Question

How was a romanticism a direct reaction to rationalism

Answer 1

Rationalism was based in logic and down to earth thinking. Facts were facts and most things were objective. Romanticism, however, was almost the complete opposite. It focused on subjectivity and the individual. This shows that the people in the romantic period reacted to the rationalism era with head in the cloud thinking.

Answer 2

The 17th century, the century of the lights, had proclaimed the predominance of reason and experience, and had regulated every aspect of human life throughout strict norms. However, on the second half of the 17th century, all along different European countries, a reaction towards this situation was starting to grow. People were beginning to oppose reason to feelings in different areas of life: the State, the individuals, the value of rules and the creative force of intuition. These are the essencial aspects of Romanticism.

Step-by-step explanation:

Romanticism was the heir of the biggest political and social changes that shook Europe. French Revolution consecrated freedom, equality and fraternity principles. The expansionist politics Napoleon developed ended up in wars, which provoked differrent effects: they favoured nationalist and monarchy spirits.

Romanticism also appeared as an attitude towards life: its followers defined themselves as liberalists and promoted liberty, feelings primacy, the individual's subjectivity and the creationist genie.