An Analysis of Taoist Ethics in Walden

Abstract

Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century transcendental philosopher and writer in the United States, was not recognized by his contemporaries during his lifetime. With the rise of global environmental movement in the second half of the 20th century, Thoreau was rediscovered and his works became the focus of literary critics. For Walden, many scholars at home and abroad have analyzed it from various aspects, such as ecological ethics, the view of nature, and writing style. As early as 1930s and 1940s, some Chinese had started to read and appreciate Thoreau’s work. However, the formal study on him in China was increasingly popular only from the end of the 20th century. Placing Thoreau’s Walden under the perspective of Taoist Ethics, this thesis tries to analyze the Taoist Ethics embodied in Thoreau’s Walden and further explore the subtle influence of Taoist ethical thoughts on Thoreau.

This thesis is divided into four parts. Part one is a brief introduction of Thoreau and Walden. Part two illustrates the origin and characteristics of Taoist Ethics. The third part is to explore the relationship between Taoist Ethics and Thoreau. The last part focuses on the Taoist ethics in Walden specifically from four facets, including the unity of human and nature, advocacy of human nature, pursuit of simplicity, and the relationship between human and society.

Key words: Taoist Ethics; Walden; Thoreau