Here's why:
* Focus on the Ideal: Transcendentalists believed in the inherent goodness of humanity and the universe. They sought to transcend the limitations of the material world and connect with a higher, spiritual reality.
* Nature as Inspiration: Nature was seen as a source of inspiration and a pathway to enlightenment. Writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau celebrated the beauty and power of the natural world.
* Intuition Over Reason: Transcendentalists valued intuition and individual experience over reason and tradition. They believed in the power of personal revelation and the importance of following one's own inner voice.
While other movements like Romanticism also emphasized beauty, Transcendentalism's unique focus on the pursuit of pure beauty and its philosophical underpinnings set it apart.