Romanticism was in direct competition with the Enlightenment because emotional self-awareness was the foundation of Romantic philosophy. This awareness helped man to understand the condition of society. The Romantics believed that to improve society and better the human condition, man must be in touch with his emotions. Romanticism rejected the philosophy of the Enlightenment.
The Romantic philosophy, unlike its counterpart held that nature was not an object for manipulation and study. Nature was an experience. Once experienced the individual becomes in tune with his feelings.
It was the individual's experience and his self-awareness that helped him to create moral values. Nature could then be reordered around these values. It would eventually be applied to the social ills of the day.
To better understand Romanticism as a movement and the different philosophies proposed by the Romantics, look at these interesting resources.
Romanticism
Roger Jones gives a good general overview of Romanticism and the major contributors to the movement.
The Romantic Era
A lecture on the Romantic Era by Steven Kreis describes Romanticism, its philosophy, and its conflicts with the Enlightenment. He includes links to information on the Romantics.
Jean Jacques Rousseau
This is a biography of Rousseau from the website of the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau
This is the autobiography of Rousseau. In it, you will learn about his ideas and thoughts on his passions.
Kant on The Web
Kant was another major philosopher who wrote against the Enlightenment. This site is the place to go when you want to learn all about Kant. It contains resources and links to his works.
George Hegel
Hegel is best known for his theological approach to history. Read about his life and work from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy site designed and implemented by Edward N. Zalta.