Realism Themes
Major themes in Realism include class conflict, the city, philosophy and morality, and marriage and the family.
- Class conflict: Many realist writers sought to depict the struggle between the rich and the poor.
- The city: Realist writers often sought to capture the rapidly changing landscape of the modern city.
- Philosophy and morality: Religion, philosophy, and morality are often central themes in realist novels.
- Marriage and the family: Realist novels often focus on the dynamics of marriage and family life.
Class Conflict
A prominent theme explored by realist authors is the conflict between different socioeconomic classes. These writers, aiming to depict individuals from various social strata, often highlighted the stark differences between the affluent and the poor.
In Dickens' David Copperfield, the main character experiences the struggles of impoverished children forced to work in industrial factories. Zola's Germinal focuses on the conflict between working-class miners and wealthy mine owners, culminating in a labor strike. Through this story, Zola delves into various political ideologies concerning the conditions of the working class. Howells' A Hazard of New Fortunes features characters representing a spectrum of American political views clashing over their efforts to start a magazine. By the end of the story, a young man loses his life amid the chaos of a workers' strike. In War and Peace, Tolstoy portrays the tensions between Russian landowners and the serfs who work their estates. Through their stories, realist authors often addressed social, economic, and political issues by depicting conflicts between different socioeconomic classes.
The City
Many realist novelists sought to capture the multifaceted aspects of life in the rapidly industrializing cities of the nineteenth century. Balzac, through his series The Human Comedy, is celebrated for his detailed and accurate portrayal of Parisian society, culture, and commerce during the mid-1800s. Howells, in A Hazard of New Fortunes, is praised for his vibrant depiction of the lively human activity in New York City. Dickens often set his stories in London, vividly describing specific streets, buildings, and neighborhoods. Russian realists like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky explored various societal elements in Moscow and St. Petersburg in their novels. Realist fiction frequently has a documentary-like quality, as these authors carefully documented the details of a specific historical era in the development of the modern city.
Philosophy and Morality
Realist novelists often explore the interconnected themes of religion, philosophy, and morality in their works. While realist novels are renowned for their accurate portrayal of physical details, many also deeply engage with religious and philosophical discussions. For example, the Russian realist Tolstoy introduced characters in his novels who grapple with profound questions about Christian faith and the meaning of life. Similarly, Dostoevsky created characters that participate in extensive philosophical dialogues and debates on Christian morality. In novels such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky concentrated on the moral, ethical, and religious dilemmas faced by characters involved in crimes like murder and other immoral acts.
A memorable scene in The Brothers Karamazov features a character engaging in a hypothetical debate with the Devil, who appears as an elderly gentleman. In Crime and Punishment, a young man justifies a murder through philosophical reasoning but ultimately finds redemption through Christian faith.
Marriage and the Family
Realist novelists often delved into the complexities of marriage and family life across various social strata. Extramarital affairs play a pivotal role in key realist works such as Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. These novels center on middle-class women whose adulterous actions lead to their social ruin and ultimately, their suicides.
Realist literature frequently investigates multiple families or couples within a single storyline. For example, Anna Karenina and War and Peace each spotlight the lives of three different families. Similarly, Eliot’s Middlemarch delves into the marital and familial dynamics within various households. In Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, the narrative focuses on four brothers, including an illegitimate half-brother, and their father, who is murdered by one of them. Dickens often wrote about orphans who initially lack family ties, only to eventually find surrogate families. Through these portrayals of marriages and families, realists explored the diverse social and psychological factors influencing domestic life in the nineteenth century.
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