Realism and Naturalism in Literature: Characteristics and Authors

Realism and Naturalism

Characteristics of Realism

• Rejection of romantic individualism in favor of society.
• Focus on everyday life instead of romantic escapism.
• Analysis of environments and social groups, contrasting individual feelings and emotions.
• Desire for objectivity in contrast to romantic subjectivity.

Naturalism

Zola aimed to make the novel a true science of human behavior, studying society. The lowest and most base aspects of human reality became the subject of the naturalistic novel.

In Spain, Emilia Pardo Bazán disseminated naturalism through a series of articles on literary criticism, "pounding the question." Naturalism influenced Pardo Bazán, Galdós, Clarín, and Blasco Ibáñez.

The Realistic Novel

• STEPS:
  1. Prereality: "The Seagull" by Cecilia Bohl de Faber. Marked by manners, moralistic eagerness, and subjectivity.
  2. Triumph of realism: "The Fountain of Gold" (José María de Pereda and Juan Valera).
  3. Naturalistic: Did not accept the French naturalist extreme but addressed issues like the withdrawal of material and moral aspects.
• FEATURES:
  1. Careful observation and description.
  2. Description of interior and exterior; exact. Abundance of interest in physical and psychological portraits.
  3. Proximity to the narrated facts. Interest in everyday events.
  4. Social and political critique.
  5. Plausibility (plausible story).
  6. Omniscient narrator.
  7. Linear structure.
  8. Plain language.
  9. Individual or collective characters.

Authors and Works

Juan Valera

(Refined, conservative, preferred beautiful literature, psychology of the characters.) "Pepita Jiménez" (1874)

José María de Pereda

(Maximum representative of the traditional novel, descriptive quality, linguistic richness.) "Sotileza" (1884) and "Peñas arriba" (1895).

Emilia Pardo Bazán

(Defense of naturalism, aware of the European currents of his time, advocate of novelty.) "Los Pazos de Ulloa" (1886) and "Mother Nature" (1887).

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez

(Revolutionary, persecuted, exiled communist, full naturalist.) Valencian Novels: "The Block" and "Cañas y barro." Social reform novels: "In Blood and Sand." Novel of the First World War: "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."

Leopoldo Alas "Clarín"

(Liberal and republican ideas, critical of traditional Catholicism and sensitive to injustice.) "Adiós Cordera" (1891) and "Doña Berta" (1892) are stories. "La Regenta" (1885) perfect two-part structure (depth and technical narrative description) = long novel.

Benito Pérez Galdós

(Anticlerical, regarded the clergy as the cause of the Disaster of '98. Belonged to the Republican Socialist Party. Suffered a setback in his application for the National Award.) Work: 80 plays, 24 novels, stories, articles...

Novel of the 1st period

"The Fountain of Gold," "Doña Perfecta," "Gloria," "Marianela." Thesis novels: fanaticism, fight against religious conservatism. Traits of thesis novels: a) direct intervention of the author, b) manicheism between characters, c) symbolism, especially in the names of places and people, irony, and hyperbole.

Contemporary Spanish Novel

(Better quality writing from their innovations); 1) abandonment of the thesis, 2) appearance of naturalistic elements, 3) reappearance of characters, 4) focus on Madrid society, 5) locations in Madrid, 6) innovation in style. "Doctor Rye," "Torment," "Fortunata y Jacinta."

National Episodes

Fictional chronicle of conflicts that marked the history of Spain from 1805 to 1875. It shows a critical attitude toward the intolerance of the Spanish and romantic historical novels than to narrate past events. Interrelates the historical past and the novelistic.

Spiritual Novels

"Nazarin," "Halma," "Misericordia," "El Abuelo." Influenced by Russian novelists. The characters embody values such as solidarity. His latest novels blend realism with fantastic elements.

Realistic Theater of the 2nd half of the 19th century

1. High comedy; represented by López de Ayala and Tamayo y Baus. Flows to the bourgeoisie.
2. Current necromantic historical themes and language dominance. José de Echegaray.