In terms of literature Romantics wished to depart from?

Romanticism, as a literary movement, was a reaction against the Enlightenment and Neoclassical ideals that dominated the 18th century. Romantics sought to break away from the following aspects of Enlightenment literature:

1. Rationalism and Objectivity: Romantics rejected the emphasis on reason and logic that characterized Enlightenment thought. They valued intuition, emotion, and subjective experience.

2. Classicism and Order: The Enlightenment favored classicism, with its focus on balance, harmony, and strict adherence to rules. Romantics embraced the sublime, the chaotic, and the unconventional. They celebrated the individual and the power of imagination.

3. Emphasis on Reason and Science: Romantics were critical of the excessive focus on reason and science in Enlightenment thought. They believed that the scientific method could not fully grasp the mysteries of the human soul and the natural world.

4. Social Hierarchy and Conformity: The Enlightenment often upheld social hierarchy and societal norms. Romantics challenged these structures, celebrating the individual, the marginalized, and the outsider.

5. Formal Language and Structure: Enlightenment writing often adhered to strict literary conventions, such as using formal language and adhering to specific poetic forms. Romantics broke away from these constraints, using more natural language and experimenting with new forms of expression.

Specific examples of Enlightenment works that Romantics reacted against include:

* Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Man": This poem exemplifies the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and order. Romantics rejected its optimistic view of humanity and its belief in a divinely ordained hierarchy.

* Samuel Johnson's "Lives of the Poets": Johnson's work exemplified the Enlightenment's focus on reason and order, even when judging poetry. Romantics challenged his emphasis on rationality and embraced more emotional and subjective approaches to literature.

* John Locke's "Essay Concerning Human Understanding": This work emphasized the power of reason and the importance of empirical observation. Romantics rejected Locke's emphasis on reason and embraced the power of intuition and imagination.

In essence, Romantics sought to create a new way of experiencing and understanding the world, one that embraced emotion, imagination, and the individual experience over the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, order, and objectivity.