19th Century Realism in Literature
Origins and Development
Realism, a literary movement emerging in the latter half of the nineteenth century, shifted from the romanticized exaltation of individual freedom to a focus on explaining and analyzing social realities. Born in France after the 1848 revolution’s failure, some critics place its birth even earlier, around 1830, citing works like Balzac’s The Human Comedy. Precursors like Stendhal, with novels such as Red and Black (1830) and The Charterhouse of Parma (1839), contributed to Realism’s rise during the Romantic era. Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, a clear forerunner to Clarín’s La Regenta, depicts how society crushes those who don’t conform. Zola, an initiator of Naturalism, explored the weight of inheritance on human behavior, notably in his masterpiece Germinal. Realism spread successfully throughout Europe, with the novel as its most prominent literary form.
Realism in England and Spain
In England, Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist and David Copperfield stand out. Spanish Realism, as Romero Tovar noted, emerged from the romantic historical novel and the novel of manners. Fernán Caballero’s La Gaviota marks the transition from Romanticism to Realism. The 1868 “La Gloriosa” revolution, which ousted Isabella II, is considered the starting point of Realism in Spain. Two years later, Galdós published his first novel, La Fontana de Oro.
Characteristics of Realism
- Historical Context: Novels focused on historical circumstances, reflecting Galdós’s view of society as a novel’s subject matter.
- Bourgeois Representation: Preference for urban settings and depictions of bourgeois life.
- Social and Political Critique: Writers adopted a critical stance towards social and political issues.
- Observation of Reality: Galdós viewed the novel as an “image of life.”
- Omniscient Narrator: Narrators engaged with the story, offering judgments and commentary.
- Detailed Descriptions: Characters and environments were described in detail, often prioritizing description over narration.
- Simple Style: Romantic rhetoric was rejected in favor of clarity and precision.
- The Novel as the Dominant Genre: Focus on individual or group personalities paved the way for psychological and social novels.
- Didactic Aim: Writers intended to convey moral or social messages.
- Linear Structure: Events unfolded chronologically, with occasional flashbacks that didn’t disrupt the overall linearity.
Spanish Realist Novelists
Two main groups of novelists can be distinguished based on their ideology:
- Conservatives/Traditionalists: José María de Pereda defended rural life against urban and bourgeois evils in novels like Peñas arriba, Sotileza, and El sabor de la tierruca.
- Liberals/Progressives: They championed urban society and middle-class progress, criticizing religious and political fanaticism. Key figures include:
- Juan Valera: A proponent of “art for art’s sake,” Valera explored love, refined style, and psychological narratives in novels like Pepita Jiménez, Juanita la Larga, and Doña Luz, avoiding the sordid environments typical of Realism.
- Benito Pérez Galdós: The most representative figure of Spanish Realism, Galdós provided a monumental, tolerant yet critical portrayal of his time. His progressive stance is evident in works like Doña Perfecta. His “Spiritual Novels” (1890s) focused on characters’ inner lives and moral values, introducing interior monologue and fantastical elements, notably in Torquemada, Nazarín, Ángel Guerra, and Misericordia.
- Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”: Bridging Realism and Naturalism, Clarín is known for his articles (Palique and Solos de Clarín), short stories (Adiós, Cordera!, Doña Berta), and novels, especially La Regenta and Su único hijo. La Regenta, while seemingly about Ana Ozores’s adultery, portrays the city of Vetusta as a microcosm of Restoration society.