The Romantic period was a cultural movement that emerged in the late 18th century and lasted into the mid-19th century. It emphasized emotion, individualism, and the beauty of nature, reacting against the rationalism of the Enlightenment. Artists, writers, and musicians sought to express deep feelings and explore the human experience through their work. Key figures of the Romantic period include poets like William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, as well as composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Frédéric Chopin. This era also celebrated folklore, the sublime, and the imagination, influencing literature, art, and music significantly.