Realism

Gustave Courbet and the French Realist painters "[They] call me ‘the socialist painter.' I accept that title with pleasure. I am not only a socialist but a democrat and a Republican as well--in a word, a partisan of all the revolution and above all a Realist... for ‘Realist' means a sincere lover of the honest truth."

Stone Breakers

Major ideas Charles Darwin Humans were animals People influenced by heredity and environment – Social Darwinism – the most fit social groups survive August Comte – “father of Sociology” Karl Marx – Working class is exploited by the bourgeoisie – Workers will unite to overthrow their oppressors and create a classless society – Marxism thrived due to perceived evils of the industrial revolution

Historical Accuracy Theatre directors like Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, focused more on historical accuracy. The Duke influence directors who later produced important realist playwrights – Stanislavski – Antoine

Box Set

Realist beliefs – Truth can be observed and verified through science – Social problems are the most important and can be solved using the scientific method – The purpose of art was to improve society – Plays could be like case studies – Realist plays allowed people to watch people unobserved (4 th wall)

Sigurd Ibsen, Henrik’s son, "art gives liberty of action to forces and possibilities to which life does not grant the chance of coming into their rights."

Henrik Ibsen

Norway

Brief background on Norway 16 th to 19 th century Danish was the standard written language due to Danish rule over Norway ( ) Upper classes spoke Dano-Norwegian (Danish with a Norwegian pronunciation and inclusion of local words) After Danish rule ended, Dano-Norwegian remained official language while adding local forms

Ibsen Born in Skien, east coast of Norway, about 100 miles south of Oslo Father was had a general store and distillery but became financially ruined It was rumored that Ibsen was actually the son of a lover of Ibsen’s mother. Both events became themes in Ibsen’s work – Finance and the rules of the middle class – Secrets including secret love

resident playwright and stage manager of the Norwegian National Theatre in Bergen – director of Norwegian Theatre in Christiania until it went bankrupt lived abroad except for brief periods until 1891 His early works were romantic verse dramas drawn from the Scandinavian past. Started writing in prose, Moved toward realism – Social/problem plays – societal issues – Character plays (psychological)

Influences Realism Melodrama Well made play (Eugene Scribe ) – (Scribe is believe to have written plays) – Careful exposition – Surprises including letters opened at critical moments; relationships and identities revealed – Suspense – Climax is late in play – Denouement – resolution of all loose ends in the play

Doll House – based on Laura Kieler ( )