Walden and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
Book Excerpt
If not before. It is said that Deucalion and Pyrrha created men by throwing stones over their heads behind them:--
Inde genus durum sumus, experiensque laborum,Et documenta damus qua simus origine nati. Or, as Raleigh rhymes it in his sonorous way,-- "From thence our kind hard-hearted is, enduring pain and care, Approving that our bodies of a stony nature are." So much for a blind obedience to a blundering oracle, throwing the stones over their heads behind them, and not seeing where they fell.
Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them. Their fingers, from excessive toil, are too clumsy and tremble too much for that. Actually, the laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day by day; he cannot afford to sustain the manliest relations to men;
"Walden" and "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" are two significant works by Henry David Thoreau, often studied together due to their complementary themes and philosophical perspectives.
1. **Walden**:
- **Summary**: "Walden" is Thoreau's personal account of his experiment in simple living. It details his experiences living in a cabin he built near Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, for two years, two months, and two days. Thoreau sought to live deliberately, exploring the themes of self-reliance, individualism, and the intrinsic connection between nature and the human spirit.
- **Themes**: Nature, self-reliance, simplicity, the pursuit of truth, and the importance of living authentically. Thoreau advocates for a life stripped of unnecessary materialism and distractions, encouraging readers to reevaluate their own lives and priorities.
2. **On the Duty of Civil Disobedience**:
- **Summary**: This essay was written in response to Thoreau's opposition to slavery and the Mexican-American War. It argues that individuals have a moral responsibility to resist unjust laws and government actions through nonviolent means, including civil disobedience. Thoreau famously states, "That government is best which governs least," advocating for a minimalistic approach to governance that prioritizes individual conscience and morality over blind obedience to laws.
- **Themes**: Civil disobedience, justice, morality, the role of government, and the rights of the individual. Thoreau's ideas influenced later movements for civil rights and nonviolent resistance, such as Gandhi's struggle for Indian independence and Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights activism in the United States.
Together, these works encapsulate Thoreau's belief in individual freedom, the importance of introspection, and the obligation to challenge injustice peacefully. They continue to resonate as foundational texts in American literature and philosophy, inspiring readers to reflect on their relationship with society, nature, and their own principles.
