It’s pretty obvious that the name “realistic period” refers to realism. Realism attempts to present everything in an accurate way and its focus is mainly on everyday life. It avoids romanticizing anything, and realists, in fact, used to attack romanticism and romantic writers during the realistic period. Realism started in France in the 1850’s, but didn’t start to influence American literature until the 1860’s. The realistic period in America lasted from 1865 to around 1900.
When realism started influencing American literature, the Civil War had just ended. There were a lot of changes taking place: the end of slavery, the industrial revolution, about 23 million immigrants… Americans were uncertain about the future and felt less optimistic than before the war.
Realistic stories were often drawn from the author’s own experience - realists focused on ordinary lives of ordinary people in America. Realism explores the relationship of the individual and society. The stories tend to be regional, and the setting is usually familiar to the author. Although the characters are ordinary people, the character is still more important than the plot or the action. Realists believe that people can control their destinies. In fact, the characters often have to face struggles with moral issues and make hard ethical decisions.
Authors of the Period
Mark Twain (1835-1910) is one of the most well known authors of American realism. He wrote “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (1885), a satire, which focuses on racism and civil rights. It is still often read in schools today. Twain remains to be a popular author, and many of his works can be considered to be classics, probably because of his themes, some of which are still issues nowadays.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1868-1935) was a feminist, who focused on women’s position in her works. Her accomplishments were exceptional for a woman of her time. Her most famous piece of work, “The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) explored the position of a woman in marriage. This semi-autobiographical short story received praise, as well as criticism, due to the subject.
Henry James (1843-1916) was an American expatriate who lived most of his life in Britain. He believed that a text must be realistic to be a great one. One of his most well known works is “The Portrait of a Lady” (1881), which is a psychological novel. It concentrates on independence, identity and the differences between America and Europe. His expatriate background influenced many of his works.
Bret Harte (1836-1902) focused his writings on pioneering life in California, which he is most well known for. He published his first poem at the age of 11. “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” (1869) is one of his most popular works. It is a short story, set during the Gold Rush of California, that explores hypocrisy, the cruelty of nature, and the hidden goodness of people.
Bibliography:
http://prezi.com/_dcnkuoplju1/realismi/ [25.4.2014]
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/yellowwallpaper/ [25.4.2014]
http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/gilman.jpg[6.5.2014]
Great blog-post! The length is good, but maybe a bit more about history. Clear and precise:)
ReplyDeleteNice layout :) !
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