Realism was born. Neorealism and realism in Russian literature are: features and main genres

Realism- a direction in literature and art that aims to truthfully reproduce reality in its typical features Oh. The dominance of realism followed the era of Romanticism and preceded Symbolism.

General information

In every work belles lettres we distinguish two necessary elements: objective - the reproduction of phenomena given in addition to the artist, and subjective - something put into the work by the artist on his own. Focusing on a comparative assessment of these two elements, the theory in different eras gives higher value first one, then the other of them (in connection with the course of development of art, and with other circumstances).

Hence there are two opposing directions in theory; one - realism- sets art the task of faithfully reproducing reality; other - idealism- sees the purpose of art in “replenishing reality”, in creating new forms. Moreover, the starting point is not so much the available facts as ideal ideas.

This terminology, borrowed from philosophy, sometimes introduces work of art non-aesthetic moments: realism is completely wrongly accused of lacking moral idealism. In common usage, the term “realism” means the exact copying of details, mainly external ones. The inconsistency of this point of view, the natural conclusion from which is that the registration of realities - the novel and photography are preferable to the artist's painting - is quite obvious; a sufficient refutation of it is our aesthetic sense, which does not hesitate for a minute between wax figure, reproducing the finest shades of living colors, and deathly white marble statue. It would be pointless and aimless to create another world, completely identical with the existing one.

Copying features of the external world in itself has never seemed to be the goal of art. Whenever possible, a faithful reproduction of reality is complemented by the creative originality of the artist. In theory, realism is opposed to idealism, but in practice it is opposed by routine, tradition, the academic canon, mandatory imitation of the classics - in other words, death independent creativity. Art begins with the actual reproduction of nature; but when popular patterns are known artistic thinking, imitative creativity occurs, work according to a template.

These are the usual features of an established school, whatever it may be. Almost every school makes claims to a new word precisely in the field of truthful reproduction of life - and each in its own right, and each is denied and replaced by the next in the name of the same principle of truth. This is especially evident in the history of the development of French literature, which reflects a number of achievements of true realism. The desire for artistic truth underlay the same movements that, petrified in tradition and canon, later became symbols of unreal art. It is enough to recall that the famous three unities were not adopted out of slavish imitation of Aristotle, but only because they made it possible for stage illusion. As Lanson wrote, “The establishment of unities was the triumph of Realism. These rules, which became the cause of so many inconsistencies during the decline classical theater, appeared at the beginning a necessary condition stage verisimilitude. In the Aristotelian rules, medieval rationalism found a means of removing from the scene the last vestiges of naive medieval fantasy.”

The deep inner realism of the classical tragedy of the French degenerated in the reasoning of theorists and in the works of imitators into dead schemes, the oppression of which was cast off by literature only in early XIX century. There is a point of view that every truly progressive movement in the field of art is a movement towards realism. In this regard, those new movements that appear to be a reaction to realism are no exception. In fact, they represent only a opposition to routine, artistic dogma - a reaction against realism by name, which has ceased to be a search and artistic recreation of the truth of life. When lyrical symbolism tries to convey to the reader the mood of the poet by new means, when neo-idealists, resurrecting old conventional techniques of artistic depiction, draw stylized images, that is, as if deliberately deviating from reality, they strive for the same thing that is the goal of any - even arch-naturalistic - art: to the creative reproduction of life. There is no truly artistic work - from a symphony to an arabesque, from the Iliad to a Whisper, a Timid Breath - which, upon a deeper look at it, would not turn out to be a truthful image of the creator’s soul, “a corner of life through the prism of temperament.”

It is therefore hardly possible to talk about the history of realism: it coincides with the history of art. We can only characterize individual moments historical life art, when they especially insisted on a truthful depiction of life, seeing it mainly in emancipation from school conventions, in the ability to realize and courage to depict details that went unnoticed by the artists of earlier days or frightened them by inconsistency with dogmas. This was romanticism, this is the final form of realism - naturalism.

In Russia, Dmitry Pisarev was the first to widely introduce the term “realism” into journalism and criticism; before that time, the term “realism” was used by Herzen in a philosophical sense, as a synonym for the concept “materialism” (1846).

European and American realist writers

• O. de Balzac (“Human Comedy”)
• Stendhal (“Red and black”)
• Charles Dickens (“The Adventures of Oliver Twist”)
• Mark Twain (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
• J. London (“Daughter of the Snows”, “The Tale of Kish”, “Sea Wolf”, “Hearts of Three”, “Valley of the Moon”)

Russian realist writers

• Late A. S. Pushkin is the founder of realism in Russian literature (historical drama “Boris Godunov”, stories “The Captain’s Daughter”, “Dubrovsky”, “Belkin’s Stories”, novel in verse “Eugene Onegin”)
• M. Yu. Lermontov (“Hero of Our Time”)
• N. V. Gogol (“Dead Souls”, “The Inspector General”)
• I. A. Goncharov (“Oblomov”)
• A. S. Griboyedov (“Woe from Wit”)
• A. I. Herzen (“Who is to blame?”)
• N. G. Chernyshevsky (“What to do?”)
• F. M. Dostoevsky (“Poor people”, “White nights”, “Humiliated and insulted”, “

Realism is a trend in literature and art that aims to faithfully reproduce reality in its typical features. The dominance of realism followed the era of Romanticism and preceded Symbolism.

1. At the center of the work of realists is objective reality. In its refraction through the worldview of art. 2. The author subjects life material to philosophical processing. 3. The ideal is reality itself. The beautiful thing is life itself. 4. Realists approach synthesis through analysis.

5. The principle of the typical: Typical hero, specific time, typical circumstances

6. Identification of cause-and-effect relationships. 7. The principle of historicism. Realists turn to the problems of the present. The present is the convergence of past and future. 8. The principle of democracy and humanism. 9. The principle of objectivity of the story. 10. Socio-political and philosophical issues predominate

11. psychologism

12. .. The development of poetry is somewhat calming down 13. The novel is the leading genre.

13. Heightened social-critical pathos is one of the main features of Russian realism - for example, “The Inspector General”, “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol

14. The main feature of realism as a creative method is increased attention to the social side of reality.

15. The images of a realistic work reflect general laws existence, not living people. Any image is woven from typical traits manifested in typical circumstances. This is the paradox of art. An image cannot be correlated with a living person; it is richer than a specific person - hence the objectivity of realism.

16. “The artist should not be a judge of his characters and what they say, but only an impartial witness

Realist writers

Late A. S. Pushkin is the founder of realism in Russian literature (the historical drama “Boris Godunov”, the stories “The Captain’s Daughter”, “Dubrovsky”, “Belkin’s Tales”, the novel in verse “Eugene Onegin” back in the 1820s - 1830s)

M. Yu. Lermontov (“Hero of Our Time”)

N. V. Gogol (“Dead Souls”, “The Inspector General”)

I. A. Goncharov (“Oblomov”)

A. S. Griboedov (“Woe from Wit”)

A. I. Herzen (“Who is to blame?”)

N. G. Chernyshevsky (“What to do?”)

F. M. Dostoevsky (“Poor People”, “White Nights”, “Humiliated and Insulted”, “Crime and Punishment”, “Demons”)

L. N. Tolstoy (“War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”, “Resurrection”).

I. S. Turgenev (“Rudin”, “The Noble Nest”, “Asya”, “Spring Waters”, “Fathers and Sons”, “New”, “On the Eve”, “Mu-mu”)

A. P. Chekhov (“The Cherry Orchard”, “Three Sisters”, “Student”, “Chameleon”, “The Seagull”, “Man in a Case”

Since the middle of the 19th century, the formation of Russian realistic literature, which is created against the backdrop of the tense socio-political situation that developed in Russia during the reign of Nicholas I. A crisis of the serfdom system is brewing, and there are strong contradictions between the authorities and the common people. There is an urgent need to create realistic literature that is acutely responsive to the socio-political situation in the country.

Writers turn to socio-political problems of Russian reality. The genre of the realistic novel is developing. His works are created by I.S. Turgenev, F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, I.A. Goncharov. It is worth noting the poetic works of Nekrasov, who was the first to introduce social issues into poetry. His poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'?” is known, as well as many poems that reflect on the difficult and hopeless life of the people. End of the 19th century - The realistic tradition began to fade away. It was replaced by so-called decadent literature. . Realism becomes, to a certain extent, a method of artistic cognition of reality. In the 40s, a “natural school” arose - the work of Gogol, he was a great innovator, discovering that even an insignificant event, such as the acquisition of an overcoat by a minor official, can become a significant event for understanding the most important issues of human existence.

"Natural School" became initial stage development of realism in Russian literature.

Topics: Life, customs, characters, events from the life of the lower classes became the object of study by “naturalists”. The leading genre was the “physiological essay,” which was based on accurate “photography” of the life of various classes.

In literature " natural school“The hero’s class position, his professional affiliation and the social function he performs decisively prevailed over his individual character.

Those who joined the “natural school” were: Nekrasov, Grigorovich, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Goncharov, Panaev, Druzhinin and others.

The task of truthfully showing and exploring life presupposes in realism many techniques for depicting reality, which is why the works of Russian writers are so diverse in both form and content.

Realism as a method of depicting reality in the second half of the 19th century. received the name of critical realism, because its main task was the criticism of reality, the question of the relationship between man and society.

To what extent does society influence the fate of the hero? Who is to blame for a person being unhappy? What to do to change a person and the world? - these are the main questions of literature in general, of Russian literature of the second half of the 19th century V. - in particular.

Psychologism - the characterization of a hero through the analysis of his inner world, consideration of the psychological processes through which a person’s self-awareness is realized and his attitude to the world is expressed - has become the leading method of Russian literature since the formation of the realistic style in it.

One of the remarkable features of Turgenev’s works of the 50s was the appearance in them of a hero who embodied the idea of ​​the unity of ideology and psychology.

Realism of the 2nd half of the 19th century reached its peak precisely in Russian literature, especially in the works of L.N. Tolstoy and F.M. Dostoevsky, who at the end of the 19th century became the central figures of the world literary process. They enriched world literature with new principles for constructing a socio-psychological novel, philosophical and moral issues, new ways of revealing the human psyche in its deep layers

Turgenev is credited with creating literary types of ideologists - heroes, whose approach to personality and characterization of their inner world is in direct connection with the author’s assessment of their worldview and the socio-historical meaning of their philosophical concepts. The merging of the psychological, historical-typological and ideological aspects in Turgenev’s heroes is so complete that their names have become a common noun for a certain stage in the development of social thought, a certain social type representing a class in its historical state, and the psychological makeup of the individual (Rudin, Bazarov, Kirsanov , Mr. N. from the story “Asya” - “Russian man on rendez-vous”).

Dostoevsky's heroes are at the mercy of ideas. Like slaves, they follow her, expressing her self-development. Having “accepted” a certain system into their soul, they obey the laws of its logic, go through all the necessary stages of its growth with it, and bear the yoke of its reincarnations. Thus, Raskolnikov, whose concept grew out of rejection of social injustice and a passionate desire for good, passing through all its logical stages along with the idea that took possession of his entire being, accepts murder and justifies the tyranny of a strong personality over the voiceless masses. In lonely monologues-reflections, Raskolnikov “strengthens” in his idea, falls under its power, gets lost in its ominous vicious circle, and then, having completed the “experience” and suffering internal defeat, begins to feverishly seek dialogue, the possibility of jointly assessing the results of the experiment.

In Tolstoy, the system of ideas that the hero develops and develops in the course of his life is a form of his communication with the environment and is derived from his character, from the psychological and moral characteristics of his personality.

It can be argued that all three great Russian realists of the mid-century - Turgenev, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky - depict the mental and ideological life of a person as a social phenomenon and ultimately presuppose obligatory contact between people, without which the development of consciousness is impossible.

Realism (from Late Latin reālis - real) - artistic method in art and literature. The history of realism in world literature is unusually rich. The very idea of ​​him changed to different stages artistic development, reflecting the persistent desire of artists for a truthful depiction of reality.

Illustration by V. Milashevsky for the novel by Charles Dickens “ Posthumous notes Pickwick Club.



Illustration by O. Vereisky for the novel by L. N. Tolstoy “ Anna Karenina».



Illustration by D. Shmarinov for F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Crime and Punishment.”



Illustration by V. Serov for M. Gorky’s story “Foma Gordeev”.



Illustration by B. Zaborov for the novel by M. Andersen-Nexo “Ditte - Child of Man.”

However, the concept of truth, truth is one of the most difficult in aesthetics. For example, the theorist French classicism N. Boileau called for being guided by the truth and “imitating nature.” But the romantic V. Hugo, an ardent opponent of classicism, urged “to consult only nature, truth and your inspiration, which is also truth and nature.” Thus, both defended "truth" and "nature".

The selection of life phenomena, their assessment, the ability to present them as important, characteristic, typical - all this is connected with the artist’s point of view on life, and this, in turn, depends on his worldview, on the ability to grasp the advanced movements of the era. The desire for objectivity often forces the artist to depict the real balance of power in society, even contrary to his own political convictions.

The specific features of realism depend on those historical conditions, in which art develops. National historical circumstances also determine the uneven development of realism in different countries.

Realism is not something given and unchangeable once and for all. In the history of world literature, several main types of its development can be outlined.

There is no consensus in science about the initial period of realism. Many art historians attribute it to very distant eras: they talk about realism rock paintings primitive people, about realism antique sculpture. In the history of world literature, many features of realism are found in the works of ancient world And early Middle Ages(V folk epic, for example, in Russian epics, in chronicles). However, the formation of realism as artistic system V European literatures It is customary to associate it with the era of the Renaissance (Rebirth), the greatest progressive revolution. A new understanding of life by a person who rejects the church sermon of slavish obedience is reflected in the lyrics of F. Petrarch, the novels of F. Rabelais and M. Cervantes, in the tragedies and comedies of W. Shakespeare. After centuries of medieval churchmen preaching that man is a “vessel of sin” and calling for humility, Renaissance literature and art glorified man as the supreme creature of nature, seeking to reveal the beauty of his physical appearance and the richness of his soul and mind. The realism of the Renaissance is characterized by the scale of images (Don Quixote, Hamlet, King Lear), the poeticization of the human personality, its capacity for great feeling (as in Romeo and Juliet) and at the same time the high intensity of the tragic conflict, when the clash of personality with the inert forces opposing it is depicted .

The next stage in the development of realism is the educational stage (see Enlightenment), when literature becomes (in the West) an instrument of direct preparation for the bourgeois-democratic revolution. Among the educators there were supporters of classicism; their work was influenced by other methods and styles. But in the 18th century. develops (in Europe) and the so-called educational realism, whose theorists were D. Diderot in France and G. Lessing in Germany. English has gained global importance realistic novel, the founder of which was D. Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe (1719). A democratic hero appeared in the literature of the Enlightenment (Figaro in the trilogy of P. Beaumarchais, Louise Miller in the tragedy “Cunning and Love” by I. F. Schiller, images of peasants in A. N. Radishchev). Enlighteners of all phenomena public life and people’s actions were assessed as reasonable or unreasonable (and they saw the unreasonable primarily in all the old feudal orders and customs). They proceeded from this in their depiction of human character; their goodies- this is, first of all, the embodiment of reason, negative ones are a deviation from the norm, a product of unreason, the barbarism of former times.

Enlightenment realism often allowed for convention. Thus, the circumstances in the novel and drama were not necessarily typical. They could be conditional, as in the experiment: “Suppose a person finds himself on a desert island...”. At the same time, Defoe depicts Robinson’s behavior not as it could actually be (the prototype of his hero went wild, even lost his articulate speech), but as he wants to present the person, fully armed with his physical and mental strength, as a hero, conqueror of forces nature. Faust in I. V. Goethe, shown in the struggle for approval, is also conditional high ideals. Features of a well-known convention also distinguish D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor.”

A new type of realism emerged in the 19th century. This is critical realism. It differs significantly from both the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Its flourishing in the West is associated with the names of Stendhal and O. Balzac in France, C. Dickens, W. Thackeray in England, in Russia - A. S. Pushkin, N. V. Gogol, I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, A.P. Chekhov.

Critical realism depicts a person's attitude in a new way and environment. Human character is revealed in organic connection with social circumstances. Subject of deep social analysis became inner world human, critical realism therefore simultaneously becomes psychological. Romanticism, which sought to penetrate the secrets of the human “I,” played a large role in the preparation of this quality of realism.

Deepening the knowledge of life and complicating the picture of the world in the critical realism of the 19th century. do not mean, however, some kind of absolute superiority over previous stages, for the development of art is marked not only by gains, but also by losses.

The scale of the images of the Renaissance was lost. The pathos of affirmation characteristic of the Enlighteners, their optimistic faith in the victory of good over evil, remained unique.

The rise of the labor movement in Western countries, the formation in the 40s. XIX century Marxism not only influence the literature of critical realism, but also give rise to the first artistic experiments in depicting reality from the perspective of the revolutionary proletariat. In the realism of such writers as G. Weert, W. Morris, and the author of “The International” E. Pothier, new features are outlined that anticipate the artistic discoveries of socialist realism.

IN Russia XIX century is a period of exceptional strength and scope of development of realism. In the second half of the century, the artistic achievements of realism, bringing Russian literature to the international arena, won it worldwide recognition.

The richness and diversity of Russian realism of the 19th century. allow us to talk about its different forms.

Its formation is associated with the name of A. S. Pushkin, who led Russian literature onto the broad path of depicting “the fate of the people, the fate of man.” In the conditions of the accelerated development of Russian culture, Pushkin seems to be catching up with its previous lag, paving new paths in almost all genres and, with his universality and his optimism, turning out to be akin to the titans of the Renaissance. Pushkin’s work lays the foundations of critical realism, developed in the work of N.V. Gogol and after him in the so-called natural school.

Performance in the 60s. revolutionary democrats led by N. G. Chernyshevsky gives new features to Russian critical realism (the revolutionary nature of criticism, images of new people).

A special place in the history of Russian realism belongs to L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky. It was thanks to them that the Russian realistic novel acquired global significance. Their psychological mastery, penetration into the “dialectics of the soul” opened the way for the artistic quest of writers of the 20th century. Realism in the 20th century all over the world bears the imprint of the aesthetic discoveries of L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky.

The growth of the Russian liberation movement, which by the end of the century transferred the center of the world revolutionary struggle from the West to Russia, leads to the fact that the work of the great Russian realists becomes, as V. I. Lenin said about L. N. Tolstoy, “a mirror of the Russian revolution” according to to your objective historical content, despite all the differences in their ideological positions.

The creative scope of Russian social realism is reflected in the wealth of genres, especially in the field of the novel: philosophical and historical (L. N. Tolstoy), revolutionary journalistic (N. G. Chernyshevsky), everyday (I. A. Goncharov), satirical (M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin), psychological (F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy). By the end of the century, A.P. Chekhov became an innovator in the genre of realistic stories and a kind of “lyrical drama”.

It is important to emphasize that Russian realism XIX V. did not develop in isolation from the world historical and literary process. This was the beginning of an era when, in the words of K. Marx and F. Engels, “the fruits of the spiritual activity of individual nations become the common property.”

F. M. Dostoevsky noted as one of the features of Russian literature its “capacity for universality, all-humanity, all-response.” Here we're talking about not so much about Western influences, how much about organic development in line European culture its centuries-old traditions.

At the beginning of the 20th century. the appearance of M. Gorky’s plays “The Bourgeois”, “At the Depths” and especially the novel “Mother” (and in the West - the novel by M. Andersen-Nexo “Pelle the Conqueror”) testifies to the formation socialist realism. In the 20s major successes declares itself Soviet literature, and in the early 30s. In many capitalist countries, a literature of the revolutionary proletariat is emerging. The literature of socialist realism is becoming an important factor in the world literary development. It should be noted that Soviet literature as a whole retains more connections with artistic experience XIX c. than literature in the West (including socialist literature).

The beginning of the general crisis of capitalism, two world wars, the acceleration of the revolutionary process throughout the world under the influence October revolution and existence Soviet Union, and after 1945, the formation of the world system of socialism - all this affected the fate of realism.

Critical realism, which continued to develop in Russian literature until the October Revolution (I. A. Bunin, A. I. Kuprin) and in the West, in the 20th century. received further development, while undergoing significant changes. In critical realism of the 20th century. in the West, a variety of influences are more freely assimilated and intersected, including some features of the unrealistic movements of the 20th century. (symbolism, impressionism, expressionism), which, of course, does not exclude the struggle of realists against non-realistic aesthetics.

From about the 20s. In the literature of the West, there is a tendency towards in-depth psychologism, the transmission of the “stream of consciousness”. There is a so-called intellectual novel T. Manna; acquires special meaning subtext, for example, in E. Hemingway. This focus on the individual and his spiritual world in the critical realism of the West significantly weakens its epic breadth. Epic scale in the 20th century. is the merit of the writers of socialist realism (“The Life of Klim Samgin” by M. Gorky, “ Quiet Don"M. A. Sholokhov, "Walking through the Torment" by A. N. Tolstoy, "The Dead Remain Young" by A. Zegers).

Unlike the realists of the 19th century. writers of the 20th century more often they resort to fantasy (A. France, K. Chapek), to convention (for example, B. Brecht), creating parable novels and parable dramas (see Parable). At the same time, in the realism of the 20th century. the document, the fact, triumphs. Documentary works appear in different countries within the framework of both critical realism and socialist realism.

Thus, while remaining documentary, the autobiographical books of E. Hemingway, S. O'Casey, I. Becher are works of great general meaning, such classic books socialist realism, such as “Report with a Noose Around the Neck” by Yu. Fuchik and “Young Guard” by A. A. Fadeev.

The 19th century was a difficult period in the entire world history: both Russia and Europe. Profound changes have affected all aspects of society. The rise of the labor movement in Europe showed itself not only in rallies and demonstrations, but also in a new ideology that quickly spread to other continents. At this time, a new direction in culture was being formed - critical realism. Its main feature, as well as realism in general in all its diversity, is a truthful, reliable depiction of reality. The words “critical” in this situation means that representatives of this movement Special attention paid attention to the negative aspects of the life of society, as they say, its vices.

Characteristics of critical realism:

Reliable reproduction of reality,
special interest in social issues
subjectivity in works this direction

Critical realism abroad

This trend originates in Europe. And this is understandable: mass protests of workers swept through almost all European countries 19th century. The demonstrators tried to extend their views to the general population. This is how critical realism found itself in the media, and as a result in literature.

Much has been written in the spirit of critical realism outstanding works famous writers 19th century. Honoré de Balzac described 19th century French society in " Human Comedy". The works of Charles Dickens are dedicated to tragic destinies children of that time. This group includes the famous short story “Carmen” by Prosper Merimee.
Critical realism managed to manifest itself not only in the literature of the 19th century, but also in art. Honore Daumier, French artist, painted a whole series of paintings: “Murder on the Rue Transnonen”, “New Galileo”, “Legislative Womb”, etc. Francois Millet, another no less famous French artist, described in his famous work “Angelus” difficult situation peasantry.
The ideas of critical realism also found their way into music. Wide popular works Giuseppe Verdi was made by the ideas of humanism and nationality. "La Traviata" - the composer's romantic opera tells about the tragic fate of one woman. No less popular are the operas and symphonies of Richard Wagner (Die Walküre, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin) and musical works Johann Strauss ("An Artist's Life", "Die Fledermaus").

Critical realism in Russia

Russian critical realists are characterized by the image of a suffering people oppressed by the burden of serfdom. Nationality is the main idea of ​​Russian critical realism of the 19th century.
A. S. Pushkin is truly the main realist of the 19th century in Russia. His works" Captain's daughter", "Boris Godunov" are known to everyone. Among others famous works, belonging to this genre are the well-known “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol, “Fathers and Sons” by I.V. Turgenev. Socialist realists: M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, I.A. Nekrasov, N.G. Chernyshevsky and others, in their works condemn serfdom Russia.

art in this era, such a direction as naturalism embraced. Naturalistic works also revealed the painful sides of 19th century society. During this period the famous partnership arose traveling exhibitions. Famous artists, known in this period: I. I. Shishkin, V. G. Perov, G. G. Myasoedov, A. K. Savrasov, I. I. Levitan, F. A. Vasiliev.

Thus, the main merit of critical realism was that it showed the whole world the tragedy of the situation common people. Thanks to this current society takes a new look at social problems of that time and this, in turn, gave impetus to new social revolutions and movements.

Realism in literature is a direction whose main feature is true picture reality and its typical features without any distortion or exaggeration. This originated in the 19th century, and its adherents sharply opposed sophisticated forms of poetry and the use of various mystical concepts in works.

Signs directions

Realism in 19th-century literature can be distinguished by clear characteristics. The main one is artistic image reality in images familiar to the average person, which he regularly encounters in real life. Reality in the works is considered as a means of man’s knowledge of the world around him and himself, and the image of each literary character is worked out in such a way that the reader can recognize himself, a relative, colleague or acquaintance in it.

In the novels and stories of realists, art remains life-affirming, even if the plot is characterized by tragic conflict. Another sign of this genre is the desire of writers to consider the surrounding reality in its development, and each writer tries to discover the emergence of new psychological, social and social relations.

Features of this literary movement

Realism in literature, which replaced romanticism, has the characteristics of art, truth seeker and the one who finds it, striving to transform reality.

In the works of realist writers, discoveries were made after much thought and dreaming, after analyzing subjective worldviews. This feature, which can be distinguished by the author’s perception of time, determined features realistic literature of the early twentieth century from traditional Russian classics.

Realism inXIX century

Such representatives of realism in literature as Balzac and Stendhal, Thackeray and Dickens, George Sand and Victor Hugo, in their works most clearly reveal the themes of good and evil, and avoid abstract concepts and show real life of their contemporaries. These writers make it clear to readers that evil lies in the lifestyle of bourgeois society, capitalist reality, people’s dependence on various material assets. For example, in Dickens's novel Dombey and Son, the owner of the company was heartless and callous not by nature. It’s just that he developed such character traits due to the presence big money and the ambition of the owner, for whom profit becomes the main achievement in life.

Realism in literature is devoid of humor and sarcasm, and the images of the characters are no longer the ideal of the writer himself and do not embody him cherished dreams. From the works of the 19th century, the hero practically disappears, in whose image the author’s ideas are visible. This situation is especially clearly visible in the works of Gogol and Chekhov.

However, this is most clearly literary direction manifests itself in the works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, who describe the world as they see it. This was expressed in the image of characters with their own strengths and weaknesses, the description of mental torment, a reminder to readers of the harsh reality that cannot be changed by one person.

As a rule, realism in literature also affected the fate of representatives of the Russian nobility, as can be judged from the works of I. A. Goncharov. Thus, the characters of the heroes in his works remain contradictory. Oblomov is sincere and soft person, however, due to his passivity, he is not capable of better. Another character in Russian literature has similar qualities - the weak-willed but gifted Boris Raisky. Goncharov managed to create the image of an “anti-hero” typical of XIX century, which was noticed by critics. As a result, the concept of “Oblomovism” appeared, referring to all passive characters whose main features were laziness and lack of will.