Romanticism arose as a reaction, most noticeably in the arts, to the Enlightenment's worship of Reason. The movement, which originated in Europe in the late 18th century and lasted until the mid-19th century, focused on emotion, imagination, an attachment to nature, nostalgia, and spirituality. The art, music and literature produced by the period have been some of history's most influential, and the tenets of the movement spilled over into politics, especially in nationalistic causes. This accessibly-written volume explores the most critical aspects of the Romantic movement, including its origins as a reaction to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, its artistic works - poetry, prose, drama, painting, and music - and its environmentalist and nationalistic legacies. Primary source documents, biographies of key figures, and a selected bibliography of print and nonprint sources make this work an ideal reference source to introduce students and general readers to the philosophies, works, and artists of the era.