19th-Century Society: Realism and Naturalism in Literature
Social and Cultural Changes in the 19th Century
The triumph of the bourgeoisie and increased mechanization led to the abandonment of liberal ideas. The capitalist system was born, in which industrial production affected economic, political, and social spheres. The Industrial Revolution and capitalism transformed Western society: the inherited nobility lost importance, the aristocracy of money rose, and the industrial proletariat emerged, subject to production needs, unprotected in the power of the bourgeoisie, and living in near-poverty situations. Realist and naturalist literature reflected this social imbalance.
Positivism and Scientism
In the realm of thought, the positivism of Auguste Comte prevailed. This school of thought reduced the goal of human knowledge to that which could be captured by the senses and subject to verification through experience. The second half of the century was dominated by excitement about science. 19th-century scientism was projected into the birth and development of various literary genres and trends:
- Scientific Advances: Evident in early science fiction stories. The creator of this genre was the Frenchman Jules Verne, who began publishing a large collection of novels whose plots revolved around theoretically possible discoveries or inventions.
- The Detective Story: Based on a seemingly inexplicable mystery, a detective solves the case by applying reason and science. Arthur Conan Doyle achieved great success with his character Sherlock Holmes. The detective story not only served to showcase human reasoning but also to present an unpleasant and stark reality, in accordance with the principles of literary naturalism.
- Naturalism: Leveraged new scientific ideas and applied them in literary works. Writers considered society as a patient to be treated according to new experimental methods. The outcome was the result of observing the behavior of the characters and experimenting with the causes of their actions.
Literary Trends of the 19th Century
Realistic Trend
Emerged with Stendhal. The novel was to be “a mirror placed along the road,” objectively reflecting what happened in reality and presenting it to the reader’s consideration. Balzac and Flaubert also stood out in this trend. In the last third of the 19th century, literary realism began to change. The content of these works left objectivity or social concern to give way to new values, such as concern for the individual and the meaning of life. The evolution of Realism produced the appearance of Russian spiritual realism in the works of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and others, more concerned with the meaning of life than with social functioning. The Naturalism of Emile Zola also presupposed the overcoming of realism, understanding art not as a simple observation of reality, but as a means to explain its performance and thereby attempt its transformation.
The Anti-Realist Reaction
The prevailing idea in French Parnassianism was, above all, the pursuit of formal perfection of the literary text. Symbolism also departed from realism, considering material reality simply as a starting point that allowed the artist to reach the truth hidden behind the apparent.