[Hilal Arshad]

Elizabeth Stanton’s The Solitude of Self is intertwined with Transcendentalist beliefs. However, in comparison with Thoreau’s description of solitude, Stanton’s depiction is quite the opposite. Thoreau describes solitude as a clear state of mind that is not clouded by the diluted desires of immediate success; it allows man to experience nature’s true beauty. In contrast, Stanton’s defines solitude is a more negative light. Stanton argues that we come into this world alone, that life is march and a battle, and that “each soldier must be equipped for his own protection, it is the height of cruelty to rob the individual of a single natural right.” Because we are alone, Stanton argues, we need to be provided with the resources to survive, specifically the same education that is provided for men. Similar to the positive qualities of solitude described by Thoreau, Stanton’s description of the purpose of education has similar benefits: “The strongest reason for giving when all the opportunities for higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body… enlarged freedom of thought and action… is the solitude and personal responsibility of her own individual life.”

Louisa Alcott’s Transcendental Wild Oats takes a more satirical and literal approach to Transcendentalist beliefs. The Pilgrims, like Thoreau, strive for a more natural life (although much more impractical). However, there are two things that stand out: 1) the extreme length to which the pilgrims attempt to remove themselves from society and the inequality between the women and men. In Walden, Thoreau states that it is difficult to completely remove oneself from society, and Alcott provides multiple examples of the struggles the Pilgrims (food, clothing, source for candle light, etc.). Furthermore, there is a clear inequality between the men and women, similar to the inequalities faced by women that were depicted by Stanton. Ironically, it was the men who struggled most in an attempt to practice their orthodox beliefs, whereas the women were better off and more well-prepared (due to the skills they had, the same ones men believe women should focus on).

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