Realism 1865-1915

Historical Context: What lead to Realism? After the Civil War Americans were concerned with their future abolishing a believe in unity with a national purpose. The population of the country increased significantly. Because of new technology, traveling within the country became an easy thing to do. Therefore, many traveled since they wanted to learn more from other people.

Because of the Civil War, young writers felt that the hopes and ideals of writers like Emerson did not fit the circumstances of the time. Therefore, they turned away from Romanticism which had been so popular before the war and imposed Realism instead.

However… Realism was also a product of European influence. Before Realist authors in America emerged, there had been realistic writers in France (i.e. Balzac, Stendhal and Flaubert. )

What is Realism? “A literary movement that sought to portray ordanary life as real people live it and attempted to show characters and events in an objective, almost factual way.” Realistic objectivism rejected the romantic subjectivis. Realism is still present in contemporary literature.

Realism perceived the individual simply as a person Realism perceived the individual simply as a person. This contradicted the views of the romantics and the naturalists of the human being. This is because the romantics idealized the human being; they saw him as a God. On the other hand naturalists saw the individual as a helpless being; as a victim of all the elements that surrounded him.

CHARACTERISTICS

Plot and Character Character is more important than action and plot; complex ethical choices are often the subject. Characters appear in the real complexity of temperament and motive; they are in explicable relation to nature, to each other, to their social class, to their own past. Humans control their destinies; characters act on their environment rather than simply reacting to it. Renders reality closely and in comprehensive detail.  Selective presentation of reality with an emphasis on verisimilitude, even at the expense of a well-made plot. Events will usually be plausible.  Realistic novels avoid the sensational, dramatic elements of naturalistic novels and romances. Class is important; the novel has traditionally served the interests and aspirations of an insurgent middle class. Realistic writers could deal honestly with characters that a romantic writer would avoid: factory workers, bosses, politicians, gun fighters.

Structure of Prose Diction is the natural vernacular, not heightened or poetic; tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact. The use of symbolism is controlled and limited; the realists depend more on the use of images. Objectivity in presentation becomes increasingly important: overt authorial comments or intrusions diminish as the century progresses.