19th Century Literature and Society
Literature of the Nineteenth Century
The Nineteenth Century: Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism
During the first half of the nineteenth century, Romanticism developed. This current, dating back to the late eighteenth century in Germany and England, spread to Europe and America. Romanticism is not just an artistic movement, but a wider movement that exalts feelings and affects all spheres of life: cultural, political, and societal. The Romantics, critical of societal values in both social and political life as well as in art, consider individual freedom paramount. They fought for new laws to recognize people’s right to express themselves and be themselves.
In the second half of the nineteenth century came Realism, a movement that swapped romantic imagination for observation, as it was intended to reflect daily and social life as it is. If Romanticism adds information to internal and external realities, Realism shows them in an objective and impersonal way. Around 1870, Naturalism began in France, a trend that led Realism to its logical principles. In the last decades of the century, coinciding with Naturalism, anti-realist currents were developed: Parnassianism and Symbolism.
Society and Culture in the Nineteenth Century
. Dl s European society is marked by 2 XIX circumstances: the legacy of the French Revolution and industrialization. Both factors determine the political thought and social settings. The 1st half s.XIX dl, dl era romanticism, is marked by clashes between absolutism and liberalism. This is emerging countries x n muxos different reasons: a) the middle class increases its economic and political power in attempts to modify ls sctructures sociopolitical dominated by the nobility. With access to the bourgeoisie to power, Xpander ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity postulated x the French Revolution. These principles are the foundation of liberalism. b) The expansionary policy of Napoleon join Europe in a war during the 1st century s dl s years, producing a double reaction. On the one hand, leads the opposition of monarkias, k ls had just defeated Napoleon’s armies in 1815 and tried to impose the ideals of the ancien regime. On the other hand, favors a nationalist backlash, as the invaded people reaffirm their historical and cultural identity against the invader .- In a society industrializing mpienza k k presnta socials serious political and ideological romanticism dissatisfaction Xpresa traditionalist or revolutionary attitudes dsd . Both sides agree in rejecting a materialistic society and the search of an ideal world. The traditional romantic nonconformity Kien l expresses wish to return to ls religious, patriotic, traditional and old aristocratic regime. Romanticism ls defends liberal principles of equality, fraternity and liberty, k k have been considered traicionads. Tb exalts l progress, liberalism, individual freedom and ls Derex humans.
The 2nd half s.XIX dl, dl stage of realism and naturalism, is characterized x d growth of industrialization. From sta situation are other elemntos k define the time. a) Begin revolutionary labor movements, k d adkieren importance after the 1848 revolution. That year is the manifesto of Marx and Engels, synthesizes k ls k ncuetra socialist principles echoed in labor sectors and intelectuals.b) The bourgeoisie consolidates power and positions and drift towards increasingly conservative governments, cm ld Louis Bonaparte n France. c) land l d l develops ideas positivist thinking s, k kl defends knowledge is based on experience and verifiable facts. The rise of positivism causes sciences l, k reached great prestige: The method xperimental d Claude Bernard, l evolution of the species of Darwin, and ls laws of inheritance, Mendel. In Stetic, l realist and naturalist art echoes the changes and social conflicts, and often defends political ideas.Dl s.XIX Aesthetics: Romanticism, Realism and Naturalism. The romance has the following characteristics: a) Individualism. Romanticism rebelled against everything ks opposes his personal self, against Akello k limits their amorous aspirations, social or political , hence k express the intimacy of the artist works and give a subjective view of reality. B) Rejection of reality. The limits imposed on the romantic world jl will produce a feeling of lustration and reacts by evasion or rebellion. Evasion lets the imagination take refuge in fantasy worlds, from exotic countries od past. The rebellion against the established order and customs present in conventional sta muxos Romantic: the political rebellion, defending marginalized, etc. c) Defense of freedom. Freedom constituy the basis of romantic thought, as it is considered essential in all walks of life: social, political or artistic. In art, the romantic sentiment aspire to Xpresa irrational passion or without ties or conventions. Therefore ls rexazan neoclassical rules. d) nature. The natural world becomes important in art and landscape fits the mood of the author. There are often intricate landscapes, rough or devastated. These landscapes intensify the feelings of melancholy, sadness, loneliness, excitement, anxiety x death. e) Nationalism. This doctrine is revitalized during Romanticism. Faced with flat-neoclassical, the Romantics valued the unique features of their country, cm the history, customs, lenwa, etc.. Realism romantic idealism replaced by rationalism. Its principals characteristics are: a) the desire to reflect social reality cn accurately and objectively from observation. b) Interest x the outside world, k, replace the romantic intimacy. Akl Realism art aspires to be a chronic social and human. Collect items, environments and lifelike characters ks cercans put the author and the public. Tema x excellence of bourgeois society. Naturalism intensifies the principles of realism and incorporates the deterministic view of evolutionism d inheritance laws. Naturalism characterized sta x the following: a) For a detailed document of reality, the artist uses the methods of experimental sciences and applied determinism. b) Play sordid or unpleasant environments and characters presnta YXL marked by the legacy media. Naturalism is a critical current deficiencies and injustices k socials complaint.