Rise of Realism

Historical Indicators Historical Indicators Civil War Idealists (Emerson, Whitman, etc) maintained optimistic view of America Pessimists (Melville, Crane, etc) wrote on the abominations and futility of war Accounts of mass suffering, dying, and loss….primitive medicine, absence of Accounts of mass suffering, dying, and loss….primitive medicine, absence of anesthesia, and wounds resulting in amputation and death anesthesia, and wounds resulting in amputation and death Technological Advancements Growth of railroads, the telegraph, and mass industrialization brought people closer to various regions of the country closer to various regions of the country Mass Immigration to the cities changed the landscape from a decentralized, agrarian nation to….. Urban, Centralized Society growth of urban slums, railroad camps, mines amoral behavior abounded in such a destitute, cruel, inhumane world.

Rise of Realism Realism: Realism: The accurate, detailed, unembellished depiction of nature or of contemporary life. The accurate, detailed, unembellished depiction of nature or of contemporary life. Rejects imaginative idealization in favor of a close observation of outward appearances Rejects imaginative idealization in favor of a close observation of outward appearances Attempts to portray the lives, appearances, problems, customs, and mores (values) Attempts to portray the lives, appearances, problems, customs, and mores (values) Represents the concrete, historical nature of human life Represents the concrete, historical nature of human life Emphasizes the individual in the social environment Emphasizes the individual in the social environment Represents common life Represents common life The significance of that life in meaning and action

Rise of Realism Influences: Influences: Anti-Romantic movement in Germany Anti-Romantic movement in Germany Growing emphasis on the common man as an artistic subject Growing emphasis on the common man as an artistic subject Rise of professional journalism Rise of professional journalism Interest in sociology as a science Interest in sociology as a science Scientific and technological advances in the mid to late 1800’s. Scientific and technological advances in the mid to late 1800’s. Development of photography and its ability to produce visual appearances Development of photography and its ability to produce visual appearances Increasing rates of democracy, literacy, industrialization, urbanization and population Increasing rates of democracy, literacy, industrialization, urbanization and population

Rise of Realism Literary Characteristics Literary Characteristics Character is more important than action or plot Character is more important than action or plot Complex ethical choices typically at center of subject Complex ethical choices typically at center of subject Characters appear in real complexity of temperament and motive Characters appear in real complexity of temperament and motive Events of plot are very plausible and realistic Events of plot are very plausible and realistic Diction: Diction: Vernacular: Vernacular: Colloquialism: Colloquialism: Regionalism Regionalism Tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact Tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact Author remains objective to characters and the situation Author remains objective to characters and the situation

Age of Realism Naturalism: Naturalism: Philosophy which held that one’s actions and beliefs resulted not from free will but fromarbitrary, outside forces of heredity and environment which determine human motivation Philosophy which held that one’s actions and beliefs resulted not from free will but fromarbitrary, outside forces of heredity and environment which determine human motivation and behavior Human beings are pawns manipulated by cruel, indifferent forces of nature and society Human beings are pawns manipulated by cruel, indifferent forces of nature and society Portrays dreary slices of life documentation of irredeemable and brutal realities Portrays dreary slices of life documentation of irredeemable and brutal realities Many works portray the experience of impoverished, uneducated people in an Many works portray the experience of impoverished, uneducated people in an Environment of filth, squalor, and corruption Determinism : belief in the existence of free will, but the will is often Determinism : belief in the existence of free will, but the will is often Enslaved on account of different reasons the choices one has are limited and not positive…..

Age of Realism A man said to the Universe: “Sir, I exist.” “However,”replied the Universe, “The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.” Stephen Crane

Age of Realism Naturalism….Literary Characteristics: Naturalism….Literary Characteristics: *Characters are ill-educated, lower class whose lives are governed by forces of heredity, instinct and passion. *Settings are typically urban, commonplace, unheroic *Literary techniques and plot are a clinical, panoramic “slice of life.” *Themes center around survival, determinism, violence and taboo: *the fight for survival in an amoral, indifferent universe *the struggle to remain civilized despite external pressures to release the “brute” within *nature is seen as an indifferent force acting on the lives of humans *forces of heredity and environment as they affect..and afflict lives *free will is seen as an illusion

Age of Realism Additional Philosophies and Techniques: Additional Philosophies and Techniques: Regionalism: literature which emphasizes a specific geographic setting and reproduces the speech and manners of the people who live in that region…yet unrealistic in depiction of character and social environment. Psychological Realism: literature which emphasizes complex psychological and social situations. Impressionism: highly personal manner of writing in which the author presents characters or scenes or moods as they appear to his individual temperament rather than as they are in actuality.