Realism in Literature: Benito Perez Galdos in Spain

Realism in Literature

Realism focuses on the accurate observation of contemporary reality. As a result, the novel will be the predominant genre that best meets the goals of aesthetic and moral realism. The realist novel aspires to become a credible and accurate document of the society of the time.

Features:

• Objective observation (everything revolves around reality)
• Contemporary ambiance (there are things from the time of writing)
• Thesis approach (often defends an ideological thesis)
• Psychological analysis of the characters (they are common characters; the bourgeoisie dominates, and as the century progresses, the proletarians and marginalized, especially women)
• The omniscient narrator (a habitual type of narrator who knows all about the characters)
• Style (natural language, distance from rhetorical excesses, cultured dialogues, real)
• The newspaper as a medium (novels were placed in newspapers)

Realism in Spain

The Golden Fountain, by Benito Perez Galdos, 1870, was the novel that began Realism in Spain.

Realism in Spain displays characteristics of European authors, but it also covers items of the Spanish literary tradition inspired by Realism and Cervantes or the picaresque novel, as well as folkloric narratives cultivated for romance.

Benito Perez Galdos

The most important author is Benito Perez Galdos, a prolific writer. He wrote 32 novels, 46 titles in the series National Episodes, 24 plays, and 15 volumes of articles and essays.

Fiction must show a picture of life and play the spiritual and physical environment of the Spain of his time. Galdos is a kind of chronicler of the last third of the 19th century.

National Episodes are the most important part of his historical production.

Novels by Benito Perez Galdos

• First Period Novels: Novels with a thesis in attacks on religious fanaticism and belief in the presence of public affairs, Mrs. Perfect
• Contemporary Novels: Madrid, a society in a moment of change, Meow (1888), Fortunata and Jacinta (1886-1887)
• Symbolic Novels: Reflect new, more abstract and spiritual concerns, Nazarín (1895)

Style

Dialogue, speech playback, real artistic and social varieties, humor, irony, and parody on many occasions.