Realism and Naturalism in Literature: Key Authors and Works
Realism: An Artistic Movement
Realism was an artistic movement that sought to represent reality in accordance with the interests of bourgeois society. The author became a realistic chronicler of the present and the immediate past, to which he dedicated every page of his works.
Key Characteristics of Realism
- Realistic authors shifted from individual romanticism to a focus on the social self.
- Presentation of everyday life in both the countryside and the city.
- Analysis and exposure of various environments and social groups.
- Aspiration for objectivity, aiming to reflect reality accurately.
- Interest in the inner world and psychology of individuals.
The Realistic Novel
The realistic novel combines the presentation of individual and social aspirations, reflecting the art of the period. It is characterized by linking historical aspects with elements of fiction. Its setting is the contemporary era, featuring real places and documented descriptions. Characters are normal individuals, described by their exterior, interior, and social environment, with dialogues presented in direct style. There is often an omniscient narrator who intervenes in the story through commentary.
Realism in Spain
Realism developed in Spain from 1870 onwards, notably with the novels of José María de Pereda, Juan Valera, and Benito Pérez Galdós, which reflect life and the Spanish territories.
Benito Pérez Galdós
Galdós reflects the society of his time, outlining the characteristics of his characters and integrating everyday life into the historical events of the era. He combines a variety of narrative techniques, such as omniscient narration, direct dialogue, and monologue. His Episodios Nacionales are novelizations of 19th-century historical events. Galdós’s early novels are known as thesis novels.
Galdós’s Novel Types
- Contemporary Novels: Galdós captured the reality of Madrid at the moment, portraying its places and inhabitants.
- Spiritual Novels: These focus on the inner world of his characters, where the value of charity often conveys moral grandeur.
Naturalism: An Evolution of Realism
Naturalism took the tenets of Realism to an extreme, proposing to apply scientific principles to literature. Authors aspired to represent reality, and the scientific method allowed them to analyze the behavior of individuals in society and family, which determined their actions. The emphasis shifts from plot to detailed descriptions, often highlighting bleak and cruel aspects. The narrative strives for an impersonal, objective tone, contrasting with Realism. Characters are often dominated by their unfeeling physiology, and their language, sometimes rough and squalid, reflects the environment in which they live.
Leopoldo Alas “Clarín” and La Regenta
Leopoldo Alas, known as “Clarín,” was renowned for his literary criticism and is historically significant for his work La Regenta (The Judge’s Wife).
Other Naturalist Authors
- The novels of Emilia Pardo Bazán contain a detailed study of the Galician countryside, where a decadent nobility maintained its power among the peasants.
- The novels of Vicente Blasco Ibáñez depict the Valencian world across two socioeconomic areas: trade, agriculture, and fisheries.
The characters in these stories are often determined by primitive forces. Violent environments are frequently described in detail, omitting nothing, however bleak or cruel.
Linguistic Concepts
Taboo
A word or expression to be avoided due to social, moral, religious, or other reasons.
- Example: While “pregnant” is a common term, in some contexts, euphemisms like “expecting” or “gravid” might be preferred.
Euphemism
A word or phrase used to replace a word that is considered taboo or too direct.
- Example: Instead of “old people,” terms like “seniors” or “elderly” are often used as euphemisms.
Notable Authors and Works
France
- Stendhal: The Red and the Black
- Honoré de Balzac: The Human Comedy (collection)
- Père Goriot
- Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary
England
- Charles Dickens:
- Oliver Twist
- David Copperfield
Russia
- Fyodor Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment
- Leo Tolstoy:
- War and Peace
- Anna Karenina
Spain
- José María de Pereda:
- Peñas Arriba
- Sotileza
- Juan Valera:
- Pepita Jiménez
- Juanita la Larga
- Benito Pérez Galdós:
- Episodios Nacionales (collection)
- Fortunata y Jacinta
- Miau
- Tristana
- Misericordia
- Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”:
- La Regenta
- Pipa (short story)
- Adiós, Cordera (short story)