophical journal, The Dial and the establishment of an experiment in utopian munal living, Brook Farm. One thing almost all those associated with the movement did share, however, was a mon heritage of Unitarianism. Perhaps more than anything else, this fact helps to explain the development of transcendentalism and its later and larger significance for American culture. The transcendentalists broke with Unitarianism for two reasons. First, they objected to the Unitarian desire to cling to certain particulars of Christian history and dogma. Emerson called this clinging a noxious exaggeration of the personal, the positive, the ritual, and he asked instead for a direct access to God, unmediated by any elements of Scripture and tradition. And second, the transcendentalists lamented the sterility of belief and practice they found in the Unitarian faith. According to Thoreau, it is not man39。s famous essay, Civil Disobedience.Perhaps even more significantly, transcendentalism marked the first substantial attempt in American history to retain the spiritual experience and potential of the Christian faith without any of the substance of its belief. By claiming an essential innocence for man, by substituting a direct intuition of God or truth for any form of revelation, and by foreseeing a future of ill defined but certain glory for humankind, transcendentalism paved the way for the many romantic notions about human nature and destiny that have bee such a central part of the American experience in the last hundred yearsⅡ.Transcendentalism in Little WomenA. A Brief Look at the Plot of the Little WomenAlcott begins Little Women by invoking John Bunyan’s 17th century text The Pilgrim’s Progress. Alcott’s except sets the stage for the tone and theme of the events to e in her novel. In fact, the first chapter of Little Women is entitled Playing Pilgrim. It is no coincidence that Alcott would choose The Pilgrim39。 and Meg, too, earned a small salary as daily nursery governess to neighbor39。s bidding Amy made contrite apology, Jo refused to be pacified. It was only when poor little Amy was nearly drowned by falling through the ice that consciencestricken Jo forgave her sister and learned a muchneeded lesson of selfcontrol.B. The Reflection of Transcendentalism through the Characters in Little WomenThe characters all in the Little Women can reflect the spirits of transcendentalism well especially Jo.1. Tomboyish JoJo was the best one to show the truth of universe and reflect the spirit of self and self—reliance. Jo was interested in writing and success in her writing career. In Chapter 15 “A Telegram”, they got a letter from their father which said that their father had got a pain. They were so sad and wanted to do something for their father. Meg gave all her quarterly salary toward the rent. But Jo thought that she only got some cloths with hers, so she felt wicked and was bound to have some money, if she sold the nose off her face to get it. So she sold her hair, her beautiful hair. We know that what the hair means for girls, but Jo said, “It doesn’t affect the fate of the nation, so don’t wail. It will be good for my vanity。 and now she had her wish, for what could be more beautiful than to devote her life to father and mother, trying to make home as happy to them as they had to her? And if difficulties were necessary to increase the splendor of the effort, what could be harder for a restless, ambitious girl than to give up her own hopes, plans, and desires, and cheerfully live for others?The spirit of Individualism and selfreliance are totally reflected on Jo and she is the central person in Little Women who we admire. Simone de Beauvoir had written that the first time we see a woman take up her pen in defense of her sex.4 Jo was the person who took up her pen in defense of women’s right and aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. What’s more, there is another character who also can reflect the transcendentalism well. She was Meg who was also concerned with issues of gender difference and campaigned for women39。 to be admired, loved, and respecte