The shift from Romanticism to existentialism in literature shows the struggles people face in understanding life.

1. Romanticism and Its Limits:

• Romanticism focused on emotions, nature, and the uniqueness of individuals.
• However, it also created a dream-like escape from reality. This made it hard for people to deal with the real challenges in life.

2. Searching for Meaning:

• The Age of Enlightenment promoted reason, while Romanticism brought strong feelings. This left people stuck because neither point of view helped them find true answers.
• Writers started to think about the pointless nature of life, which led to feelings of hopelessness.

3. The Rise of Existentialism:

• In response to the extremes of Romanticism, existentialist writers wanted to find real meaning by facing the fact that life can seem meaningless.
• This shift highlights a tough choice: Romanticism made life seem beautiful, but existentialism pushed writers to recognize its darker side without any false hopes.

4. Finding a Way Forward:

• Even with its challenges, existentialism provides a way for people to create their own meaning in a confusing world.
• By focusing on freedom and personal responsibility, existentialist authors motivate readers to face their feelings of despair in a positive way.

In short, the reactions to Romanticism expose its flaws, showing themes of despair and absurdity in existentialism. Although it might sound gloomy, the search for meaning in existentialism encourages people to build their own purpose despite life's difficulties, offering a way to move past the troubles of Romanticism.