19th Century Spanish Literature: Realism and Naturalism Movements

Literature of the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century

In the second half of the nineteenth century, literature reflected social changes and new ideological currents. Thus, the main objective of Realism and Naturalism was to provide a clear picture of the society of the time.

Literary Genres of the Period

These ideological currents were translated into different genres:

• Lyrical Poetry: Poetry was scarce. The most prominent authors were Ramón de Campoamor and Núñez de Arce.
• Theatre: It represented contemporary life issues. The most cultivated theatrical subgenres at this time were the high comedy (López de Ayala, Tamayo y Baus), the comedy of manners (Bretón de los Herreros), and the social drama (José Echegaray).
• Narrative: The novel was the genre par excellence during this period, becoming the ideal means of analyzing reality.

During that period, subgenres like the short story and the essay were also cultivated.

Realism and Naturalism in Spain

Realism was created in opposition to the exaggeration and romantic passion of the previous era. It focused on the political and social problems brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Among these problems, we must highlight the poverty and exploitation suffered by the working class, resulting from a new capitalist economy driven by the bourgeoisie.

Basic Principles of Realism

These are the basic principles of Realism:

• Literature as an Image of Life: The writer's creation must reproduce reality, including environments, clothing, and speech.
• Psychological Interest: Characters' conduct and character are described to analyze the reasons that lead them to act in a certain way.
• Denunciation of Social Ills: Realism denounced the defects and ills affecting society (poverty, exploitation, illiteracy, etc.) and often presented solutions to eradicate them.
• Sobriety of Style: The style stressed sobriety, moving away from excessive ornamentation to reproduce reality simply and accurately.

The Emergence of Naturalism

Naturalism emerged in the last third of the nineteenth century as an evolution of realistic thought and techniques, carried to its most extreme vision. This aesthetic posits that the thought and behavior of individuals are conditioned by their genetic inheritance and social environment (determinism).

Naturalism faced many opponents because of the harshness of the issues it addressed, often focusing on the most degraded aspects of society.