19th Century Spanish Realism: Historical Context and Literary Features

Historical Context

During the reign of Isabel II (1833), the support of liberals led to the Glorious Revolution in 1868, ending the monarchy. The country was shaken by the Carlist Wars. The following 30 years were marked by significant instability: the reign of Amadeo (1871–1873), the Republican parenthesis (1873–1874), the Bourbon Restoration (1875–1885), and the Disaster of '98, which saw the collapse of the Spanish colonial empire following the loss of Cuba and the Philippines.

Introduction to Realism

Realism is a worldview that prioritizes the scientific method over the irrational ideas prevalent in Romanticism. Realist writers do not escape to imaginative worlds; instead, they use observation to reflect reality. They employ detailed descriptions of environments, landscapes, and character portraits to ensure literature serves as a true copy of reality.

The Role of the Bourgeoisie

Realism breaks the aesthetic ideals of Romanticism and promotes values aligned with the reality of the era. Born in France in 1848, it is defined by a profound interest in the observation of reality.

Key Features of Realism

• Accurate Reflection: Artistic work focuses on precisely depicting characters and their environments.
• Psychological Complexity: Characters are drawn from real life, well-described, and reveal deep psychological layers.
• Recognizable Scenarios: Settings reflect the social life of the time, making them familiar to contemporary readers.
• Social Diversity: The literature explores the divergent interests, conflicts, and feelings of various social classes.
• Natural Language: The style is direct, expressive, and colloquial, often incorporating specific regional expressions or speech patterns.
• Omniscient Narrator: The narrator is fully aware of the environment and the inner world of the characters, often critiquing or condemning social vices.
• Social Critique: Descriptions of moral vices and societal defects are intended to advocate for improvement.

Comparison: Romanticism vs. Realism

• Romanticism: Focuses on feelings, evasion of the world toward remote and mysterious places, inspiration, and irrationalism.
• Realism: Focuses on observing the surroundings to write about reality, emphasizing positive philosophy and the exaltation of science.