Realism and Naturalism
Crane is regarded as a Realist and a Naturalist. Explain the reasoning behind Realism and Naturalism, and discuss the major players in this literary movement. Be sure to comment with your own thoughts about the philosophy behind this literary movement.
Both Realism and Naturalism are deviations of the Romanticism artistic movement; despite not having many comparisons to the genre. Realism and Naturalism became widely popular because it gave a realistic and “fresh” perspective on everyday events, which before were depicted as romantic and overly dramatized ideals. There were several people who recognized the need for a change, and were greatly responsible for the development of the Realism and Naturalism movements.
One example of these men responsible for the development of Realism was the novelist Honoré de Balzac. His well respected literary work which exemplified Realism were his series of novels entitled La Comédie Humaine. “His attention to detail was obsessive, with long passages of description of settings being characteristic feature of his work.” Although today this would be considered “long-winded,” at the time it created vivid images unlike any other work. However, Balzac’s literary works were “still essentially Romantic creations,” but they were filled with Realistic images and scenarios.
Another man responsible for the development of Realism was Gustave Flaubert. Flaubert got himself into a bit of turmoil with his depiction of an “adulterous woman married to an unimaginative country physician. . .” His description of this real-life incident was considered overly provocative and challenged the morality of the time-period. For a novel to have that strong of an impact on peoples’ emotions, is due greatly in part to its realistic nature.
Another division of Romanticism, and is also a division of Realism, is the Naturalism movement. Émile Zola served as a leading contributor to the development of this movement. Unlike Realism, Zola managed to incorporate all of the detailed descriptions which Balzac and Flaubert were known for, but without having long-winded descriptions and were usually integrated within the narrative. Through this the novel became more than a novel, and could be something actually visualized in everyday life. One thing Zola was recognized for was his use of representative characters, rather than depicting them as the actual individual.
I believe Realistic and Naturalistic novels have become more understandable and “well liked,” on the majority, largely due to the fact that as a whole society is able to relate more to Realistic descriptions. Romanticism is enjoyable and pleasant to read, but the ability to relate to it is fare less. I know for me personally, whether I’m reading or watching television or a movie I find more realistic and naturalistic depictions instill a greater emotion, whether it’s curiosity or fear. Also I believe Realism and Naturalism have had a greater influence in our everyday lives, as oppose to the Romantic ideals.
