Brief description of realism in literature. Stages of development of 19th century realism

In the 30s. 19th century in European art, romanticism is being replaced by an artistic style completely different from it - realism, paradoxically, not only accepted many ideas of romanticism, but also developed and deepened them.

In an approximate way, realism can be defined as an artistic method of reflecting the concrete historical originality of reality, the social determinism of the individual and the nature of his relationship with society.

Realism for its pronounced critical orientation almost immediately began to be called critical realism. The focus of critical realism is the analysis of the artistic by means of the class structure, social essence and socio-political contradictions of the already flourishing capitalist society. The main thing in the specifics of critical realism as a special creative method is the artistic comprehension of reality as a social factor, and hence the disclosure of the social determinism of the depicted events and characters.

If romanticism brought to the fore individuality, endowed with ideal aspirations, then a distinctive feature of realism was the appeal of art to the direct depiction of people's everyday life, devoid of any mystery, mystery, religious or mythological motivation.

On so-called realism in the broadest sense

Sometimes they talk about realism in the broad sense And realism in the narrow sense. According to a narrow understanding of realism, only a work that reflects the essence of the depicted socio-historical phenomenon can be considered truly realistic. The characters of the work should carry the typical, collective features of a particular social stratum or class, and the conditions in which they operate should not be an accidental fruit of the writer's imagination, but a reflection of the patterns of the socio-economic and political life of the era. Realism in a broad sense refers to the property of art to reproduce the truth of reality by recreating the sensual forms in which the idea exists in reality.

It should be noted right away that the broad understanding of realism, which is characteristic of traditional, but not modern, aesthetics, makes the concept of realism completely unclear. It turns out that it is entirely possible to speak of the realism of ancient literature, the realism of the Renaissance, the "realism of romanticism," and so on. When realism is defined as a movement in art that portrays social, psychological, economic, and other phenomena as closely related to reality (“corresponding to the truth of life,” as they sometimes say), realism becomes, in essence, the only full-fledged style of art. Baroque, classicism, romanticism, etc. turn out to be just modifications of realism. Dante, Shakespeare, and even Homer can be classified as realists, although, of course, with certain reservations regarding the Cyclopes, Neptunes, etc., invented by him. manner of depiction, but the very essence of art, and the essence, expressed in an abstract and unclear way.

Characteristic features of realism

The main features of critical realism as a special artistic style can be summarized as follows:

• - faith in the cognitive and transformative power of the human mind, especially the mind of the artist;
• - bringing to the fore the task of objective artistic reproduction of reality, an attempt to base artistic discoveries on a deep, scientific-like study of the facts and phenomena of life;
• - the dominance of socio-political problems, which was proclaimed by the art of the Enlightenment and which was not interrupted in romanticism, although, as a rule, played a peripheral role in it;
• - approval of the educational, civic mission of art;
• - high, one might say without exaggeration - exceptional, assessment of the possibilities of artistic creativity in the eradication of social evil;
• - the desire to depict reality in the forms of reality itself;
• - the accuracy of details in the artistic reproduction of reality;
• - deepening the possibilities of character typing; the connection of psychologism as one of the means of typification with the disclosure of a generalizing social content of a particular nature; the realists accepted and noticeably deepened the psychologism characteristic of the romantics;
• - the use of the romantic theory of contrasts in describing the contradictions of social reality;
• - bringing to the fore the theme of lost illusions, which arose in connection with the ideological consequences of the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century;
• - showing the hero in development when creating artistic images, depicting the evolution of the depicted characters, determined by the complex interaction of the individual and society;
• - the desire to combine a socially critical orientation, a harsh exposure of the modern social system with the promotion of a high moral and ethical ideal, a model of a just social order;
• - associated with positive aspirations, the creation of an extensive gallery of bright positive characters; most of these heroes belonged to the social lower classes of society.

Although realism replaced romanticism, many of the characteristics of realism were first felt by the romantics. In particular, they absolutized the spiritual world of an individual, but this exaltation of the individual, the fundamental installation to lead the way of knowing everything that exists through his inner "I" led to the most significant ideological and aesthetic gains. Romantics made that important step forward in the artistic knowledge of reality, which put forward romanticism to replace the art of the Enlightenment. Appeal to the elected personality, towering over the "crowd", did not interfere with their deep democratism. In the work of the Romantics, one should look for the origins of the image of the "superfluous person", which passed through all the literature of the 19th century.

Realism

1) Literary and artistic direction, which finally took shape by the middle of the 19th century. and approved the principles of analytical comprehension of reality, as well as its vitally reliable reproduction in a work of art. Realism sees its main task in revealing the essence of life phenomena through the depiction of heroes, situations and circumstances “taken from reality itself”. Realists seek to trace the chain of causes and effects of the phenomena described, to find out what external (socio-historical) and internal (psychological) factors influenced a particular course of events, to determine in the human character not only individual, but also typical features that were formed under the influence of a general the atmosphere of the era (along with realism, the idea of ​​socially conditioned human types arises).

Analytical beginning in the realism of the XIX century. combined:

• with powerful critical pathos directed at the flaws in the social structure;
• with a desire for generalizations concerning the laws and trends of social life;
• with close attention to the material side of existence, which is realized both in detailed descriptions of the characters' appearance, features of their behavior, way of life, and in the wide use of artistic details;
• with the study of personality psychology (psychologism).

19th century realism spawned a whole galaxy of writers of world significance. Among them, in particular, are Stendhal, P. Merimet, O. de Balzac, H. Flaubert, C. Dickens, W. Thackeray, Mark Twain, I. S. Turgenev, I. A. Goncharov, N. Nekrasov, F .M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, A. P. Chekhov and others.

2) An artistic direction in art (including literature), based on the principle of a vitally truthful reflection of reality. While affirming the vital importance of literature as a means of man's knowledge of himself and the world around him, realism is by no means limited to external credibility in the reproduction of facts, things, human characters, but seeks to reveal patterns that operate in life. Therefore, realistic art also uses such methods of artistic expression as myth, symbol, grotesque. In itself, the selection of certain phenomena of reality, the predominant attention to certain characters, the principles of their depiction - all this is connected with the literary position of the author, his individual skill. The absence of any kind of prejudice, genuine artistic freedom helped the realists to see life in its ambiguity, complexity, inconsistency. The character of a person is revealed in connection with the reality surrounding him, society, environment. The terms “sociological realism” or “psychological realism”, which are often used, are inaccurate, since it is sometimes extremely difficult to determine to which particular variety of realism the work of a particular writer belongs.

3) An artistic method, following which the artist depicts life in images that correspond to the essence of the phenomena of life itself. Asserting the significance of literature as a means of a person's knowledge of himself and the world around him, realism strives for a deep knowledge of life, for a wide coverage of reality. In a narrower sense, the term "realism" denotes a direction that has most consistently embodied the principles of a vitally truthful reflection of reality.

4) A literary direction in which the surrounding reality is depicted specifically historically, in the variety of its contradictions, and "typical characters act in typical circumstances."

Literature is understood by realist writers as a textbook of life. Therefore, they strive to comprehend life in all its contradictions, and a person - in the psychological, social and other aspects of his personality.

Features common to realism: material from the site

1. Historic thinking.
2. The focus is on the regularities that operate in life, due to cause-and-effect relationships.
3. Fidelity to reality becomes the leading criterion of artistry in realism.
4. A person is depicted in interaction with the environment in authentic life circumstances. Realism shows the influence of the social environment on the spiritual world of a person, the formation of his character.
5. Characters and circumstances interact with each other: the character is not only conditioned (determined) by circumstances, but also acts on them (changes, opposes).
6. In the works of realism, deep conflicts are presented, life is given in dramatic collisions. Reality is given in development. Realism depicts not only already established forms of social relations and types of characters, but also reveals emerging, forming a trend.
7. The nature and type of realism depends on the socio-historical situation - in different eras it manifests itself in different ways.

In the second third of the XIX century. the critical attitude of writers to the surrounding reality has intensified - both to the environment, society, and to man. A critical understanding of life, aimed at denying its individual aspects, gave reason to call the realism of the 19th century. critical.

The greatest Russian realists were L. N. Tolstoy, F. M. Dostoevsky, I. S. Turgenev, M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, and A. P. Chekhov.

The depiction of the surrounding reality, human characters from the point of view of the progressiveness of the socialist ideal created the basis of socialist realism. M. Gorky's novel "Mother" is considered the first work of social realism in Russian literature. A. Fadeev, D. Furmanov, M. Sholokhov, A. Tvardovsky worked in the spirit of socialist realism.

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Presentation on the topic "Realism as a trend in literature and art" in literature in powerpoint format. A three-dimensional presentation for schoolchildren contains information about the principles, features, forms, stages of development of realism as a literary movement.

Fragments from the presentation

Literary methods, directions, currents

• artistic method- this is the principle of selecting the phenomena of reality, the features of their assessment and the originality of their artistic embodiment.
• Literary direction- this is a method that becomes dominant and acquires more definite features associated with the characteristics of the era and trends in culture.
• Literary current- manifestation of ideological and thematic unity, homogeneity of plots, characters, language in the work of several writers of the same era.
• Literary methods, trends and trends: classicism, sentimentalism, romanticism, realism, modernism (symbolism, acmeism, futurism)

• Realism- the direction of literature and art that arose in the 18th century, reached a comprehensive disclosure and flourishing in the critical realism of the 19th century and continues to develop in the struggle and interaction with other areas in the 20th century (up to the present).
• Realism- a truthful, objective reflection of reality by specific means inherent in one or another type of artistic creativity.

principles of realism

1. Typification of the facts of reality, i.e., according to Engels, "in addition to the veracity of details, the truthful reproduction of typical characters in typical circumstances."
2. Showing life in development and contradictions, which are primarily social in nature.
3. The desire to reveal the essence of life phenomena without limiting topics and plots.
4. Striving for moral quest and educational impact.

The most prominent representatives of realism in Russian literature:

A.N.Ostrovsky, I.S.Turgenev, I.A.Goncharov, M.E.Saltykov-Shchedrin, L.N.Tolstoy, F.M.Dostoevsky, A.P.Chekhov, M.Gorky, I. Bunin, V. Mayakovsky, M. Bulgakov, M. Sholokhov, S. Yesenin, A. I. Solzhenitsyn and others.

• Main property- through typification, reflect life in images that correspond to the essence of the phenomena of life itself.
• Leading criterion of artistry- fidelity to reality; striving for immediate authenticity of the image, "recreation" of life "in the forms of life itself". The right of the artist to cover all aspects of life without any restrictions is recognized. A wide variety of art forms.
• The task of the realist writer- try not only to catch life in all its manifestations, but also to understand it, to understand the laws by which it moves and which do not always come out; it is necessary, through the play of chances, to achieve types - and with all that, always remain true to the truth, not be content with superficial study, avoid effects and falsehood.

Features of realism

• The desire for a wide coverage of reality in its contradictions, deep patterns and development;
• Attraction to the image of a person in his interaction with the environment:
• the inner world of the characters, their behavior bear the signs of the times;
• much attention is paid to the social background of the time;
• Universality in the image of a person;
• Social and psychological determinism;
• Historical point of view on life.

Forms of realism

• enlightenment realism
• critical realism
• socialist realism

Stages of development

• Enlightenment realism(D.I. Fonvizin, N.I. Novikov, A.N. Radishchev, young I.A. Krylov); "syncretic" realism: a combination of realistic and romantic motifs, with the dominant of the realistic (A.S. Griboyedov, A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov);
• critical realism- accusatory orientation of works; a decisive break with the romantic tradition (I.A. Goncharov, I.S. Turgenev, N.A. Nekrasov, A.N. Ostrovsky);
• socialist realism- imbued with revolutionary reality and a sense of the socialist transformation of the world (M. Gorky).

Realism in Russia

Appeared in the 19th century. Rapid development and special dynamism.

Features of Russian realism:

• Active development of socio-psychological, philosophical and moral issues;
• Pronounced life-affirming character;
• Special dynamism;
• Syntheticity (closer connection with previous literary eras and trends: enlightenment, sentimentalism, romanticism).

18th century realism

• imbued with the spirit of enlightenment ideology;
• is affirmed primarily in prose;
• the defining genre of literature is the novel;
• behind the novel comes the bourgeois or petty-bourgeois drama;
• recreated the everyday life of modern society;
• reflected his social and moral conflicts;
• the depiction of characters in it was straightforward and obeyed moral criteria that sharply distinguished between virtue and vice (only in some works did the depiction of personality differ in complexity and dialectical inconsistency (Fielding, Stern, Diderot).

critical realism

critical realism- a trend that arose in Germany at the end of the 19th century (E. Becher, G. Driesch, A. Wenzl, etc.) and specializes in the theological interpretation of modern natural science (attempts to reconcile knowledge with faith and prove the "inconsistency" and "limitedness" of science) .

Principles of critical realism

• critical realism portrays the relationship of man and the environment in a new way
• human character is revealed in organic connection with social circumstances
• the subject of deep social analysis was the inner world of a person (critical realism therefore simultaneously becomes psychological)

socialist realism

socialist realism- one of the most important artistic trends in the art of the XX century; a special artistic method (type of thinking), based on the knowledge and understanding of the life reality of the era, which was understood as dynamically changing in its "revolutionary development".

Principles of social realism

• Nationality. The heroes of the works must be from the people. As a rule, workers and peasants became the heroes of socialist realist works.
• Party spirit. Reject the truth empirically found by the author and replace it with party truth; show heroic deeds, the search for a new life, the revolutionary struggle for a brighter future.
• Concreteness. In the image of reality, show the process of historical development, which in turn must comply with the doctrine of historical materialism (matter is primary, consciousness is secondary).

Realism is usually called a direction in art and literature, whose representatives strove for a realistic and truthful reproduction of reality. In other words, the world was portrayed as typical and simple, with all its advantages and disadvantages.

General features of realism

Realism in literature is distinguished by a number of common features. First, life was portrayed in images that corresponded to reality. Secondly, the reality for the representatives of this trend has become a means of knowing themselves and the world around them. Thirdly, the images on the pages of literary works were distinguished by the truthfulness of details, specificity and typification. It is interesting that the art of the realists, with their life-affirming positions, strove to consider reality in development. Realists discovered new social and psychological relations.

The emergence of realism

Realism in literature as a form of artistic creation arose in the Renaissance, developed during the Enlightenment and emerged as an independent trend only in the 30s of the 19th century. The first realists in Russia include the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin (he is sometimes even called the founder of this trend) and no less outstanding writer N.V. Gogol with his novel Dead Souls. As for literary criticism, the term "realism" appeared within it thanks to D. Pisarev. It was he who introduced the term into journalism and criticism. Realism in the literature of the 19th century became a hallmark of that time, having its own characteristics and characteristics.

Features of literary realism

Representatives of realism in literature are numerous. The most famous and outstanding writers include Stendhal, C. Dickens, O. Balzac, L.N. Tolstoy, G. Flaubert, M. Twain, F.M. Dostoevsky, T. Mann, M. Twain, W. Faulkner and many others. All of them worked on the development of the creative method of realism and embodied in their works its most striking features inextricably linked with their unique authorial features.

Depiction of life in images corresponding to the essence of life phenomena, through the typification of the facts of reality. The art of realism is characterized by the spirit of artistic objectivity. The image of the world in a realistic work, as a rule, is not abstract and conventional. The realist writer reproduces reality in life-like forms, creates the illusion of reality, makes you believe in your characters, strives to make them alive, to give them artistic persuasiveness. Realistic art depicts the depths of the human soul, attaches particular importance to the motivation of the actions of the hero, the study of the circumstances of his life, the reasons that prompt the character to act this way and not otherwise.
A true reflection of the world, a wide coverage of reality. Any genuine art reflects reality to a certain extent, that is, it corresponds to the truth of life. However, realism as a method with the greatest consistency embodied the principles of life-truthful reflection of reality. I. S. Turgenev, speaking about the connection of art with reality, argued: “I always need a meeting with a living person, a direct acquaintance with some kind of life fact, before proceeding to create a type or draw up a plot.” Pointed to the real basis of the plot of the novel "Crime and Punishment" and F. M. Dostoevsky.

Historicism. Realism subordinated all artistic means to the task of an ever more multifaceted and profound study of man in his relations with society, with the historical process. Under historicism in literature, it is customary to understand the idea of ​​reality, embodied in images, developing naturally and progressively, about the connection of times in their qualitative differences.

Attitude to literature as a means of man's knowledge of himself and the world around him. Realist writers turn to the cognitive possibilities of art, trying to deeply, fully and comprehensively explore life, depicting reality with its inherent contradictions. Realism recognizes the right of the artist to cover all aspects of life without limitation. Any realistic work is based on life facts that have a creative refraction. In realistic works, each significant manifestation of individuality is depicted as conditioned by certain circumstances, the artist strives to reveal the characteristic, recurring in the individual, regular in what seems random.

Realist writers, following the sentimentalists and romantics, showed interest in the life of the human soul, deepened the understanding of human psychology, reflected in works of art the work of the human consciousness and subconsciousness through revealing the intentions of the hero, the motives of his actions, experiences and the change of mental states.

Reflection of the connection between man and the environment. Realism gravitates towards a multifaceted and potentially exhaustive study and depiction of the world in all the richness of its connections, organically recreated by the artist. Realist writers create different situations for the disclosure of character: I. A. Goncharov in the novel Oblomov shows the destructiveness for the hero of an ordinary situation, a familiar environment; Dostoevsky's heroes, on the contrary, find themselves in hysterical situations generated by the imperfection of the social order; L. N. Tolstoy includes his heroes in the cycle of significant historical events that reveal the essence of a particular character. The art of realism shows the interaction of man with the environment, the impact of the era, social conditions on human destinies, the influence of social circumstances on the morals and spiritual world of people. At the same time, a realistic work substantiates what is happening not only by socio-historical circumstances, but also by the psychology of the hero, his moral choice, i.e., the spiritual structure of the personality (in contrast to the works of the naturalistic school, in which a person was depicted as a derivative of heredity and environment). Thus, a realistic work explores the ability of a person to rise above circumstances, to resist them, showing free will.

Typification of characters and circumstances. In literary criticism, the formula of F. Engels was entrenched, according to which "realism presupposes, in addition to the truthfulness of details, the truthful reproduction of typical characters in typical circumstances." For a realistic work, it is important to establish connections between these two objects of the image. Literary hero of the realistic the work is created as a generalized image (type) of human individuality, the most characteristic of a certain social environment, it embodies the characteristic features of persons of a certain category. The creative process of creating typical images is usually called typification. Literary forms: Epos: novel, story, poem, short story. Lyrics: song, elegy. Drama: tragedy, historical chronicle. Of course, first of all, these are F. M. Dostoevsky and L. N. Tolstoy. Outstanding examples of literature in this direction were also the works of the late Pushkin (rightfully considered the founder of realism in Russian literature) - the historical drama "Boris Godunov", the stories "The Captain's Daughter", "Dubrovsky", "Belkin's Tale", the novel by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov "The Hero of Our time", as well as Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol's poem "Dead Souls". In Russia, Dmitry Pisarev was the first to widely introduce the term “realism” into journalism and criticism; until that time, the term “realism” was used by Herzen in a philosophical sense, as a synonym for the concept of “materialism”.