Literary Evolution: Realism to Naturalism in the 19th Century

The Evolution of 19th-Century Literature: Realism to Naturalism

In the final decades of the 19th century, Realism evolved into Naturalism, a movement strongly influenced by the French author Émile Zola. Naturalism's tenets led to an extreme form of realism, proposing the application of scientific principles to literature. For Zola, individuals are a product of genetic inheritance and social circumstances: family and environment condition the individual, determining their very being. In works like Thérèse Raquin and The Proprietress, Zola aimed to expose the most sordid aspects of reality. Spanish writers of the time (Emilia Pardo Bazán, Benito Pérez Galdós, Clarín, and Vicente Blasco Ibáñez) rejected Zola's genetic determinism but incorporated some Naturalistic techniques into their novels.

Key Characteristics of Naturalism

• Objective Observation & Scientific Method

  Naturalism pushed the boundaries of realistic observation techniques. Writers aimed to present reality using the scientific method, turning the narrative into a microscope to analyze individual behavior influenced by society and family. This approach often highlighted the bleak and cruel aspects of reality, sometimes at the expense of broader historical context.

• Impersonal Narrator

  Naturalistic novels feature an objective, impersonal narrator, unlike the realistic narrator who often interjects comments and opinions into the story.

• Themes and Characters

  Naturalism portrays the most sordid aspects of reality and flawed, irrational characters, often dominated by their physiology. Their language, sometimes rough and squalid, reflects their environment. Naturalism objectively describes reality in minute detail, often explaining human behavior through biological inheritance. Consequently, characters, conditioned by social and physiological factors, are frequently doomed to a negative and inescapable fate.

Realism: A Dominant 19th-Century Literary Movement

During the second half of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution's development led to the rise of the bourgeoisie. This social class, interested in its historical moment and content with itself, turned its attention to reality, which artistically manifested as Realism. Realism was an artistic movement that sought to represent reality in accordance with the interests of bourgeois society. Scientific development led to technological advancements, reflected in the growth of industry and changes in lifestyles, with innovations like the light rail or electricity. A growing belief in progress developed, with the conviction that it would lead to moral societal improvement. Society felt comfortable with its era and the advancements it brought. The realistic author became a chronicler of the present and immediate past, dedicating their works to these subjects.

Defining Features of Realism

• Shift from Individual to Social Focus

  With this approach, authors abandoned the individual romantic self, giving way to a social self. The evasion of space and time was replaced by the presentation of everyday life in the countryside and the city. The exposure of emotions and feelings was replaced by the analysis of environments and social groups, and their influence on characters.

• Aspiration for Objectivity

  The primary aspiration of the realistic aesthetic was objectivity: to reflect reality as impartially as possible, in contrast to romantic fantasies. However, this did not prevent writers from also being interested in showing the inner world and psychology of individuals. Realism aimed to eliminate all subjective aspects, based on a rigorous analysis of reality. Authors focused on the observation and description of environments, landscapes, and people, often denouncing societal ills and presenting a critical view.