In his 1798 book Lyrical Ballads, which he co-wrote with Samuel Coleridge, William Wordsworth described poetry as a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Cooksey). Both Wordsworth and Coleridge were pioneers of the Romantic movement which emphasized the importance of expressing one's emotions, particularly through poetry. Nature was a key element of the Romantic movement. Romanticism encouraged the exploration of feelings and many poets used nature as inspiration for their thoughts. Another important aspect was the idea of ​​intuition rather than reason. Many artists of the Romantic period sought to create art that relied on untaught reasoning rather than rationalization. These artists believed that art was truly created through intuition and emotion. The Romantic movement asserts that only by returning to nature and the imagination can one find the true expression of emotions. The Romantic movement inspired many poets and artists to question the world around them and allowed them to rebel against the notions held by others in society. Romanticism originated in 1750 and ended around the 1850s. The movement was a response to the Enlightenment of the early 18th century (Cooksey). In the Age of Enlightenment, a new way of thinking “emerged, emphasizing critical reflection on the world and humanity, regardless of religion, myth, or tradition” (Kleiner, Mamiya 836). There was a renewed interest in science and mathematics and the Enlightenment emphasized reason, calculations and objective nature. There was a revival of interest in the fields of anatomy and astronomy. The Age of Enlightenment moved away from faith and myth and focused on tangible ideas (Kleiner, Mamiya 838). The Romantic movement was the op...... full middle of paper ......ontinuum Encyclopedia of British Literature (2003): 844-847. Literary Reference Center.Web. March 23, 2011. Kleiner, Fred S. and Christin J. Mamiya. Gardner's Art Through the Ages. 11th. New York: Harcourt, 2001. 836-873. Print.Mittleman, Leslie B. “A Red, Red Rose.” Magill's Survey of World Literature, revised edition (2009): 1. Literary Reference Center.Web. March 22, 2011. Rogal, Samuel J. “Robert Burns.” Critical Survey of Poetry, Second Revised Edition (2003): 1-7. Literary Reference Center.Web. March 23, 2011. Steele, Thomas J. “I Wandered Lonely Like a Cloud.” Masterplots II: Poetry, revised edition (2002): 1-3. Literary Reference Center.Web. March 23, 2011. Wordsworth, William. “I wandered alone like a cloud.” Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. Ed. XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 6th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 432-3. Print.