Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience
Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience
Henry David Thoreau
24 chapters · ~115,893 words · Challenging · Downloaded 19,183 times on Gutenberg in the last 30 days · Source
"Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau is a philosophical essay and social critique written in the mid-19th century. This work reflects Thoreau's reflections on simple living in natural surroundings, drawing from his personal experiment of living alone in the woods near Walden Pond. Thoreau emphasizes themes of self-sufficiency, the critique of materialism, and the importance of individual conscience and civil disobedience in the face of unjust laws. The opening of "Walden" begins with Thoreau recounting his two years of solitude in a self-built house by Walden Pond, where he lived simply and engaged in manual labor. He addresses the curiosity of his townsfolk about his lifestyle choices and presents his views on the societal pressures that guide people into lives of "quiet desperation." Through vivid imagery and philosophical musings, Thoreau discusses the burdens of inherited possessions and societal expectations, asserting that many people live unexamined lives.
Summary from Project Gutenberg's catalogue data.
- 1WALDEN989 chars
- 2Contents337 chars
- 3WALDEN166 chars
- 4Economy(1)59,592 chars
- 5Economy(2)59,917 chars
- 6Economy(3)21,024 chars
- 7Where I Lived, and What I Lived For32,603 chars
- 8Reading21,006 chars
- 9Sounds31,654 chars
- 10Solitude18,390 chars
- 11Visitors25,786 chars
- 12The Bean-Field21,884 chars
- 13The Village10,878 chars
- 14The Ponds49,494 chars
- 15Baker Farm13,969 chars
- 16Higher Laws23,009 chars
- 17Brute Neighbors25,679 chars
- 18House-Warming30,928 chars
- 19Former Inhabitants and Winter Visitors25,966 chars
- 20Winter Animals19,699 chars
- 21The Pond in Winter28,232 chars
- 22Spring36,510 chars
- 23Conclusion25,171 chars
- 24ON THE DUTY OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE51,040 chars