Naturalism and realism are responses to romanticism. This paper will explore the background of each and analyze the tension between the individual and the environment for chosen works by authors of each writing style.
From 1860-1890 realism was prominent, developed as a reaction to romanticism as folks believed life was no longer seen through rose colored glasses. This was the civil war, the urbanization and industrializing of America and the emerging middle class as well as the upheaval and social change in the latter half of the 19th century with increasing rates of democracy and literacy. The characteristics of realism are reaction against romanticism and neoclassicism, factual is more important than intellectual or emotional, life is driven by fate. An example of realist writers includes Mark Twain, William Dean Howells, and Edgar Lee Masters.
From 1865 -1895 regionalism was prominent and was also referred to as local color. It focuses on characters, dialect, and customs specific to a certain region. Regionalism is coincided with realism and sharing many of the same traits. Regionalism was developed due to the civil war and the building of a national identity, and the dual influence of romanticism and realism. An example of regionalist writers includes Kate Chopin, Mark Twain, and Willa Cather.
From 1880-1920 naturalism was prominent and is the view that nature is all there is and the basic truths are truths of nature. Naturalism applies scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to the study of humans; it is influenced by Darwinism and psychology. It is posited that men were controlled by heredity and environment and often depicted man in conflict with nature, society or, himself. Naturalism developed due to the swell of immigrants in the latter half of the 19th century, which led to a larger lower class and increased poverty in the cities and pessimism in the wake of the Civil War and reconstruction. The distinctions of Naturalism is that life is mechanical, people are the subjects of scientific case studies the tone is often coldly scientific. Details and nature are chaotic because life is a series of chaos and it studies society to correct the evils found there. An example of naturalist writers includes Stephen Crane, Jack London, and Edith Wharton.
Naturalism depicts a kind of writing that attempts to present scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to the study of humans. Where realism focuses on a writing technique, naturalistic writers imply a philosophical position that humans are not good and can be studied through their relationships to their surroundings. Naturalism is considered to be beyond Realism and is based more on scientific studies. A basis for the Naturalist writer is Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Naturalists observe, and write usually about the darker side of life and have a belief that humans cannot stand up against enormous weight of circumstances. Naturalism and realism are responses to romanticism. Romanticism mainly deals with surreal themes, but realism does not. Some writers switched from romanticism to realism and naturalism because of the world events and to the need to change. Realism usually describes contemporary life and society as they were opting for descriptions of bland everyday activities and experiences, rather then of a romanticized or exciting presentation.
Realism and Naturalism and appeared after the Civil War when people were suffering with misfortune and were depressed from entire situation that had left nothing but misery when the war ended. Folks had lost their families, homes, and all possessions. They knew the romanticism emphasized imagination and it never worked to their sad lives and that God would not save them from their miserable life. Because the writing styles had appeared during these hard times, they were usually pessimistic. The stories were based in the realistic and scientific way and characters usually suffered from the harsh environmental forces. Although the literary styles appeared similar, they were also different. Social Darwinism, pre destination, and determinism were written into naturalism literature, whereas Realism did not emphasize too much on them. The writing style of Naturalism was more unemotional and uncaring, whereas Realism writes of the feeling of it characters. One can recognize these similarities and differences in “To build the fire,” by Jack London, a naturalism writer and also in “The red badge of Courage” by Stephen Crane a realism writer. That they did not mention God much in the stories is an example of a similarity between naturalism and realism. Folks during this time saw God as an idealistic symbol who would not rescue them from the hard society they faced. In “To build the fire,” God does not appear, nor does he attempt to rescue the man from the freezing weather. No one in the story saves him.
In the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, Douglass’s thoughts of self exploration as part of the free population and acquiring the same opportunities of white Americans sum up the thoughts of the Romantic period. These thoughts were relative to what the slaves were living through and the same injustices of many lower class populations all over the world. Realist writers pen more about common people with flaws and imperfections with social problems and being materialistic.
In Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Hedda was rich, yet forced to marry a fellow below her class. This bored her and, she was unhappy, but in that society she could do nothing about changing it. Women were like slaves in that they were unfairly treated in society. Like Douglass, Hedda was forced into something she did not want.
Tolstoy focuses on the pity of Ivan in The Death of Ivan Llyich. Ivan is materialistic, living beyond his means and buying items he cannot afford, yet Ivan is sad. Ivan cries over being lonely and cries over the absence of God in his life yet he has removed himself from emotion. This writer describes the complexities of Ivan's life, same as Ibson had with Hedda.
It is apparent the works of each author in each time shows that although naturalism is theatrical and realism is literary which are both responsive to romanticism the story could be both realist and naturalistic at the same time.