Literary Realism: Characteristics and Evolution
Literary Realism: A Deep Dive into 19th-Century Literature
Origins and Definition
Realism was a literary trend that developed in the second half of the nineteenth century. It was characterized by a desire to represent reality objectively. Stendhal’s novel, *The Red and Black*, captured this sentiment with the line, “The novel is a mirror walking along a road.” True realism aimed to reproduce total reality: social, political, economic, and cultural changes.
Realism, therefore, is the tendency for artistic representation of its environment. It reflected its place at the time that the European, and particularly the French, bourgeoisie seized power and became more conservative. Philosophical and scientific doctrines, along with observation techniques, constituted the theoretical support of this movement. Realistic authors aspired to impersonality and objectivity.
Realism saw the triumph of the novel, manners, and the objective representation of reality. It also presented a worldview: an analysis of reality that always held a moral or political purpose.
Chronology of Realism
Realism arose after the revolutions of 1848. However, in the second half of the 1850s, a series of critical works came about for the configuration of the new aesthetic:
- The magazine *Réalisme* began publication.
- Gustave Flaubert published *Madame Bovary*.
- Charles Darwin published *The Origin of Species*.
In the late 1880s, faith in science entered a crisis, and there was a shift towards a stream of spiritual realism.
Key Characteristics of Realism
- Observation of Reality: Writers reflected the reality around them in their works.
- Detailed Descriptions: Descriptions were a fundamental tool for realists.
- Objective Narrator: The narrator was not present in the story, thus conveying a greater sense of objectivity.
- Simple Speech: Language was straightforward, without excessive embellishment, and adapted to each character.
Realist Genres
- Novel: This genre best met the objectives of realist writers and was the most cultivated narrative form during this period.
- Lyric Poetry: Notable works included those of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer and Rosalía de Castro. Ramón de Campoamor and Gaspar Núñez de Arce also developed their work in this genre.
- Theater: This genre saw limited development. There was a survival of a stream of romantic drama, with works such as those by José de Echegaray.
Evolution Towards Naturalism
Naturalism was born as a result of the rise of experimental science and positivist thought. Émile Zola described the theoretical principles of this new concept in his novel *The Experimental Novel*. Zola and his followers sought to apply to the novel the experimental method that scholars of nature had produced.
The naturalist writer did not shy away from the most lurid and disgusting aspects of life. Language was often crude and vulgar in the portrayal of real-life events. The belief was that man could not escape the influence of circumstances and was subject to biological inheritance. This aesthetic shift represented a significant ideological shift.
Some works by Emilia Pardo Bazán, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, and Leopoldo Alas “Clarín” have naturalistic features.
Text Coherence
Coherence is the textual property that ensures a connection between the elements that compose it. Coherence is achieved through a thematic unit (the entire text should address the same subject) and a logical arrangement of the text’s statements.
Realistic Narrative: Evolution
The main purpose of realistic narrative was objectivity. Topics varied widely, including politics, work, life in the urban underworld, and marital infidelity.
Narrative Techniques
- Detailed descriptions
- Elegant settings
- The use of language as an instrument
The publication of *The Seagull* in 1849 by Fernán Caballero represented the opening of a new era.
Authors of the Realistic Narrative
Notable authors include Fernán Caballero, Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, José María de Pereda, Juan Valera, and, most importantly, Benito Pérez Galdós and Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”.
Serial Novels
The aristocratic and bourgeois classes were the natural audience for the realist novel. Its fragmented distribution, with weekly or bi-weekly installments, provided an economic incentive. The substantial income for authors and publishers, and the public’s interest in acquiring the following chapter, were significant factors in the literary circles of the time.