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The Nature of Emerson's Skepticism: a Study of His Major Skeptical Essays

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The Nature of Emerson's Skepticism: a Study of His Major Skeptical Essays THE NATURE OF EMERSON’S SKEPTICISM: A STUDY OF HIS MAJOR SKEPTICAL ESSAYS A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY ARFAN HUSSAIN Roll No. 126141013 DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GUWAHATI GUWAHATI, INDIA April 2018 Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Guwahati 781039 Assam, India DECLARATION I hereby declare that the thesis entitled “The Nature of Emerson’s Skepticism: A Study of His Major Skeptical Essays” is the result of investigation carried out by me at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, under the supervision of Professor Liza Das. The work has not been submitted either in whole or in part to any other university / institution for a research degree. IIT Guwahati (Arfan Hussain) April 2018 TH-1923_126141013 Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Guwahati 781039 Assam, India CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mr. Arfan Hussain has prepared the thesis entitled “The Nature of Emerson’s Skepticism: A Study of His Major Skeptical Essays” for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. The work was carried out under my general supervision and in strict conformity with the rules laid down for the purpose. It is the result of his investigation and has not been submitted either in whole or in part to any other university / institution for a research degree. IIT Guwahati (Liza Das) April 2018 Supervisor TH-1923_126141013 The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant… H. L. Mencken TH-1923_126141013 Contents Page Preface and Acknowledgments i Chapter I Introduction: The Skeptical Tradition and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Essays 1 Chapter II Emerson, Epistemology and Skepticism 44 Chapter III Central Skeptical Concerns in Human Relationships 80 Chapter IV Emerson’s Approach to Life 123 Chapter V Conclusion: The Nature of Skepticism in Emerson’s Essays 142 Selected Bibliography 157 TH-1923_126141013 Preface and Acknowledgements Among the celebrated figures in American literature, Ralph Waldo Emerson is the most identifiable personality whose works, especially the essays, have been read and followed by a majority of the people owing to the fact that they facilitate a unique kind of intellectual inclination. His proclivity towards double consciousness and skeptical temperament, as has appeared in his major writings, posits a challenge for the readers to comprehend them fully. Having first been through two of his most discussed essays, namely, “Experience” and “Friendship”, as suggested by my supervisor, I was compelled by curiosity to delve deep into the vast Emersonian world though it seemed at first to be a challenging task. As I was engrossed in reading those thought-provoking literary pieces packed with profound philosophical thoughts in tranquil intellectual ambience of the campus of IIT Guwahati, the quotations from Emerson‟s essays became my daily sermons that in course of time paved the way for writing my thesis based on them. In the last five years, the involvement with the primary as well as the secondary works related to Emersonian skepticism was so intense and penetrating that even discrete words like „Emerson‟ and „Skepticism‟ have caught my attention straight away wherever I located them. I am still encountering these kinds of enthralling moments even as I feel I have reached the culmination of my research work. Emerson‟s treatment of skepticism in his major essays indicates that a complex doubleness of ideas and thoughts had preoccupied his mind. It is expected that all the aspects of Emerson‟s literary masterpieces cannot not be incorporated within the boundaries of a work like the present thesis owing to the fact that his contribution to the world of literature is too diverse to be comprehended in a single piece of work. His sermons, essays, poems, books and journal articles deal with a wide-ranging corpus of ideas that are philosophical in nature. Moreover, the propensity to experiment with all ideas he had held at one point in time as well as the polarity in his thoughts have problematized the issue of granting him a definite position vis-à-vis other literary figures of his time. His belief in the philosophy of non- linearity and unpredictability got reflected prominently in his essays. i TH-1923_126141013 This thesis is the fruit of my unceasing effort and hard work at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Guwahati, over the last five years. It will not be an exaggeration to mention that the academic campus along with its picturesque beauty all around served as an active catalyst in drawing out the best of my capabilities while writing the thesis. The high-tech infrastructure and other essential paraphernalia provided by the department endowed me with a wide conducive atmosphere in carrying out my research efficiently. First of all I thank Allah for good health and sound mind that were indispensable to carry on my thesis work. The person who has shaped, molded and given a proper form to my work from the beginning up to the submission of the thesis is undoubtedly my supervisor Prof. Liza Das whose continuous guidance throughout the years of research, her positive attitude for any kind of challenging task, the unflinching faith in me to carry on my study on a topic apparently tough, as well as the motivation showered upon me whenever I felt low and exhausted in my work finally yielded a positive result. Her motherly care and love has never let me have homesick feelings even in the hostel life during the last five years. I would have been unanchored in the vast sea of research if she had not been the persistent torchbearer for me. I am sure that these words would never be enough to express fully my acknowledgment towards her. I would like to express my sincere thanks to my Doctoral Committee as well as the other faculty members both from the department and from other institutions who have provided me with the useful ideas, invaluable comments as well as constructive criticism that were enormously helpful and necessary while moving in the track of research through the years without any stumbling block. I am truly grateful to all the faculty members of the Department of English, Cotton College. Special mention goes to Santanu Phukan sir for enriching me with his invaluable suggestions and opinions when I ever had approached him. ii TH-1923_126141013 Words fail me in expressing my appreciation to my betrothed Tanzim whose love, relentless encouragement and supportive outlook have acted as catalyst in the process of accomplishing my task. You have made my journey beautiful. Thank you! My gratitude also goes to my friends and fellow labmates for all kinds of thought-provoking discussions as well as the jolly moments we have had irrespective of time and place. Special mention goes to Mr. Pankaj Kumar Kalita whose commitment to his work motivated me even in the time of distress. I am highly indebted to Dr. Hemanta Barman who helped me in many ways with his valuable suggestions throughout the years. Last but not the least, I am grateful to my wonderful parents for their unconditional love, care, sacrifice and immense support that hover around me all the time like a blessing; they are the faces who always helped me in the adverse moments of my life by standing beside me. I take this opportunity to dedicate this thesis to Amma and Abba. Arfan Hussain IIT Guwahati April 2018 iii TH-1923_126141013 CHAPTER I Introduction: The Skeptical Tradition and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Major Essays Where do we find ourselves? In a series of which we do not know the extremes, and believe that it has none. We wake and find ourselves on a stair; there are stairs below us, which we seem to have ascended; there are stairs above us, many a one, which go upward and out of sight Emerson, ―Experience‖ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), known as the sage of Concord is considered one of the chief spokespersons for Transcendentalism, an idealistic philosophical and literary movement of the mid-nineteenth century which professed superiority of intuition, belief in individualism and self-reliance, nonconformity to customs, tradition and government authority, and the inherent goodness of people. It had originated and flourished in New England, and was largely a moral philosophy that asserted the value and integrity of the individual vis-à-vis the collective or universal (see Myerson; Wayne). Transcendentalism was a popular intellectual movement especially in America and its influence on the American minds had been intense. Emerson, the ―centre of American Transcendentalism‖ (Skipp 29) seems to have devoted his whole life to propagating the ideas of the movement that emphasized mainly rising above human experience and non-conformity to any inherited beliefs. David C. Lamberth observes that ―Emerson‘s view is, sadly, not as closely studied as it deserves to be‖ (72). His freedom-loving nature tends to make American minds free from all established customs and orthodox traditional beliefs that are embedded in the society. It appears that Emerson had never compromised with consistency and constantly felt the need of examining his own everyday experiences in the material world (see Allen). This nonconformity to conventional established ideas is the basic need of a true transcendentalist. 1 TH-1923_126141013 Articulating the impact of this transcendentalist movement, historian O. B. Frothingham remarks that Transcendentalism ―affected thinkers, swayed politicians, guided moralist, inspired philanthropists, created reforms‖ (v). Though of German origin and flourishing for a brief period of time, it could successfully leave a mark on the American mind through proponents like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
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