19th Century Realism: Master Novelists and Galdós

Prominent European Novelists of the 19th Century

Master Writers of France

• Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850): The Human Comedy and Le Père Goriot (1834).
• Stendhal (1783–1842): The Red and the Black (1830) and The Charterhouse of Parma (1839).
• Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880): Madame Bovary (1856).
• Émile Zola: Germinal and Thérèse Raquin.

Great Authors of England and Russia

• England: Charles Dickens (1812–1870) – Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Great Expectations.
• Russia: Fyodor Dostoevsky – Crime and Punishment.
• Russia: Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) – Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

Key Features of Realist Literature

Observation and the accurate representation of the environment substituted the sentimental exaltation and imaginative deployment of Romantic literature. The intention of Realism was not to escape from reality or pursue unattainable ideals, as seen in Romanticism, but to portray society credibly. Authors aimed to criticize the society of their time with the intent to transform and improve it through literature. Guided by this purpose, writers found that the realistic novel was the perfect genre for their goals. On the other hand, the novel was also primarily addressed to the bourgeoisie, as it represented their interests and concerns.

The Life and Legacy of Benito Pérez Galdós

Benito Pérez Galdós was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1843. At age 19, he moved to Madrid, where he spent most of his life. Holding progressive ideas, he was involved in politics and became a deputy. He died in Madrid in 1920.

Major Works and Novel Cycles of Galdós

• National Episodes: This is a set of 46 novels grouped into five series of ten volumes each, except the last, which comprises six novels. This monumental work traces the history of nineteenth-century Spain, from the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) to the beginning of the Restoration (1875).
• First Novels: The author’s early works posed the conflict between progressive ideas and conservative views that, in his view, prevented the country's modernization. Notable titles from this period include The Fountain of Gold, Doña Perfecta, and The Family of León Roch.
• Contemporary Spanish Novels: These works recreate the society of the period in detail, featuring characters that are much more psychologically complex than those in his earlier works. This group includes titles such as Tormento, Miau, and Fortunata and Jacinta.
• Idealistic Novels: Composed from 1889 onwards, these deal with issues of a moral and spiritual nature, as seen in Nazarín or Misericordia.