Henry David Thoreau was one of the most influential American writers and thinkers of the 19th century. He is best known for his books Walden and Civil Disobedience, which reflect his philosophy of transcendentalism, a movement that emphasized the importance of nature, individualism, and social reform. Thoreau was also an avid naturalist, who observed and recorded the flora and fauna of his native Concord, Massachusetts, and beyond. He was a staunch abolitionist, who supported the Underground Railroad and opposed the Mexican-American War. He was a friend and mentor to many prominent figures, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, and John Muir.
But despite his remarkable achievements and contributions, Thoreau’s life was cut short by a disease that he had contracted decades earlier: tuberculosis. Tuberculosis, also known as consumption, was a common and deadly infectious disease that affected the lungs and other organs. It was caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which spread through the air from person to person. Symptoms included coughing, fever, weight loss, fatigue, and blood in the sputum. There was no effective treatment or cure for tuberculosis at the time, and many people died from it.
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Thoreau’s Early Exposure to Tuberculosis
Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts. His parents were John Thoreau, a pencil maker, and Cynthia Dunbar Thoreau, a homemaker. He had three siblings: Helen, John Jr., and Sophia. Thoreau’s family was not wealthy, but they were well-educated and cultured. They valued reading, writing, music, and nature.
Thoreau’s first encounter with tuberculosis occurred when he was a child. His mother had contracted the disease from her brother Charles Dunbar, who died of it in 1818. Cynthia Thoreau survived the infection, but she remained a carrier of the bacterium for the rest of her life. She passed it on to her children, who all developed latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), meaning that they had the bacterium in their bodies but did not show any symptoms.
Thoreau’s second exposure to tuberculosis happened when he was a young man. He attended Harvard College from 1833 to 1837, where he studied classics, philosophy, mathematics, and science. He also joined the Harvard Natural History Society and the Institute of 1770, a literary club. He graduated in 1837 with honors.
After graduating from Harvard, Thoreau returned to Concord and became a teacher at the public school. However, he resigned after two weeks because he refused to use corporal punishment on his students. He then opened his own school with his brother John Jr., who shared his progressive views on education. They taught their students using innovative methods such as field trips, nature studies, and self-directed learning.
But tragedy struck in 1841 when John Jr. died of tetanus after cutting himself while shaving. He had been Thoreau’s closest companion and confidant. His death devastated Thoreau and left him depressed for a long time. It also exposed him to another source of tuberculosis infection: his brother’s blood.
Thoreau’s Experiment at Walden Pond
Thoreau’s grief over his brother’s death prompted him to seek solitude and reflection in nature. He also wanted to pursue his writing career more seriously. He found an opportunity to do both when his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson offered him a piece of land near Walden Pond in Concord.
On July 4th 1845 , Thoreau moved into a small cabin that he built himself on the shore of Walden Pond. He lived there for two years, two months, and two days. He grew his own food, chopped his own wood, read books from Emerson’s library, wrote in his journal daily ,and explored the surrounding woods and fields .He also received occasional visitors ,such as Emerson ,Hawthorne ,Alcott ,and Bronson Alcott .
Thoreau’s experiment at Walden Pond was not only a personal retreat but also a social critique .He wanted to demonstrate that one could live simply ,independently ,and self-reliantly ,without depending on the materialistic and corrupt society .He also wanted to express his transcendentalist views on nature ,spirituality ,and morality .He wrote about his experiences and reflections in his book Walden; or ,Life in the Woods ,which he published in 1854 .The book is considered one of the masterpieces of American literature and one of the founding texts of environmentalism .
Thoreau’s Activism and Travels
Thoreau’s stay at Walden Pond did not isolate him from the world .He was well aware of the social and political issues of his time ,such as slavery ,war ,and injustice .He was an outspoken advocate for human rights and civil disobedience .He supported the abolitionist movement and helped fugitive slaves escape to Canada through the Underground Railroad .He also protested against the Mexican-American War ,which he saw as an imperialist and unjust war .He refused to pay his poll tax as a sign of resistance and was jailed for one night in 1846 .He wrote about his experience and his philosophy of nonviolent resistance in his essay Civil Disobedience ,which he published in 1849 .The essay influenced many later leaders and movements ,such as Mahatma Gandhi ,Martin Luther King Jr. ,and the anti-war protests of the 1960s .
Thoreau also traveled extensively throughout his life .He visited many places in New England ,such as Maine ,New Hampshire ,Vermont ,Massachusetts ,Rhode Island ,and Connecticut .He also ventured to New York ,New Jersey ,Pennsylvania ,Maryland ,Virginia ,and Canada .He wrote about his observations and impressions of the places and people he encountered in his essays and books ,such as A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (1849) ,The Maine Woods (1864) ,Cape Cod (1865) ,and A Yankee in Canada (1866) .
Thoreau’s Declining Health and Death
Thoreau’s travels and outdoor activities exposed him to harsh weather conditions and physical exertion .These factors aggravated his latent tuberculosis infection and triggered its active form .He began to show symptoms of the disease in 1859 ,when he started to cough up blood .He also suffered from chest pain ,fever ,weight loss ,and fatigue .
Thoreau tried various remedies to cure his tuberculosis ,such as homeopathy ,hydrotherapy ,and diet changes .He also consulted several doctors ,who prescribed him different medications and treatments .But none of them worked effectively .Thoreau’s condition worsened over time and he became bedridden by 1861 .
To restore his health, Thoreau went to Minnesota in 1861, hoping that the dry climate would help him. He stayed there for five months, but the trip did not improve his condition. He returned to Concord in December 1861, where he spent his last months at his parents’ home. He continued to write and revise his works until he was too weak to do so. He also received visits from his family and friends, who offered him comfort and support.
Thoreau died on May 6, 1862, at the age of 44. His mother, sister Sophia, and aunt Louisa were with him at the end. Not long before he passed, Sophia heard Thoreau mutter the words, “Now comes good sailing”. He was buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, on a hill known as Author’s Ridge, where many of his fellow writers were also laid to rest.
Thoreau’s death was mourned by many people who admired him and his works. His obituary appeared in newspapers across the country, praising him for his originality, genius, and courage. His friend Emerson delivered a eulogy at his funeral, which was later published in The Atlantic Monthly. He said of Thoreau:
“He was bred to no profession; he never married; he lived alone; he never went to church; he never voted; he refused to pay a tax to the State; he ate no flesh; he drank no wine; he never knew the use of tobacco; and though a naturalist, he used neither trap nor gun. He chose, wisely no doubt for himself, to be the bachelor of thought and Nature. He had no talent for wealth, and knew how to be poor without the least hint of squalor or inelegance.”
Thoreau’s legacy lives on through his writings, which have inspired generations of readers and thinkers around the world. His works have been translated into many languages and have been adapted into various forms of art, such as films, plays, music, and comics. His ideas have influenced many movements and causes, such as environmentalism, civil rights, pacifism, anarchism, feminism, and animal rights. He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in American history and culture.
According to Biography, Thoreau had tuberculosis, which he had contracted decades earlier. To restore his health, Thoreau went to Minnesota in 1861, but the trip didn’t improve his condition. He finally succumbed to the disease on May 6, 1862.
According to Thoreau Farm, Thoreau’s mother had contracted the disease from her brother Charles Dunbar, who died of it in 1818. Cynthia Thoreau survived the infection, but she remained a carrier of the bacterium for the rest of her life. She passed it on to her children, who all developed latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI
