Realism in Literature: A Historical Perspective

Posted on Feb 13, 2025 in Philology

REALISTIC FICTION: Realism was an artistic and literary trend that developed in the second half of the nineteenth century. From the standpoint of literature, the most representative manifestations correspond to the narrative genre.

The fullness of the realist novel was in the 1880s, in which the contributions of naturalism helped shape the new Spanish and most important creations of the era. In the later part of the nineteenth century can point to other movements such as modernism.

Realism: Realism was an artistic movement that was proposed to represent reality as closely as possible and with maximum likelihood.

Origin and Evolution

The realism emerged in France in the first half of the nineteenth century and developed into an urban society and industrial, with an established bourgeoisie. In Spain appeared around 1870 and had its heyday in the 1880s. In occurrence influenced romantic genres like historical novels and opinion articles.

Realism and Naturalism

Naturalism born with a proposal to apply the scientific method to literature. In Spain, were imposed on free will and humor against biological determinism, but naturalists incorporated themes and techniques: detailed descriptions and documentation; narrator less government involvement and presence of the words and thoughts of the characters.

Characteristics of the realistic novel

Detailed descriptions and documented.

Realistic writers utilized the observation and documentation to reflect reality. The descriptions of places, people and objects are functional explanatory and Language: There are often ways of the variety of geographical, social and location to reflect the narrative world.

Theme, Plot, and Characters

  1. The conflict between individual and society is a theme present and relates to the opposition between society and nature. The individual, a misfit, is facing the community and usually defeated.
  2. In the realistic novel combination occurs between history and private life.
  3. The rural and urban areas become important.
  4. The narrative material is often organized through contrasts preclude situations, characters and world views.
  5. The characters represent a social group, but also show individual personalities.

Until 1936 SPANISH NOVEL: Evolution: from the crisis at the end of XIX century led the authors make the internal conflicts of the human being the main theme. narrative was dominated by the realist and naturalist aesthetic that reflected the bourgeois m undo. modernist authors and 98 were the first to renew the narrative genre. after the political events happened in Spain the writers change their attitude and there is a re-humanization.

Panorama of the novel in the first third of the century

  1. The naturalistic novel and erotica (felipe Zamacois a wheat) and realistic story (ricardo leon) his novel is continuing the S. XIX
  2. novel of the 98 (Baroja, Unamuno ) break with realism, describes the interior of the character, existential issues, introduces the monologue.
  3. novel Novecento (Perez de Ayala) incorporates new themes, the story goes, he examines the interior of the character.
  4. novel cutting edge (Gomez de la Serna) was influenced by surrealism.

Renewal of the Spanish Novel

Novelists Spanish anticipated the European narrative in renovacin of technical processes and in the choice of different subjects. appear 4 novels in 1902 that marked a milestone: 1 – Love and a pedagogy of unamino 2-The will of a Azorin 3-Way 4-baroja a perfection of a Autumn Sonata Valle’s.

Incorporating different techniques which differ from the previous narrative.

  1. moving the viewpoint of the narrator.
  2. the writer identifies with the main character.
  3. the person narrative move from 3rd to 1st
  4. appreciate the classic Spanish
  5. are moved by the landscape and soul Castilian
  6. becomes less important for the story as told
  7. focuses on the hero’s inner world
  8. the narrative is fragmented into prints.